LDPE HDPE PP PMP (TPX) PVC PC PS SAN PMMA PTFE POM PBT Temperature ºC 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 Acetaldehyde 3 1 3 22 1 2 111 2 1111111 3333 Acetic Acid (Glacial) 2 1 333 222 3 111111111 33 111 Acetic Anhydride 11 2222 3 2 1111111111 22 11 Acetone 2 111 2 1 33 1111111111 3333 2 Ammonium Chloride (10%) 333333333 222 3333 22 33 Ammonium Hydroxide (30%) 333333333 11 2222222 3333 Amyl Acetate 2 1 3 22 1 3 2 11111111 3333333 Aniline (Phenylamine) 3 2 33333 2 1111111111 33 222 Aqua Regia 11111111111111 2 111 3333 1 Benzaldehyde 3 22 11 2 3 2 1111111111 3333 Benzene 111111111111111111 333 2 3 Benzoic Acid 33333 2 333 2 3 222 333333 1 Boric Acid (10%) 33333333333333333333333 Butyl Acetate 22222222 3 111111111 333 22 Butyric Acid (Butanoic acid) 11 2 11111 3 111111111 33 3 Calcium Hydroxide (Saturated) 3333333333 11 22 33 2 1 33333 Carbon Disulphide 111111111111111111 3333 Carbon Tetrachloride 2 1 2 1 2 111 3 11111 2 111 33 22 Chloroform 2 1 2 111111111111111 33 111 Citric Acid (1M) 33333333333333333 33 Cresol 11 2 1 22 111111 2 11111 33 1 Cyclohexane 2 1 2 1 2 11111 3 2 11 2 1 2 3333 Dibutyl Phthalate 2 1 2 1 2 1 22 11 2 1111111 33333 Dichlorobenzene 2 1 2 1 2 1111111111111 33 11 Diethyl Ether 11 2 1 2 111 3 111111111 33333 Diethylene Glycol 33333333 2 1 22 3333 11 3333 1 Dimethyl Formamide (DMF) 33333333 1111111111 33333 Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) 33333333 1111 2 1111 33 3 Dioxane 2222 11 22 1111111111 33 222 1 Ethyl Acetate (Ethyl Ester) 3333 2 1 2 11111111111 22 1 Ethyl Alcohol (Absolute Ethanol) 3 2 33333 2 333 2 3 2 1111 33333 Ethyl Chloride (Chloroethane) 2 111 2 1 2 11111111111 33 Ethylene Chloride 2 111 2 1 2 1 2 111111111 33 11 Ethylene Oxide (Pure) 22222 1 2 111 2 11111 333333 2 Ethylene Oxide (Gas) 22 3333 2222 333 222 3333 Formaldehyde (Formalin) 40% 3 2 3 2 33333333 222 1 3 2 33333 Formic Acid (50%) 22 333 2 333 1 2222 3 2 33 2 Formic Acid (100%) 22 333 2 333 1 2 1 22 11 33 11 Glycerine (Glycerol) 33333333333333333333 22 3 LDPE HDPE PP PMP (TPX) PVC PC PS SAN PMMA PTFE POM PBT Temperature ºC 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 Hexane 11 22222 1 3 1 2 111 333 33333 Hydrobromic Acid (69%) 333 2 3 2 3333 222222 11 33 111 Hydrochloric Acid (5%) 3333333333333333 2 33 111 Hydrochloric Acid (35%) 33333 2 3 2 33 2 1 333 2 11 33 111 Hydrofluoric Acid (48%) 33333 2 3 2222 111 3 2 11 33 11 2 Hydrogen Peroxide (30%) 33333 2 3 2 33333 2 33 2 1 333 1 3 Lactic Acid (85%) 33333 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 333333333 1 3 Methyl Acetate 3 1 333 22 111111111 33 1 Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) 3 2 33333 2 33 2222 1111 33333 Methyl Ethyl Ketone (Butanone) 1111 333 11111111111 33 3 Methylene Chloride (Dichloro Methane) 11 3 1 3 1 3 11111111111 33 111 Mineral Oil 2 3333 2 3 2 333333333333333 Nitric Acid (10%) 33 2222222 33 22 3 22 3 33 11 2 Nitric Acid (70%) 3 1 3 111 3 11111111111 33 11 2 Nitrobenzene 111111 3 11111111111 33 2 1 3 Oxalic Acid (10%) 33333333333333333333333 Perchloric Acid (70%) 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 111 2222 33 22 11 Phenol (100%) 111111111111111111 33 111 Phosphoric Acid (85%) 3 1 333 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 33 2 1 333 1 Picric Acid 111111 33 1111 22 33 33 Potassium Hydroxide (30%) 3333333333 11 22 33333333 1 Potassium Permanganate 33333 2 333 2 333 2222 1 33 22 3 Propylene Glycol 33333333 2222 3333 3333 Pyridine 1111 33 2 11111111111 333 2 Salicylic Acid 33333333 22 3 2 3 2 3 2 33 11 3 Silver Nitrate 3 2 3333333 2 33333 2 33 22 Sodium Hydroxide (50%) 22 33333333 11 3 2 3 2 3 1 3333 1 Sodium Hypochlorite (15%) 3 2 3 22 1 3333 22 3 2 333333 1 Sulphuric Acid (20%) 333333333 2 3 2 333 2 3333 Sulphuric Acid (60%) 3 2 3 222 3 2 3 222 3 2 1111 33 11 Sulphuric Acid (98%) 22222 3 222 111 22 1111 33 111 Tetrahydrofuran (THF) 2 1 2 3 2222 1111111111 33 22 3 Toluene 2 11111 22 1111111111 33 11 3 Trichloroacetic Acid 2 1 2 1 22 33 2 1 2 1 2 111 33 1 Trichloroethylene 111111111111111111 33 1111 Turpentine 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 222 111 2 1 2 1 33333 Xylene 11 2 111 2 11111111111 3333 1 Zinc Chloride (10%) 333333333333333333333 2 3 Zinc Sulphate (10%) 33333333333333333333 2 1 2 Good resistance: continuous exposure to the substance causes minor damage within 7 - 30 days. 1 Poor resistance: not suitable for continuous exposure to the substance. Immediate damage may occur. 3 Excellent resistance: continuous exposure to the substance does not cause damage within 30 days. The physical properties of plastics * Permeability (cc-mm/m 2 -24hr.Bar). † Polymer may be malleable at temperatures above 80ºC if the product is under structural stress. †† Material may become brittle at low temperatures. Max usage Temp. ºC Min usage Temp. ºC Transparency Flexability Specific Gravity Microwaveable Autoclavable Gas Dry Heat Radiation (Gamma) Disinfection N2 O2 CO2 Water Absorbtion (%) Cytotoxic LDPE HDPE PP PMP (TPX) PC PS PMMA PTFE PFA 80 120† 135 145 135 90 50 260 260 -50 -100 -20†† 0†† -135 -40 -60 -200 -260 Translucent Translucent Translucent Clear Clear Clear Clear Opaque Translucent Flexible Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Flexible 0.92 0.95 0.9 0.83 1.2 1.05 1.2 2.2 2.15 Yes No Yes Yes Marginal No No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Tes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Some Some Yes Yes 180 42 48 8,000 50 25 3 Unknown 291 500 185 240 32,000 300 400 12 308 881 2,700 580 800 115,000 1,075 1,500 68 Unknown 2,260 <0.01 <0.03 <0.2 0.01 0.35 0.05 0.35 <0.01 <0.02 No No No No No No No No No Sterilisation Permeability* Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE l Opaque rigid polymer l Wide temperature range –200 to +260ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Unrivalled resistance to almost all chemicals l Extremely low friction coefficient l Typically used for bottles, beakers and stirrers Polyfluoroalkoxy, PFA l Translucent flexible form of PTFE l Wide temperature range -260 to +260ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Excellent chemical resistance l Typically used for trace metal analysis bottles Polymethylmethacrylate, Acrylic (PMMA) l Transparent rigid polymer l Narrow temperature range -60 to +50ºC l Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistance l Very tough and high clarity l Typically used for radiation shields Polystyrene, PS l Transparent rigid polymer l Narrow temperature range -40 to +90ºC l Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistance l Brittle yet has excellent clarity l Typically used for container ware Polyvinylchloride, PVC l Rigid polymer l Narrow temperature range -25 to +70ºC l Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistance l Rigid or flexible, coloured or clear l Typically used for trays and troughs Polypropylene, PP l Translucent rigid polymer l Temperature range -20 to +135ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Good to excellent chemical resistance l Resistant to fatigue making it tough l Typically used for beakers, bottles and cylinders Low Density Polyethylene, LDPE l Translucent flexible polymer l Narrow temperature range of -50 to +80ºC l Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Good to excellent chemical resistance l Robust and virtually unbreakable l Typically used for wash bottles High Density Polyethylene, HDPE l Translucent rigid polymer l Broad temperature range of -100 to +120ºC l Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Good to excellent chemical resistance l High tensile strength making it very tough l Typically used for bottles Polymethylpentene, PMP (TPX) l Transparent rigid polymer l Broad temperature range -180 to +145ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Good to excellent chemical resistance l Has a low density and a high clarity l Typically used for beakers and cylinders Polycarbonate, PC l Transparent rigid polymer l Broad temperature range -135 to +135ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistance l High impact strength l Typically used for safety shields SciLabware Limited, Unit 4, Riverside 2, Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 4RJ, wUK +44 (0) 1782 444406 This technical information is provided in good faith by SciLabware Limited for the safety of its customers. Please note that the advice given is for general laboratory applications and may not necessarily apply to all tests or procedures. The A-Z of reusable plastic labware SciLabware Limited, Unit 4, Riverside 2, Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 4RJ, wUK +44 (0) 1782 444406 This technical information is provided in good faith by SciLabware Limited for the safety of its customers. Please note that the advice given is for general laboratory applications and may not necessarily apply to all tests or procedures. The A-Z of reusable plastic labware SciLabware Limited, Unit 4, Riverside 2, Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 4RJ, wUK +44 (0) 1782 444406 This technical information is provided in good faith by SciLabware Limited for the safety of its customers. Please note that the advice given is for general laboratory applications and may not necessarily apply to all tests or procedures. www.scilabware.com [email protected] The A-Z of reusable plastic labware The chemical resistance of plastics This chart gives general guidelines on the chemical resistance of plastics. There are many factors that influence chemical resistance, we therefore recommend that you test for your own application before selecting the appropriate product. If you have any doubts please contact us for assistance. No information available.