Chemical Resistances of Common Plastics

When working in a laboratory, it's important to understand the chemical tolerances of the plastics around you. We're surrounded by plastics in the modern world, and for the laboratory, this is doubly true: everything from chairs, to countertops, to bottles, pipets, tubing, trays, etc., are often plastic in composition.

Subject the wrong plastic to the wrong substance, and you could encounter a destroyed container, a ruined sample, and a mess to clean up. In the worst case scenario, the negative reaction could pose a health hazard, as spilled liquids or unknowingly-damaged containers endanger your colleagues.

The below Chemical Resistances of Common Plastics table can serve as a general guide for the plastics around you and their tolerances to different chemicals.

However, avoid treating this guide as a final recommendation: in matters of lab safety, it's imperative to seek the help of licensed professionals. Use this table only as a rough introduction to the potential hazards of plastic and substance incompatibility.

Plastic Acronym	Plastic Full Name	Acids, dilute or weak	Acids, strong & concentrated	Alcohols, aliphatic	Aldehydes	Bases	Esters	Hydrocarbons, aliphatic	Hydrocarbons, aromatic	Hydrocarbons, halogenated	Ketones	Oxidizing agents, strong
ACL	Acetal	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	Immediate damage
ECTFE/ETFE	Ethylene-Chlorotrifluoroethylene Copolymer	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage
FEP/TFE/PFA	Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage
FLPE	Fluorinated High-Density Polyethylene	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	Gradual damage
HDPE	High-Density Polyethylene	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage
LDPE	Low-Density Polyethylene	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Gradual damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage
PC	Polycarbonate	No damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Gradual damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage
PCT	Poly (1, 4 Cyclohexylene Dimethylene Terepthalate)	No damage	Gradual damage	No damage	Gradual damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Gradual damage	Immediate damage
PET	Polyethylene Terepthalate	No damage	Immediate damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage
PMMA	Polymethyl Methacrylate (Acrylic)	Little to no damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage
PMP	Polymethylpentene	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Gradual damage	Immediate damage	Gradual damage	Gradual damage
PP/PPCO	Polypropylene (Copolymer)	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Gradual damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage
PS	Polystyrene	No damage	Gradual damage	No damage	Immediate damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage
PSF	Polysulfone	No damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage
PUR	Polyurethane	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Gradual damage	Little to no damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage
PVC (Bottles)	PVC Bottles	No damage	No damage	No damage	Immediate damage	No damage	Immediate damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage
PVC (Tubing)	Flexible PVC Tubing	No damage	Gradual damage	Little to no damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage	Immediate damage	Gradual damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Gradual damage
PVDF	Polyvinyllidene Fluoride	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Little to no damage
TPE	Thermoplastic Elastomer	No damage	Gradual damage	No damage	Immediate damage	No damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage	Immediate damage
XLPE	Cross-Linked High-Density Polyethylene	No damage	No damage	No damage	Little to no damage	No damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage	Little to no damage	Gradual damage

The information above is provided courtesy of Ace Glass, Inc.