2. POYETHYENE Chemicals Resistance Table ow Density and High Density Polyethylene INTRODUCTION The table in this document summarises the data given in a number of chemical resistance tables at present in use in various countries, derived from both practical experience and test results. ource: IO/TR 7472, 7474; Carlowitz: Kunststofftabellen-3. Auflage. The table contains an evaluation of the chemical resistance of a number of fluids judged to be either aggressive or not towards low and high density polyethylene. This evaluation is based on values obtained by immersion of low and high density polyethylene test specimens in the fluid concerned at 20 and 60 C and atmospheric pressure, followed in certain cases by the determination of tensile characteristics. A subsequent classification will be established with respect to a restricted number of fluids deemed to be technically or commercially more important, using equipment which permits testing under pressure and the determination of the ìcoefficient of chemical resistanceî for each fluid. These tests will thus furnish more complete indications on the use of low and high density polyethylene products for the transport of stated fluids, including their use under pressure. COPE AND FIED APPICATION This document establishes a provisional classification of the chemical resistance of low and high density polyethylene with respect to about 300 fluids. It is intended to provide general guidelines on the possible utilisation of low and high density polyethylene: at temperatures up to 20 och 60 C in the absence of internal pressure and external mechanical stress (for example flexural stresses, stresses due to thrust, rolling loads etc). DEFINITION, YMBO AND ABBREVIATION The criteria of classification, definitions, symbols and abbreviations adopted in this document are as follows: = atisfactory The chemical resistance of low or high density polyethylene exposed to the action of a fluid is classified as satisfactory when the results of test are acknowledged to be ìsatisfactoryî by the majority of the countries participating in the evaluation. 01 800 681 5700 www.tecnotanques.com íguenos en
= imited The chemical resistance of low or high density polyethylene exposed to the action of a fluid is classified as limited when the results of tests are acknowledged to be limited by the majority of the countries participating in the evaluation. Also classified as limited are the resistance to the action of chemical fluids for which judgements and N or are pronounced to an equal extent. N = Not satisfactory The chemical resistance of low or high density polyethylene exposed to the action of a fluid is classified as not satisfactory when the results of tests are acknowledged to be not satisfactory by the majority of the countries participating in the evaluation. Also classified as not satisfactory are materials for which judgements and N are pronounced to an equal extent. at.sol aturated aqueous solution, prepared at 20 C ol Aqueous solution at a concentration higher than, but not saturated Dil.sol Dilute aqueous solution at a concentration equel to or lower than Work.sol Aqueous solution having the usual concentration for industrial use olution concentrations reported in the text are expressed as a percentage by mass. The aqueous solutions of sparingly soluble chemicals are considered, as far as chemical action towards low or high density polyethylene is concerned, as saturated solutions. In general, common chemical names are used in this document. The table is made as a first guideline for user of polyethylene. If a chemical compound is not to be found or if there is an uncertainty on the chemical resistance in an application, please contact Borealis for advise and proposal on testing. 2 01 800 681 5700 www.tecnotanques.com íguenos en
Chemical resistance of low density and high density polyethylene, not subjected to mechanical stress, to various fluids at 20 and 60 C Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Acetaldehyde N Acetanilide Acetic acid Acetic acid 60 % Acetic acid, glacial Greater than 96 % N Acetic anhydride N Acetone N Acrylnitrile Acetylsilicacid Adipic acid at.sol After shave N N N N Aliphatic hydocarbons N Allyl acetate Allyl alcohol N Allyl alcohol 96 % Allyl chloride N N Aluminium chloride at.sol Aluminium fluoride at.sol Aluminium hydroxide at.sol Aluminium nitrate at.sol Aluminium oxychloride at.sol Al/potassium sulphate at.sol Aluminium sulphate at.sol Alums ol Aminobenzoic acid Ammonia, dry gas Ammonia, liquid Ammonia, aqueous Dil.sol Ammonium acetate Ammonium carbonate at.sol Ammonium chloride at.sol Ammonium fluoride ol Ammonium hexafluorosilicate at.sol Ammonium hydrogen carbonate at.sol Ammonium hydroxide Ammonium hydroxide 30 % 3 01 800 681 5700 www.tecnotanques.com íguenos en
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Ammonium metaphosphate at.sol Ammonium nitrate at.sol Ammonium oxalate at.sol Ammonium phosphate at.sol Ammonium persulphate at.sol Ammonium sulphate at.sol Ammonium sulphide ol Ammonium thiocyanate at.sol Amyl acetate N N Amyl alcohol Amyl chloride N N Amyl phthalate Aniline N N Anilinchlorohydrate Antimony (III) chloride 90 % Antimony (III) chloride at.sol Antimony trichloride ol Apple juice ol Aqua regia HCl/HNO3 = 3/1 N N N N Aromaitic hydrocarbons N N N N Arsenic acid at.sol Asorbic acid Barium bromide Barium carbonate Barium chloride Barium hydroxide Barium sulphate Barium sulphide Beer Benzaldehyde Benzene Benzoic acid Benzoylchloride Benzyl alcohol Benzylsulphonic acid Bismuth carbonate Bitumen Bleach lye at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol N N N 4 01 800 681 5700 www.tecnotanques.com íguenos en
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Borax at.sol Boric acid at.sol Boron trifluoride N N Brake fluid N N Brine Bromine, dry gas N N N N Bromine, liquid N N N N Bromoform N N N N Butandiol Butandiol 60 % Butandiol Butane, gas Butanol Butter Butyl acetate Butyl alcohol Butyl chloride Butylene glycol Butylene glycol 60 % Butylene glycol Butyraldehyde Butyric acid Calcium arsenate Calcium benzoate Calcium bisulphide Calcium bromate Calcium bromide at.sol Calcium carbonate at.sol Calcium chlorate at.sol Calcium chloride at.sol Calcium chromate 40 % Calcium cyanide Calcium hydrosulphide ol Calcium hydroxide at.sol Calcium hypochlorite ol Calcium nitrate at.sol Calcium oxide at.sol Calcium perchlorate 1 % 5 01 800 681 5700 www.tecnotanques.com íguenos en
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Calcium permanganate 20 % Calcium persulphate ol Calcium sulphate at.sol Calcium sulphide Dil.sol Camphor oil N N Carbon dioxide, dry gas Carbon dioxide, wet Carbon disulphide N N N Carbon monoxide Carbon tetrachloride N N N Carbonic acid Castor oil ol Chlorine, water 2 % at.sol Chlorine, aqueous at.sol N N N Chlorine, dry gas N N N Chloroacetic acid ol Chlorobenzene N N N N Chloroethanol Chloroform N N N N Chloromethane, gas Chlorosulphonic acid N N N N Chloropropene N Chrome alum ol Chromic acid at.sol Chromic acid 20 % Chromic acid 50 % Chromium VI oxide at.sol Cider Citric acid at.sol Citric acid Citric acid 25 % Coconut oil alcoholic Coffee Copper (II) chloride at.sol Copper cyanide at.sol Copper (II) fluoride at.sol Copper (II) fluoride 2 % Copper (II) nitrate at.sol Copper (II) sulphate at.sol 6
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Corn oil Cottonseed oil Cresylic acid at.sol Crotonaldehyde at.sol Cyclanone Cyclohexane N N N N Cyclohexanol at.sol N Cyclohexanol Cyclohexanone N N Decahydronaphthalene N Decane N N N Decalin Detergents, synthetic Developers (photographic) Work.conc Dextrin ol Dextrose ol Diacetone alcohol Diazo salts Dibutyl amine N N N Dibuthyl ether N N Dibutylphthalate Dichlorobenzene N N N N Dichloroethylene N N N N Dichloropropylene N N N N Diesel oil N Diethyl ether N N Diethyl ketone N Diethylene glycol Diglycolic acid Diisobutylketone Dimethyl amine N N Dimethyl formamid Dioctyl phthalate N Dioxan Dipentene N N N N Disodium phosphate Drano, plumbing cleaner 7
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Emulsions, photographic Ethandiol Ethanol 40 % Ethanol 96 % Ethyl acetate N N Ethyl acrylate N N N Ethyl alcohol 35 % Ethyl alcohol Ethyl benzene N N N N Ethyl chloride N N N N Ethylene chloride N N N N Ethylene diamine Ethyl ether N N N N Ethylene glycol Ethyl mercaptan N N N N Ferric chloride Ferric nitrate Ferric sulphate Ferrous chloride Ferrous sulphate Fish solubles Fluoboric acid Fluorine gas Fluorine gas, dry Fluorine gas, wet Fluorosilic acid Fluorosilic acid Formaldehyde Formic acid Formic acid Fructose Fruit pulps Furfural Furfuryl alcohol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol ol Conc 40 % 40 % 40 % 98 to at.sol ol N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N Gallic acid Gasoline, petrol Gelatine at.sol N 8
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Glucose at.sol Glycerine Glycerol Glycolic acid 30 % Glycolic acid ol n-heptane N N N Hexachlorobenzene Hexachlorophene N N Hexamethylenetriamine 40 % Hexane Hexanol, tertiary Hydrobromic acid 50 % Hydrobromic acid Up to Hydrochloric acid Up to 36 % Hydrochloric acid Conc Hydrochlorous acid Conc Hydrocyanic acid Hydrocyanic acid at.sol Hydrofluoric acid 40 % Hydrofluoric acid 60 % Hydrogen Hydrogen chloride Dry gas Hydrogen peroxide 30 % Hydrogen peroxide 90 % N N Hydrogen sulphide gas Hydroquinone at.sol Hydroxylamine up to 12 % Inks Iodine (in potassium sol) N N N Iodine (in alcohol) N N N N Iron (II) chloride at.sol Iron (II) sulphate at.sol Iron (III) chloride at.sol Iron (III) nitrate ol Iron (III) sulphate at.sol Iso octane N Iso pentane N N N N 9
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Isopropanol Isopropyl amine N N N N Isopropyl ether N N Kerosene N N N N actic acid actic acid actic acid atex ead acetate ead acetate ead arsenate ubricating oil ysol 28 % up to Dil.sol at.sol N N N Magnesium carbonate at.sol Magnesium chloride at.sol Magnesium hydroxide at.sol Magnesium nitrate at.sol Magnesium sulphate at.sol Maleic acid at.sol Mercury Mercury (I) nitrate ol Mercury (II) chloride at.sol Mecury (II) cyanide at.sol Mercury Methanol Methyl alcohol Methyl benzoic acid at.sol N N Methyl bromide N N N N Methyl chloride N N N N Methylcyclohexane N N Methyl ethyl ketone Methylene chloride N N N N Methoxybutanol Milk Milk of Magnesia Mineral oils N 10
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Molasses Work.conc Motor oil Naphtha Naphtahalene Nickel chloride Nickel nitrate Nickel sulphate Nicotine Nicotinic acid Nitric acid Nitric acid Nitric acid Nitric acid Nitric acid Nitrobenzene Nitroethane Nitromethane Nitrotoluene at.sol at.sol at.sol Dil.sol Dil.sol 25 % 50 % 70 % 95 % N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N n-octane Octyl alcohol N N Oil and fats N Oleic acid N Oleum (H2O4 + O3) N N N N Oleum (H2O4 + 50 % O3) N N N N Olive oil N N Orthophosphoric acid 50 % Orthophosphoric acid 95 % Oxalic acid at.sol Oxygen Ozone N N N Paraffin oil n-pentane Pentane-2 Perchloric acid Perchloric acid Perchloric acid 20 % 50 % 70 % N N N N N N N N N N 11
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Perchloroethylene N N N N Phenol ol N Phosphine Phosphoric acid up to 25 % Phosphoric acid 25 to 50 % Phosphoric (III) chloride Phosphorous (II) chloride Phosphorous pentoxide Phosphorous trichloride Photographic solutions Phtalic acid 50 % Picric acid at.sol Plating solutions Potassium acetate Potassium aluminium sulphate at.sol Potassium benzoate Potassium bicarbonate at.sol Potassium borate at.sol Potassium bromate at.sol Potassium bromide at.sol Potassium carbonate at.sol Potassium chlorate at.sol Potassium chloride at.sol Potassium chromate at.sol Potassium cyanide ol Potassium dichromate at.sol Potassium fluoride at.sol Potassium hexacyanoferrate (III) at.sol Potassium hexacyanoferrate (II) at.sol Potassium hexafluorosilicate at.sol Potassium hydrogen carbonate at.sol Potassium hydrogen sulphate at.sol Potassium hydrogen sulphide ol Potassium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide ol Potassium hypochlorite ol Potassium iodate Potassium iodide at.sol Potassium nitrate at.sol 12
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C Potassium orthophosphate at.sol Potassium oxalate at.sol Potassium perchlorate at.sol Potassium permanganate 20 % Potassium persulphate at.sol Potassium phosphate at.sol Potassium sulphate at.sol Potassium sulphide ol Potassium sulphite at.sol Potassium thiocyanate at.sol Potassium thiosulphate at.sol Propargul alcohol n-propyl alcohol Propionic acid 50 % Propionic acid Propylene dichloride N N N N Propylene glycol Pyridine Quinol (hydroquinone) at.sol Resorcinol at.sol alicylic acid ea water elenic acid ilicon oil ilver acetate ilver cyanide ilver nitrate oap solution odium acetate odium antimonate odium arsenite odium benzoate odium bicarbonate odium bisulphate odium bisulphite odium borate odium bromide odium carbonate at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol at.sol 13
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C odium chlorate at.sol odium chloride at.sol odium chlorite at.sol odium cyanide at.sol odium dichromate at.sol odium fluoride at.sol odium hexacyanoferrate (III) at.sol odium hexacyanoferrate (II) at.sol odium hexafluorosilicate at.sol odium hydrogen carbonate at.sol odium hydrogen sulphate at.sol odium hydrogen sulphite ol odium hydroxide 40 % odium hydroxide ol odium hypochloride N odium hypochlorite 15 % available CI odium iodate odium iodide at.sol odium nitrate at.sol odium nitrite at.sol odium ortophosphate at.sol odium oxalate at.sol odium phosphate at.sol odium silicate ol odium sulphate at.sol odium sulphide at.sol odium sulphite at.sol odium thiocyanate at.sol tannic chloride at.sol tannous chloride at.sol tarch solution at.sol tearic acid at.sol tyrene ol N N ulphur dioxide, dry ulphur trioxide N N N N ulphur acid 10 to 50 % ulphuric acid ulphuric acid 50 % 14
Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C ulphuric acid 70 % ulphuric acid 80 % N N ulphuric acid 98 % N N ulphuric acid Fuming N N N N ulphurous acid 30 % ulphurous acid ol Tallow Tannic acid ol Tartaric acid at.sol Tartaric acid ol Tetrachloroethylene N N N N Tetrachloromethane N N N Tetradecane N N N N Tetrahydrofuran N N N N Tetrahydronaphthalene N Thionyl chloride N N N N Tin (II) chloride at.sol Tin (IV) chloride ol Tin (IV) chloride at.sol Titanium tetrachloride at.sol N N N N Toluene N N N Tribromomethane N N N N Trichloroacetaldehyde Trichlorobenzene N N Trichloroethylene N N N N Triethanolamine Triethanolamine ol Triethylene glycol Trisodium phosphate at.sol Turpentine N N N N Urea Urea Urine up to 30 % ol - Vanilla extract Vaseline Vegetables oils Vinegar Water Wetting agents Wines and spirits Chemical or product Concentration D C HD C 15
16 N N N Xylene ol Yeast at.sol bromide Zinc at.sol carbonate Zinc at.sol chloride Zinc at.sol oxide Zinc stearate Zinc at.sol sulphate Zinc N N N N o-zylene N N N N p-zylene