| High Density Polyethylene Chemical Resistance Guide |
| Reagent | 70° F
(21° C) | 140° F
(60° C) | Reagent | 70° F
(21° C) | 140° F
(60° C) |
| Acetaldehyde | S | O | Hydrogen peroxide 90% | S | O |
| Acetic acid 1-10% | S | S | Hydroquinone | S | S |
| Acetic acid 10-50% | S | O | Hydrogen sulfide | S | S |
| Acetic acid 50-100% | S | O | Hypochlorous acid conc. | S | S |
| Acetic anhydride | S | S | Inks | S | S |
| Acetone | S | S | Iodine crystals | O | O |
| Acids, aromatic | S | S | Isobutyl alcohol | S | S |
| Acrylic emulsions | S | S | Isopropyl alcohol | S | S |
| Adipic acid | S | S | Isopropyl ether | O | U |
| Aluminum chloride dilute | S | S | Kerosene | O | O |
| Aluminum chloride conc. | S | S | Lactic acid 10% | S | S |
| Aluminum fluoride conc. | S | S | Lactic acid 90% | S | S |
| Aluminum sulfate conc. | S | S | Lanolin | S | S |
| Alum (all types) conc. | S | S | Lard | S | S |
| Amino acetic acid | S | S | Lead acetate sat'd. | S | S |
| Ammonia 100% dry gas | S | S | Lead nitrate | S | S |
| Ammonium acetate | S | S | Lemon juice | S | S |
| Ammonium bromide | S | S | Lemon oil | O | U |
| Ammonium carbonate | S | S | Lime juice | S | S |
| Ammonium chloride sat'd. | S | S | Linseed oil | S | S |
| Ammonium fluoride 20% | S | S | Magnesium sulfate sat'd. | S | S |
| Ammonium hydroxide | S | S | Margarine | S | S |
| Ammonium metaphosphates sat'd. | S | S | Magnesium carbonate sat'd. | S | S |
| Ammonium nitrate sat'd. | S | S | Magnesium chloride saturated | S | S |
| Ammonium persulfate sat'd | S | S | Magnesium hydroxide sat'd. | S | S |
| Ammonium phosphate | S | S | Magnesium nitrate sat'd. | S | S |
| Ammonium sulfate sat'd. | S | S | Mercuric chloride | S | S |
| Ammonium sulfide sat'd. | S | S | Mercuric cyanide sat'd. | S | S |
| Ammonium thiocyanate sat'd. | S | S | Mercurous nitrate sat'd. | S | S |
| Amyl acetate 100% | O | U | Mercury | S | S |
| Amyl alcohol 100% | S | S | Methyl alcohol 100% | S | S |
| Amyl chloride 100% | O | U | Methyl ethyl ketone 100% | U | U |
| Aniline 100% | S | U | Methylsulfuric acid | S | S |
| Anise seed oil | O | U | Methylene chloride 100% | U | U |
| Antimony chloride | S | S | Milk | S | S |
| Aqua regia | O | U | Mineral oils | S | U |
| Aromatic hydrocarbons | U | U | Molasses | S | S |
| Arsenic | S | S | Mustard (prepared) | S | S |
| Aspirin | S | S | Naphtha | O | U |
| Barium carbonate sat'd. | S | S | Naphthalene | S | U |
| Barium chloride saturated | S | S | Natural gas (wet) | S | S |
| Barium hydroxide | S | S | Nickel chloride sat'd. | S | S |
| Barium sulfate saturated | S | S | Nickel nitrate conc. | S | S |
| Barium sulfide saturated | S | S | Nickel sulfate | S | S |
| Beer | S | S | Nicotinic acid | S | S |
| Benzaldehyde | S | O | Nitric acid 0-30% | S | S |
| Benzene | O | U | Nitric acid 30-50% | S | O |
| Benzene sulfonic acid | S | S | Nitric acid 70% | S | O |
| Benzic acid - Crystals | S | S | Nitric acid 85-90% | U | U |
| Benzic acid - Saturated | S | S | Nitrobenzene 100% | U | U |
| Bismuth carbonate sat'd. | S | S | Nitroglycerine | O | U |
| Black liquor | S | S | Octane | S | S |
| Bleach lye 10% | S | S | Oleura conc. | U | U |
| Borax cold saturated | S | S | Olive oil | S | S |
| Boric acid dilute | S | S | Orange juice | S | S |
| Brine | S | S | Oxalic acid dilute | S | S |
| Bromic acid 10% | S | S | Oxalic acid saturated | S | S |
| Bromine liquid 100% | O | U | Ozone | O | O |
| Bromochloromethane | U | U | Palm oil | S | S |
| Butadiene | U | U | Paraffin oil | S | O |
| Butanediol 10% | S | S | Peanut butter | S | S |
| Butanediol 60% | S | S | Perchloroethylene | U | U |
| Butanediol 100% | S | S | Pepper (fresh ground) | S | S |
| Butter | S | S | Peppermint oil | O | U |
| Butyl acetate 100% | O | U | Perchloric acid 50% | S | O |
| Butyl alcohol 100% | S | S | Petroleum ether | U | U |
| Butylene glycol | S | S | Petroleum jelly | S | S |
| Butylic acid 100% | S | S | Phenol | S | S |
| Caffeine citrate saturated | S | S | Phosphoric acid 0-30% | S | S |
| Calcium bisulfide | S | S | Phosphoric acid 30-90% | S | S |
| Calcium bromide | S | S | Phosphoric acid over 90% | S | S |
| Calcium carbonate sat'd. | S | S | Photographic solutions | S | S |
| Calcium chlorate saturated | S | S | Phthalic anhydride | S | S |
| Calcium chloride saturated | S | S | Pickling baths (listed below) | - | - |
| Calcium hydroxide | S | S | • Sulfuric acid | S | S |
| Calcium hypochloride bleach sol'n | S | S | • Hydrochloric acid | S | S |
| Calcium nitrate 50% | S | S | • Sulfuric-nitric | S | U |
| Calcium sulfate | S | S | Pine oil | O | U |
| Camphor crystals | S | S | Plating solutions (listed below) | - | - |
| Camphor oil | U | U | • Brass | S | S |
| Carbon dioxide 100% dry | S | S | • Cadmium | S | S |
| Carbon dioxide 100% wet | S | S | • Chromium | S | S |
| Carbon dioxide cold sat'd. | S | S | • Copper | S | S |
| Carbon disulphide | O | U | • Gold | S | S |
| Carbon monoxide | S | S | • Indium | S | S |
| Carbon tetrachloride | U | U | • Lead | S | S |
| Carbonic acid | S | S | • Nickel | S | S |
| Carnauba wax | S | S | • Rhodium | S | S |
| Carrot juice | S | S | • Silver | S | S |
| Castor oil conc. | S | S | • Tin | S | S |
| Catsup | S | S | • Zinc | S | S |
| Caustic soda | S | O | Potassium bicarbonate sat'd. | S | S |
| Cedar leaf oil | U | U | Potassium borate 1% | S | S |
| Cedar wood oil | U | U | Potassium bromate 10% | S | S |
| Chlorine liquid | O | U | Potassium bromide sat'd. | S | S |
| Chlorobenzene | O | U | Potassium carbonate | S | S |
| Chloroform | U | U | Potassium chlorate sat'd. | S | S |
| Chlorosulfonic acid 100% | U | U | Potassium chloride sat'd. | S | S |
| Chrome alum sat'd. | S | S | Potassium cyanide sat'd. | S | S |
| Chromic acid 10-20% | S | O | Potassium dichromate 40% | S | S |
| Chromic acid 50% | S | O | Potassium ferri/ferro cyanide | S | S |
| Cider | S | S | Potassium nitrate sat'd. | S | S |
| Cinnamon | S | S | Potassium perborate sat'd. | S | S |
| Cinnamon oil | U | U | Potassium perchlorate 10% | S | S |
| Citric acid sat'd. | S | S | Potassium permanganate 20% | S | S |
| Citronella oil | O | U | Potassium sulfate conc. | S | S |
| Cloves (ground) | S | S | Potassium sulfide conc. | S | S |
| Coconut oil alcohols | S | S | Nickel sulfate | S | S |
| Cod liver oil | S | S | Potassium sulfite conc. | S | S |
| Coffee | S | S | Potassium persulfate sat'd. | S | S |
| Copper chloride sat'd. | S | S | Propane gas | S | S |
| Copper cyanide sat'd. | S | S | Propergyl alcohol | S | S |
| Copper fluoride 2% | S | S | Propyl alcohol | S | S |
| Copper nitrate sat'd. | S | S | Propylene glycol | S | S |
| Copper sulfate dilute | S | S | Pyridine | S | O |
| Corn oil | S | S | Rayon coagulating bath | S | S |
| Cottonseed oil | S | S | Resorcinol | S | S |
| Cranberry sauce | S | S | Salicylic acid | S | S |
| Creola | S | O | Sea water | S | S |
| Cuprous chloride sat'd | S | S | Shortening | S | S |
| Cuprous oxide | S | S | Silicic acid | S | S |
| Cyclohexane | U | U | Silver nitrate sol'n. | S | S |
| Cyclohexanone | U | U | Soap solution conc. | S | S |
| Decalin | S | U | Sodium acetate sat'd. | S | S |
| Detergents synthetic | S | S | Sodium benzoate 35% | S | S |
| Developers photographic | S | S | Sodium bicarbonate sat'd. | S | S |
| Dextrin saturated | S | S | Sodium bisulfate sat'd. | S | S |
| Dextrose saturated | S | S | Sodium bisulfite sat'd. | S | S |
| Dibutyl ether | O | U | Sodium borate | S | S |
| Dichlorobenzene (O&P) | U | U | Sodium carbonate conc. | S | S |
| Diethylene glycol | S | S | Sodium chlorate sat'd. | S | S |
| Disodium phosphate | S | S | Sodium chloride sat'd. | S | S |
| Dioxane | S | S | Sodium cyanide | S | S |
| Emulsions photographic | S | S | Sodium dichromate sat'd. | S | S |
| Ether | O | O | Sodium ferricyanide sat'd. | S | S |
| Ethyl acetate 100% | O | O | Sodium ferricyanide | S | S |
| Ethyl alcohol 100% | S | S | Sodium fluoride sat'd. | S | S |
| Ethyl alcohol 35% | S | S | Sodium hydroxide conc. | S | S |
| Ethylbenzene | O | U | Sodium hypochlorite | S | S |
| Ethylene glycol | S | S | Sodium nitrate | S | S |
| Ferric chloride sat'd. | S | S | Sodium nitrite | S | S |
| Ferric nitrate sat'd. | S | S | Sodium perborate | S | S |
| Ferrous ammonium citrate | S | S | Sodium phosphate | S | S |
| Ferrous chloride sat'd. | S | S | Sodium sulfide 25% to saturated | S | S |
| Ferrous sulfate | S | S | Sodium sulfite sat'd | S | S |
| Fluoboric acid | S | S | Sodium thiosulphate | S | S |
| Fluorine | S | U | Soybean oil | S | S |
| Fluosilicic acid 32% | S | S | Stannous chloride sat'd. | S | S |
| Fluosilicic acid conc. | S | S | Stannic chloride sat'd. | S | S |
| Formaldehyde 10-30% | S | S | Starch solution sat'd. | S | S |
| Formaldehyde 30-40% | S | O | Stearic acid 100% | S | S |
| Formic acid 20% | S | S | Sulfuric acid 0-50% | S | S |
| Formic acid 50% | S | S | Sulfuric acid 70% | S | O |
| Formic acid 100% | S | S | Sulfuric acid 80% | S | U |
| Fructose saturated | S | S | Sulfuric acid 96% | O | U |
| Fuel oil | S | U | Sulfuric acid 96% conc. | O | U |
| Furfural 100% | O | U | Sulfuric acid fuming | U | U |
| Furfuryl alcohol | S | O | Sulfurous acid | S | S |
| Gallic acid saturated | S | S | Tartaric acid | S | S |
| Gasoline | S | U | Tannic acid 10% | S | S |
| Glucose | S | S | Tea | S | S |
| Glycerine | S | S | Tetrahydrofurane | O | O |
| Glycol | S | S | Toluene | U | U |
| Glycolic acid 30% | S | S | Tomato juice | S | S |
| Grape juice | S | S | Transformer oil | S | O |
| Grapefruit juice | S | S | Trisodium phosphate sat'd. | S | S |
| Heptane | O | U | Trichloroethylene | U | U |
| Hexachlorobenzene | S | S | Turpentine | O | U |
| Hexane | U | U | Urea | S | S |
| Hydrobromic acid 50% | S | S | Urine | S | S |
| Hydrochloric acid 10% | S | S | Vanilla extract | S | S |
| Hydrochloric acid 30% | S | S | Vaseline | S | S |
| Hydrochloric acid 35% | S | S | Vinegar com. | S | S |
| Hydrocyanic acid | S | S | Wetting agents | S | S |
| Hydrocyanic acid sat'd. | S | S | Whiskey | S | S |
| Hydrofluoric acid 40% | S | S | Wines | S | S |
| Hydrofluoric acid 60% | S | S | Xylene | U | U |
| Hydrofluoric acid 75% | S | S | Yeast | S | S |
| Hydrogen 100% | S | S | Zinc chloride sat'd. | S | S |
| Hydrogen bromide 10% | S | S | Zinc oxide | S | S |
| Hydrogen chloride gas dry | S | S | Zinc sulfate sat'd. | S | S |
| Hydrogen peroxide 30% | S | S | |
Note:
The above information concerns general chemical resistance only.
Since other factors such as permeation, ESCR,
and container design are involved,
full compatibility testing is recommended. |
LEGEND:
S = Satisfactory
O = Some Attack
U = Unsatisfactory |
