About Chemical Resistance in Plastic Materials
Polymers' chemical resistance stands as a complex topic with true chemical resistance depending on other factors such as temperature, concentration, and exposure time. While this section pertains mostly to those specifically in Life Sciences, many concepts still carry over. We have a more general chemical compatibility chart for most popular plastic materials applicable to those in other industries. Explore our general chemical resistance chart here. Please note that actual suitability hinges largely on the application, i.e. how that chemical will interact with the product's core material.
We can offer starting suggestions about which material may be appropriate. However, the customer must independently determine suitability of the material for their application. We are happy to provide test coupons to help support testing protocols.
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Buffers are an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base, or vice versa. Its pH changes very little when a small amount of strong acid or base is added to it. Buffer solutions are used as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide variety of chemical applications. Generally, those in the life sciences and research will use buffers for molecular, protein, nucleic acid, and cell biology applications. These include cell culture, electrophoresis, ELISA, and chromatography processes.
The coordinating chart here details which popular plastic materials can hold their own against these commonly used buffers. Use this as a reference point for further researching which material might suit your application best.
| Buffers | What's in it: | Common Applications: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS | Acrylic | COP | CPVC | Delrin/Acetal | HDPE | Noryl | Nylon 66 | PBT | PC | PEEK | PES | PET | Polysulfone | PP | PPS | PTFE | PVC | PVDF | Torlon | UHMW | Ultem | ||||
| Tris-Buffered Saline (TBS) | Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris)-buffered saline | Used to dilute substances used in laboratory experiments. Often used in immuno-blotting for both membrane washing and antibody dilution | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tris-EDTA (TE) | 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol;2-[2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl-(carboxymethyl)amino]acetic acid | Tris and EDTA are two major components which are used throughout the DNA extraction protocol. Tris and EDTA are applicable in lysis buffer preparation, elution buffer preparation and washing buffer preparation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tris-Acetate-EDTA Buffer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HEPES Buffered Saline (HBS) | (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid) | Widely used in cell culture, largely because it is better at maintaining physiological pH. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trizma (Tris base) | Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane | Frequently used buffer in cell and molecular biology experiments. Used to increase permeability of cell membranes. It is a component of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Denhardt’s Solution | 0 mG Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), 50 mG Ficoll, and 50 mG Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). | block non-specific binding sites in western, northern and Southern blot membranes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bicine buffer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Phosphate Buffered Saline, PBS | PBS contains 3.2 mM Na2HPO4, 0.5 mM KH2PO4, 1.3 mM KCl, 137 mM NaCl, pH 7.4. | suitable for biochemistry or molecular biology applications requiring a chelator of divalent metal ions. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dulbecco’s Phosphate Buffered Saline (DPBS) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Annexin V Binding Buffer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sodium Citrate Solution | 1M sodium citrate in H2O | A to 100% to 190F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 70F | AB to 140F | A to 140F | A to 70F | |||||||||||||
| Sodium Acetate Solution | *Also see Sodium Acetate below | B at 70F | A to 140F | A to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 180F | A to 100% to 160F, no stress | A to 130F | AB to 100% to 80F | A to 130F | A to 70F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 70F | A to 100% to 80F | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 500F | A to 100% to 160F no stress | A to 100% to 275F | A to 60% to 70F | A to 100% to 140F | A solution to 70F |
Many of these may be used in buffer solutions.
| General Bioreagents (Acid/Base) | What's in it: | Common Applications: | ABS | Acrylic | COP | CPVC | Delrin/Acetal | HDPE | Noryl | Nylon 66 | PBT | PC | PEEK | PES | PET | Polysulfone | PP | PPS | PTFE | PVC | PVDF | Torlon | UHMW | Ultem | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMSO | Dimethyl Sulfoxide | Used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplification of cDNA libraries, DNA sequencing, column-loading buffers for poly(A)+ RNA selection, buffers for the transformation of competent E. coli, transfection protocols | NR at 70F | A | NR at 70F | NR at 70F | A to 122F | A to 200F | A to 70F | C at 70F | NR at 70F | B to 212F | NR at 70F | NR at 70F | A to 125 F | A to 200F | A to 500 F | NR at 70F | NR 100% at 70F | SWELLS | |||||
| Ethanol Solution | Used in the purification and precipitation of biomolecules, in staining and restaining specimens in histology, in dehydrating tissues before embedding, and in disinfection. | AB to 70F no stress | NR to 100% to 70F C to 70% to 70F A to 50% to 70F | A | A to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 140F | A to 100% to 160F no stress | A to 100% to 80F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 140F | A to 90% to 90F AB to 100% to 70F B to 100% to 120F | A to 100%to 212F | AB to 70F | A to 100% to 70F | B to 100% to 120F | A to 100% to 225F | A to 100% to 300F | A to 100% at 500F | A to 100% 270F | A to 100% to 176F | A to 70F | A to 100% to 170F | A to 70F | ||
| Sodium hypochlorite | "liquid bleach" | Inhibits microbial growth | NR to 70F | A to 100% to 140F | A to 15% to 140F | NR to 5% to 70F | A to 100% to 160F | AB to 100% to 200F | NR to 5% to 70F | A to 10% to 70F | AB to 100% to 70F | AB to 100% to 212F | B to 100% to 70F | A to 5% to 70F NR to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 200F | C to 14% to 70F | NR to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 500F | A to 12.5% to 140F | A to 17% to 280F | A to 15% to 70F | A to 100% to 170F | NR to 5% to 70F | ||
| Hydrogen peroxide | Inhibits microbial growth | NR at 100% at 70F A to 10% to 70F | A to 63% to 100F | A | NR to 100% at 70F | NR at 70F | AB to 100% to 70F | NR at 100% to 70F | NR at 70F | A to 90%to 130F B at 100% at 70F | A to 100% to 125F | A to 100% to 212F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 90% to 80F | A to 100% 10 70F | NR at 100% at 70F | NR to 50-100% at 70F | A to 100% to 500F | AB to 100% to 100F | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 90% to 70F | |||
| Sodium Acetate | sodium salt of acetic acid | Sodium acetate is used as the carbon source for culturing bacteria. Sodium acetate is also useful for increasing yields of DNA isolation by ethanol precipitation. | B at 70F | A to 140F | A to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 180F | A to 100% to 160F, no stress | A to 130F | AB to 100% to 80F | A to 130F | A to 70F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 70F | A to 100% to 80F | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 500F | A to 100% to 160F no stress | A to 100% to 275F | A to 60% to 70F | A to 100% to 140F | A solution to 70F | ||
| Imidazole | Imidazole can be used to elute tagged proteins bound to nickel ions attached to the surface of beads in the chromatography column. Used in buffer solutions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Urea Solution | Carbamide | commonly used for sample preparation prior to | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| electrophoretic methods. Urea is also used to facilitate enzymatic digestion of proteins for analysis by mass spectrometry." | B at 70F | A | A to 100% to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 160F | A to 150F | A to 100% to 70F | NR at 70F | NR at 70F | A to 212F | AC at 70F | C at 70F | A to 100% to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 500F | A to 100% to 160F no stress | A to 100% to 250F | A to 70F | |||||||
| 10M Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) | Used for many applications including adjusting the pH of various solutions. | AB to 100% to 70F | NR at 70F | A to 100% to 150F | NR at 70F | A to 100% to 140F | A to 100% to 185F | A to 100% to 70F | NR at 70F | NR at 70F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 54% to 70F | NR at 70F | A to 50F to 125F | A to 100% to 125F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 480F | A to 100% to 140F | NR at 70F | NR at 70F | A to 100% to 170F | NR at 70F | |||
| Potassium Salt | A to 140F | A to 225F no stress | A to 70F | A to 140F | A to 150F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 212F | A to 70F | A to 70F | A to 200F | A to 100% to 150F | A to 200F | A to 500F | A to 100% to 160F | A to 100% to 275F | A to 70F | A to 70F | ||||||
| Potassium Chloride | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100F to 140F | A to 100% to 225F | A to 100% to 180F | A to 100% to 160F no stress | A to 100% to 150F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 80F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 212F | A to 80F | A to 200F | A to 100% to 225F | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 500F | A to 100% to 160F | A to 100% to 275F | A to 90% to 70F | A to 70F | ||||||
| Potassium Phosphate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sodium Chloride | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% 140F | A | A to 100% to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 70F | A 100% to 160F | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 80F | A to 100% to 120F | A to 100% to 212F | A to 70F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 225F | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 500F | A to 100% to 160F | A to 100% to 275F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 170F | A to 70F | |||
| Zinc Chloride | Used in water treatment, dry cell batteries, | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 225F no stress | NR to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 180F | A to 70F | NR to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 80F | A to 140F | A to 100% to 212F | A to 80F | A to 300F | A to 100% to 225F no stress | A to 100% to 200F | A to 100% to 500F | A to 100% to 160F no stress | A to 100% to 275F | A to 170F | A to 10% to 70F | |||||
| HCL | Used as a standard and as a strong acid for pH maintenance | BC to 100% to 70F | NR at 70F | A | NR to 75-100% 176F | NR to 100% at 70F | A to 100% to 140F | aA to 100% to 180F | NR to 100% to 70F | NR to 100% to 70F | NR at 70F | A to 100% to 212F | A to 60% to 140F | NR to 100% at 70F | A to 100% to 70F | A to 100% to 70F | NR at 70F | A to 100% to 500F | NR at 100% to 70F | A to 50% to 175F | AB to 37% to 200F | A to 100% to 140F | A to 100% to 70F | ||
| Disodium Phosphate Solution | Buffer component | A to 235F no stress | A to 140F | A to 160F | A to 225F no stress | A to 500F | A to 140F | AB to 100% to 280F | |||||||||||||||||
| Methanol | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Octanol | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propanol | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monosodium Phosphate Solution (1M) | Buffer component |
Need the whole chart? Visit the Life Sciences Chemical Compatibility Chart here.
STERILIZATION COMPATIBILITY
There are a few different ways to sterilize a plastic manifold including Autoclave, Dry Heat, Ethylene Oxide (EtO), Gamma Irradiation, and Electron Beam sterilization. To give a brief overview of each method:
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Autoclave/Steam Sterilization
Uses steam under pressure to sterilize components and parts. This process generates or injects steam into a pressure chamber between 250-300°F (121-148°C) at 15 psi.
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Dry Heat
Uses hot air to sterilize at significantly higher temperatures than autoclaving. This process makes it difficult to ensure the entire part reaches the necessary temperature for plastics with low thermal conductivity.
-
Ethylene Oxide (EtO)
Uses a gaseous form of the sterilant to disrupt microbial DNA and their protein synthesis. Most use this process for plastics that cannot tolerate heat or radiation — commonly in single-use medical devices. This process often requires careful handling as the gas is flammable and poisonous.
Because of the challenges associated with this method, it is more common for high volume sterilizations. -
Gamma Irradiation
Uses ionizing radiation to disrupt microbial DNA by exposing manifolds to gamma rays, typically from Cobalt-60.
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Electron Beam Sterilization
Uses high-energy electrons to disrupt microbial DNA reproduction. It generates a higher dose rate than gamma irradiation, which means it has a lower exposure time and less degradation. However, this sterilization process has significantly lower penetrating power than gamma, making material density important.
We only state these as a brief primer. We strongly urge you to seek information from credible and reliable experts to get more in-depth understanding of each process. This also serves to give more foundational knowledge on which plastics can handle the sterilization process your product needs to withstand.
Here is a chart that we put together that shows which materials can handle which sterilization processes. We only mean for you to use this as a reference.
| Sterilization Compatibility | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autoclave | Dry Heat | Ethylene Oxide (EtO) | Gamma Irradiation | Electron Beam | |
| ABS | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Good |
| Acetal | Good | Good | Good | Poor | Poor |
| Acrylic 1,2 | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Good |
| Celazole | |||||
| CPVC | |||||
| CTFE | |||||
| ECTFE | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| ETFE | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| HDPE | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Good |
| Noryl | |||||
| Nylatron | |||||
| Nylon | Fair | Fair | Good | Fair | Fair |
| PBT | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
| Peek | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PES | Good | Good | Good | ||
| PET | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Good |
| Polycarbonate 1,2 | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
| Polysulfone | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PP 1 | Good | Fair | Good | Fair | Fair |
| PPS | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PVC 1,2 | Poor | Poor | Good | Fair | Fair |
| PVDF | Poor | Good | Good | ||
| Teflon® 1 | Fair | Fair | Good | Poor | Poor |
| Torlon | |||||
| UHMW | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Good |
| Ultem® | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
1: Radiation stable grades need to be used for radiation sterilization.
2: Require corrective tint to compensate for discoloration. Data courtesy of Industrial Specialties Mfg.
Courtesy of Professional Plastics