CHEMICAL RESISTANCE GUIDE

CRG-MR1-1w

This guide is designed as an aid in selecting common elastomers used to conduct some of the many types of materials found in industry.

Improper selection of tube and/or cover materials can result in decreased service life, or complete failure of the expansion joint.  For example, Natural Rubber is an excellent tube material for water lines.  If however, the water contains concentrations of non-degradable oil, the rubber will swell and deteriorate.  In this instance a Nitrile tube should be used.  If his expansion joint were installed outdoors, the cover elastomer would be subject to ozone and weathering which would rapidly age harden both Natural Rubber and Nitrile.  These cover materials could become brittle, crack and crumble.  EPDM would be the proper choice for an outdoor cover.  While Freon is chemically compatible with some elastomers, we never build Freon connectors because of mechanical problems.

In selecting a proper elastomer, total system environment must be considered.  While theoretically safe, some applications may be inadvisable because of worker safety or extensive property damage.

The information in this selection guide was derived from published literature of Polymer suppliers, and in some cases the considered opinions of experience of the Mercer Rubber Company. Therefore, this guide in intended only as an aid in selecting proper elastomers.  We encourage our customers to test samples of a selected elastomer for compatibility with the actual service, and we would be pleased to provide small sample test pieces on request.

We feel this guide is an excellent source of general information, but Mercer Rubber Company cannot be held responsible should your specific experience disagree with these generalizations.

Elastomer Chemical Resistance Guide

E  Excellent. Suitable for continuous service.
G  Good.  Generally suitable for continuous or intermittent service.
C  Conditional. Not recommended for continuous service, but generally suitable for intermittent service.
D  DO NOT USE.
-  No experience.

Ac through Am
Acetal - Ammonia, Anhydrous

 

Natural
Rubber

Buna-S
(SBR)		 Butyl Nitrite
(Hycar, Buna-N)		 Neoprene Hypalon® EPDM Viton® Teflon®
Acetal

C

 C G D C C G D E
Acetaldehyde

C

 D E D C C E D E
Acetamide

C

 C E G G G E G E
Acetate Solvents

C

 D C D D D C D E
Acetic Acid 10%

G

 G G G C C G C E
Acetic Acid 30%

D

 D G D C G E C E
Acetic Acid 50%

D

 D G C C D E D E
Acetic Acid Glacial

D

 D G D C D G D E
Acetic Anhydride D D G D D D G D E
Acetic Ester
(Ethyl Aceate)		 D D G D D D G D E
Acetic Ether
(Ethyl Acetate)		 D D G D D C G D E
Acetic Oxide
(Acetic Anhydride)		 D D G D D D G D E
Acetone G C E D C C E D E
Acetophenone C D E D D D E D E
Acetyl Acetone

G

 D G D D D G D E
Acetyl Chloride D D C D D D C G G
Acetylene D D E E G G G E E
Acrylonitrile C D D D C C D D E
Air E E E E E E E E E
Alcohols, Aliphatic E G E E E E E C E
Alcohols Aromatic C D D C C D D E E
AlkTri
(Trichloroethylene)		 D D D D D D D E E
Allyl Alcohol E G E E E E E G E
Allyl Bromide D D D D D D D G G
Allyl Chloride D D D D D D D G G
Alum (Aluminum
Potassium Sulfate)		 E E E E E E E E E
Aluminum Acetate C C E C C G E E E
Aluminum Chloride E E E E E E E E E
Aluminum Fluoride E E E E E E E E E
Aluminum Hydroxide E E E E E E E E E
Aluminum Nitrate E E E E E E E E E
Aluminum Phosphate E E E E E E E E E
Aluminum Sulfate E E E E E E E E E
Ammonia, Anhydrous E C E E E G E D E
Legend
E  Excellent. Suitable for continuous service.
G  Good.  Generally suitable for continuous or intermittent service.
C  Conditional. Not recommended for continuous service, but generally sited for intermittent service.
D  DO NOT USE.
-  No experience.

 

Am through Ar
Ammonia, Liquid - Arsenic Trichloride

 

Natural
Rubber

Buna-S
(SBR)		 Butyl Nitrite
(Hycar, Buna-N)		 Neoprene Hypalon® EPDM Viton® Teflon®
Ammonia, Liquid

G

 G E E E E E E E
Ammonia, in Water

G

 G G G G G E G E
Ammonia Gas (Cold)

E

 - E E E E - - D
Ammonia Gas (150F)

C

 - C C G - - - D
Ammonium Carbonate

E

 E E C E E E E E
Ammonium Chloride

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Hydroxide

G

 G E G G E G G E
Ammonium Metaphosphate

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Nitrate

G

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Nitrite

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Persulfate

E

 D E D E E E E E
Ammonium Phosphate

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Sulfate

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Sulfide

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Sulfite

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Thiocyanate

E

 E E E E E E E E
Ammonium Thiosulfate

E

 E E E E E E E E
Amyl Acetate

C

 D G D D D G D E
Amyl Acetone

D

 D G D D D G D E
Amyl Alcohol

E

 E E E E E E E E
Amylamine

G

 G G G G C G D E
Amyl Borate

D

 D D E E C D E E
Amyl Chloride

D

 D D D D D D E E
Amyl Chloronapthalene

D

 D D D D D D E E
Amyl Napthalene

D

 D D D D D D E E
Amyl Oleate D D G D D D G C E
Amyl Phenol D D D D D D D E E
Anethole D D D D D D D G G
Aniline D D G D C C D G E
AnilineDyes G G G C G G G G E
Aniline Hydrochloride G C G G D D G E E
Animal Fats D D G E G G G E E
Animal Grease D D D G G D C E E
Animal Oils D D G E D D C E E
Ansul Ether D D C C D D C D E
Antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol) E E E E E E E E E
Antimony Chloride - - E G - - - - E
Antimony Trichloride D D E G G G G E E
Antimony Pentachloirde D D C D D D C E G
Aqua Regia D D D D D C C G -
Aromatic Hydrocabons D D D C D D D E E
Arquad E E E E E E E E E
Arsenic Acid E E E E E E E E E
Arsenic Chloride D D G D G D G D -
Arsenic Trichloride D D G D G D G D -
Legend
E  Excellent. Suitable for continuous service.
G  Good.  Generally suitable for continuous or intermittent service.
C  Conditional. Not recommended for continuous service, but generally sited for intermittent service.
D  DO NOT USE.
-  No experience.

 

As thru Ca
Asphalt - Calcium Fluorophosphate
 

Natural
Rubber

Buna-S
(SBR)		 Butyl Nitrite
(Hycar, Buna-N)		 Neoprene Hypalon® EPDM Viton® Teflon®
Asphalt D D D E G D D E G
ASTM #1 Oil D D D E E G D E E
ASTM #2 Oil D D D E G C D E E
ASTM #3 Oil D D D E G C D E E
Aviation Gasoline D D D E C D D E E
Bardol B D - D D D - - - C
Barium Carbonate E E E E E E E E E
BariumChloride E E E E E E E E E
BariumHydroxide E E E E E E E E E
Barium Sulfate E E E E E E E E E
Barium Sulfide E E E E E E E E E
Beet Sugar Liquors E E E E E E E E E
Benzaldhyde D D G D D D G D E
Benzene(Benzol) D D D C C D D E E
Benzene Sulfonic Acid D D D G E E C E E
Benzine Solvent (Ligroin) D D D E E C D E E
Benzoic Acid D D G D G G G E E
Benzoic Aldehyde D D D D D D D D E
Benzotrichloride D D D D D D D G G
Benzoyl Chloride D D D D D D D G G
Benzyl Acetate D D G D D G G D E
Benzyl Alcohol G G G D G G G E E
Benzyl Benzoate C - E D D - - - E
Benzyl Chloride D D C D D D D E E
Bichromate of Soda (Sodium Dichromate) D D E D G G C E E
Bismuth Carbonate E - E E E E - - E
Black Sulfate Liquor G G E G E G E E E
Blast furnace Gas D D C C G G C E E
Bleach Solutions D D G D D C G G G
Borax G G E G E E E E E
Bordeaux Mixture G G E E E E E E E
Boric Acid E E E E E E E E E
Brandy E - E E E E - - -
Brine E E E E E E E E E
Bromine D D D D D C D C E
Bromine Water D D G C G E G E E
Bromobenzene D D D D D D D G -
Bunker Oil D D D E G D D E E
Butane REFER TO SUPPLIER
Butanol(Butyl Alcohol) E E E E E E E E E
Butadiene D D D D C G D E E
1-Butene (AliphaticHydrocarbon 95F) D - D - E - - - E
1-Butene,2-Ethyl(95F) D - D - G - - - E
Butter(Non FDA) C C G E E E G E E
Butyl Acetate D D G D D D C D E
n-Butyl Acetate C - - D D D - - D
ButylAcetate Recinoleate C - - E D - - - C
Butyl Acrylate D D D D D D D D E
Butylamine G C C C D C C D E
Butyl Benzene D D D D D D D E E
Butyl Bromide D D D D D D D G -
Butyl Butyrate D D C D D D G C -
Butyl Carbitol D D E G G G E E E
Butyl Cellosolve D D E G G G E D E
Butyl Chloride D D C D D D D E G
Butyl Ether D D C G G G C D E
Butyl Ethyl Acetaldehyde D D C D D D D D E
Butyl Ethyl Ether D D C D D G C C E
Butyl Oleate D D G D D D G E E
Butyl Phthalate D D C D D D C C E
Butyl Stearate D D C G D D C E E
Butyraldehyde C D D D D D D D E
Butyric Acid C D C C C G C C E
Butyric Anhydride C D C C D G C C E
Cadmium Cyanide - - E - E - - - E
Calcium Acetate C D E D D D E D