Container Materials & Chemical Compatibility

Glass

Soda Lime Glass

Commonly known as flint glass
Resists attack from most common chemicals
Impermeable to oxygen and other gases
No permeation of container contents through glass wall

Amber Glass

Resists attack from most common chemicals
Impermeable to oxygen and other gases
No permeation of container contents through glass wall
Recommended for UV light-sensitive samples

Borosilicate Glass – 33 Expansion

Very high resistance against chemical attack
Meets requirements for USP Type I, Class A glass
Low coefficient of expansion gives high resistance to thermal shock
Low alkali content
Made without elements of calcium, magnesium, zinc groups, or heavy metals
Combined total of arsenic and antimony oxides is less than 0.005%

Borosilicate Glass – 51 Expansion

Very high resistance against chemical attack
Meets requirements for USP Type I, Class B glass

Plastic

High-density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Translucent
Flexible, but more rigid than low-density polyethylene
Highly resistant to non-oxidizing acids and aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons
Suitable for soil and sludge sampling

Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE)

Translucent
High impact resistance
Excellent resistance to weak or dilute acids, strong or concentrated acids, aliphatic alcohols, and bases

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

PTFE is widely known as TEFLON®
Opaque
Maximum temperature use 250°C
Excellent resistance to weak acids, most strong acids, and bases
Very resistant to organic solvents
Can be autoclaved repeatedly

Polypropylene (PP)

Translucent
Rigid
Excellent stress-crack resistance
Effectively resists weak and concentrated acids, aliphatic alcohols, and bases
Can be autoclavable repeatedly

PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)

Glass-like clarity
Flexible
Less permeable to oxygen than polyethylene
Excellent resistance to dilute or weak acids, aliphatic acids, and aliphatic hydrocarbons

Polystyrene (PS)

Glass-like clarity
Rigid
Strong resistance to aqueous solutions
Limited resistance to organic solvents
Brittle at ambient temperature
May crack or break if dropped from bench-top height

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

Transparent
Extremely good resistance to oils (except essential oils)
Very low permeability to most gases

Chemical Compatibility Chart

Chemical Resistance Reagent (20°C)	HPDE	LDPE	PET	PP	PS	PTFE	PVC
Inorganic acids	E	E	N	E	E	E	E
Organic acids	E	E	E	E	E	E	N
Oxidizing agents conc.	G	G	N	G	G	E	N
Alcohols	G	E	E	E	E	E	E
Aldehydes	G	G	N	G	N	E	N
Amines	G	G	N	G	G	E	N
Bases	E	E	N	E	E	E	E
Ketones	G	G	N	G	N	E	N
Ethers	G	G	*	G	N	E	N
Esters	E	E	N	E	N	E	N
Glycols	E	E	*	E	G	E	F
Aliphatic Hydrocarbons	G	G	E	G	E	E	N
Aromatic Hydrocarbons	G	G	N	G	N	E	N
Halogenated Hydrocarbons	G	G	N	G	N	E	N
Mineral Oils	E	F	*	F	E	E	E
Vegetable Oils	G	G	*	F	*	E	G
Lubricating Oils	E	G	*	E	*	E	*

E – Excellent resistance; no damage after 30 days of exposure; plastic may even tolerate for years
G – Good resistance; little or no damage after 30 days of constant exposure
F – Fair resistance; some damage after 7 days of exposure
N – Not recommended; immediate damage may occur
* – Information not available

Sterilization	HPDE	LDPE	PET	PP	PS	PTFE	PVC
Autoclaving (121°C, 15 psig for 20 min.)	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
Dry Heat (160°C, 120 min.)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Gas (Ethylene oxide)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Radiation (Gamma irradiation, 25 kGy)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Disinfectants (Benzalkonium chloride, formalin, ethanol, etc)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Some	Some	Yes

Temperature Range	HPDE	LDPE	PET	PP	PS	PTFE	PVC
Max Use Temperature (°C)	120	80	70	135	90	250	70
Brittleness Temperature (°C)	-100	-100	<-40	0	20	-100	-30