Chemical Resistance Info

Colonial recommends the following resources for information regarding chemical resistance of plastics and elastomers:

Cole Parmer website

The Compass Publications Chemical Resistance Guide 

Or, please contact our customer service department with your specific questions.
PH: 800-374-0234 or 269-323-2495, Ext 3118

Information on elastomers used for o-rings, butterfly valve seals, and ball valve seats:

EPDM: Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer
EPDM Rubber is an elastomer prepared from ethylene and propylene monomers and at times with a small amount of a third monomer. It has excellent tear and abrasion resistance and is chemically resistant to a large variety of acids, alkalis, alcohol, and oxidants.
Recommended for: phosphate ester base hydraulic fluids, water, silicone oils and greases, dilute acids, dilute alkalis, ketones, alcohol’s and automotive brake fluids.
Not recommended for: petroleum oils or dilutions of hydrocarbons, di-ester base lubricants.

FKM Fluorocarbon Rubber / Elastomer  (Viton®)
Fluorocarbon elastomers were first introduced in the mid 1950’s.
The terms FPM, FKM and Viton® often cause confusion and lead to incorrect interpretations. All of these designations actually stand for one single base material: fluoro rubber.
FPM is the international abbreviation according to DIN/ISO, whereas FKM is the short form for the fluoroelastomer category according to the American standard ASTM.  Viton® is the registered trade mark of DuPont Performance Elastomers.
Recommended for: petroleum oils, di-ester based lubricants, silicate ester base lubricants, silicone fluids and greases, halogenated hydrocarbons, selected phosphate ester fluids and acids.  Use with high concentrations of bleach or sodium hypochlorite, and for ozone-treated water systems.
Not recommended for: ketones, amines, low molecular weight esters and ethers, and hot hydrofluoric or chlorosulfonic acids.

Buna-N (Nitrile)
Buna-N is often required for projects in the mining, landfill, and energy markets.
Buna-N (also known as Nitrile rubber or NBR), is the general term for acrylonitrile butadiene terpolymer. It has good mechanical properties when compared with other elastomers, and high wear resistance. It is not resistant to weathering and ozone.
Recommended for: Aliphatic hydrocarbons (propane, butane, petroleum oil, mineral oil and grease, diesel fuel, fuel oils) vegetable and mineral oils and greases; HFA, HFB and HFC fluids; Dilute acids, alkali and salt solutions at low temperatures; Water (special compounds up to 100°C) (212°F)
Not recommended for: Fuels of high aromatic content (for flex fuels a special compound must be used); Aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene); Chlorinated hydrocarbons (trichlorethylene); Polar solvents (ketone, acetone, acetic acid, ethylene-ester); Strong acids; Brake fluid with glycol base; Ozone, weather and atmospheric aging.

TEFLON® PTFE Fluorocarbon Polytetrafluoroethylene   (USED FOR BALL VALVE SEATS ONLY)
This nearly insoluble and chemically inert fluorocarbon is used for valve seats. PTFE has a natural lubricating quality and high thermal stability. It has excellent dielectric properties and chemical resistance, low friction, outstanding stability at high temperatures.
TEFLON® is a registered trademark of DuPont. Only DuPont makes Teflon. DuPont™ is a trademark of DuPont and its affiliates.
FKM is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Elastomers.