ChemicalResistance
ChemicalResistance.org

Polystyrene and Amyl Alcohol (1-Pentanol): Chemical Resistance

Polystyrene

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
concentration not statedAC

Material comparison at 20 °C

Amyl Alcohol (1-Pentanol): Material comparison at 20 °CPolystyrene: A (highlighted); Aluminium: A; ECTFE/ETFE: A; FEP: A; HDPE: A; LDPE: A.Aluminium: AECTFE/ETFE: AFEP: AHDPE: ALDPE: ANylon (PA): APolycarbonate: APETG: AAcetal (POM): APP: APolystyrene: APSPTFE: APVDF: ASS 304: ASS 316: AViton (FPM): BPMP: BPVC Rigid: BEPDM: CNBR: CPolysulfone: CPVC Flexible: CSAN: –Silicone: –
A very good resistanceB good resistanceC limited resistanceD not resistantno data
Each bar is one material. Taller bars indicate better resistance. The highlighted bar is the current material.

Resistance overview

Polystyrene shows very good resistance (A) to Amyl Alcohol (1-Pentanol) at 20 °C, meaning the material remains essentially unaffected by this chemical under standard laboratory test conditions. However, at 50 °C the resistance rating drops, indicating that temperature must be factored into the design. For heated applications, additional testing under actual service conditions is strongly recommended.

Application context

Amyl Alcohol (1-Pentanol) is commonly encountered in pharmaceutical manufacturing and chemical synthesis. Polystyrene (Polystyrene) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Since Amyl Alcohol (1-Pentanol) is flammable, material selection must also consider the risk of static charge buildup and the need for proper grounding in storage and transfer systems.

Practical recommendation

Polystyrene can be used with confidence for Amyl Alcohol (1-Pentanol) containment and handling. The A rating indicates that the material shows no significant change in weight, dimensions, or mechanical properties after prolonged contact under test conditions. At elevated temperatures (50 °C), some reduction in resistance occurs, so periodic inspection is advisable for heated applications. Always verify performance under actual operating conditions before committing to a design.

Did you know?

In industrial practice, Polystyrene components exposed to Amyl Alcohol (1-Pentanol) are typically inspected for swelling, discoloration, or loss of mechanical strength as early indicators of chemical attack.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid B, LDPE A, Nylon (PA) A, Acetal (POM) A, Polycarbonate A, PETG A, PMP B
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
Viton (FPM) B
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A, Aluminium A

About Polystyrene

Polystyrene is attacked by most organic solvents, including ketones, esters, aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons. It is used for dilute aqueous solutions.

Rating scale

A rating marked * is an estimate in the source, not a test result. An estimate is given as one value without a temperature.

About this data

The ratings come from the chemical resistance list published by Bürkle GmbH, which compiled them from raw-material manufacturers’ data. They describe laboratory tests on the raw material at 20 °C and 50 °C.

A finished part also sees pressure, mechanical stress, welds and mixtures that a laboratory test does not. Treat the rating as a first filter and test under your own conditions before relying on it.