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NBR and Battery Acid: Chemical Resistance

Nitrile butadiene rubber

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
38 %DD

Material comparison at 20 °C

Battery Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CNBR: D (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; HDPE: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: APolycarbonate: APMP: APP: APolystyrene: APolysulfone: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVDF: ASS 304: BSS 316: BAluminium: CPVC Flexible: CNBR: DNBRNylon (PA): DPETG: DAcetal (POM): DSAN: –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

NBR is not resistant (D) to Battery Acid at 38 % and should not be used in direct contact. The chemical is expected to cause rapid degradation, which can include dissolution, cracking, severe swelling, or complete structural failure of the material.

Application context

Battery Acid is commonly encountered in water treatment and metal finishing. NBR (Nitrile butadiene rubber) is an elastomer typically used for seals, O-rings, hoses and flexible connections. Because Battery Acid is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

NBR is not recommended for use with Battery Acid. The D rating indicates that the material will suffer rapid and severe degradation, which may include cracking, dissolution, severe swelling, or complete structural failure. Using this combination risks equipment damage, leaks, and potential safety incidents. Consider using HDPE, LDPE, Polycarbonate instead, which are rated A for this chemical and offer reliable long-term performance.

Did you know?

Temperature is often the deciding factor when selecting materials for Battery Acid: even materials rated A at 20 °C may lose performance at elevated temperatures.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for 38 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Polycarbonate A, Polystyrene A, Polysulfone A, PMP A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
EPDM A, Viton (FPM) A
Metals
SS 316 B, SS 304 B

About NBR

Nitrile rubber resists mineral oils and fuels. Ketones, esters, chlorinated solvents, strong oxidisers and ozone attack it.

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.