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Nylon (PA) and Butyric Acid: Chemical Resistance

Polyamide (nylon)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
concentration not statedCC

Material comparison at 20 °C

Butyric Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CNylon (PA): C (highlighted); Aluminium: A; ECTFE/ETFE: A; FEP: A; PTFE: A; PVDF: A.Aluminium: AECTFE/ETFE: AFEP: APTFE: APVDF: ASS 304: ASS 316: APolysulfone: BPVC Rigid: BViton (FPM): CHDPE: CNylon (PA): CPAEPDM: DLDPE: DNBR: DPolycarbonate: DPMP: DAcetal (POM): DPP: DPolystyrene: DPVC Flexible: DSAN: DPETG: –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

Nylon (PA) has limited resistance (C) to Butyric Acid at 20 °C. This indicates that the chemical has a noticeable effect on the material, which may include visible swelling, softening, or a measurable loss of tensile strength. Use is generally limited to short-term or intermittent contact where full structural integrity is not required. The rating remains stable between 20 °C and 50 °C, which means this material can also handle moderately elevated process temperatures without additional risk.

Application context

Butyric Acid is commonly encountered in surface cleaning and laboratory work. Nylon (PA) (Polyamide (nylon)) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Because Butyric Acid is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

Nylon (PA) has limited resistance to Butyric Acid and should only be used for short-term or intermittent contact at ambient temperature. The C rating means the material undergoes noticeable changes — swelling, loss of strength, or surface degradation — that make it unsuitable for permanent installations. For prolonged or continuous exposure, ECTFE/ETFE, FEP, PTFE offer significantly better resistance and are rated A.

Did you know?

The chemical resistance of Nylon (PA) depends not only on the chemical concentration but also on exposure time, mechanical stress, and the presence of other chemicals in the mixture.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Thermoplastics
PVC Rigid B, Polysulfone B
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A, Aluminium A

About Nylon (PA)

Polyamide (nylon) resists fuels, oils and many solvents. Mineral acids, even dilute, and strong oxidisers attack it, and it absorbs water.

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.