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SAN and Butyric Acid: Chemical Resistance

Styrene-acrylonitrile

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
concentration not statedDD

Material comparison at 20 °C

Butyric Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CSAN: D (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): CEPDM: DLDPE: DNBR: DPolycarbonate: DPMP: DAcetal (POM): DPP: DPolystyrene: DPVC Flexible: DSAN: DSANPETG: –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

SAN is not resistant (D) to Butyric Acid 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

Butyric Acid is commonly encountered in chemical processing and water treatment. SAN (Styrene-acrylonitrile) 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

SAN is not recommended for use with Butyric 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 ECTFE/ETFE, FEP, PTFE instead, which are rated A for this chemical and offer reliable long-term performance.

Did you know?

In industrial practice, SAN components exposed to Butyric Acid 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
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 SAN

Styrene-acrylonitrile resists oils and dilute acids better than polystyrene, but ketones, esters and aromatic and chlorinated solvents still 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.