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HDPE and Calcium Hydroxide: Chemical Resistance

High-density polyethylene

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
aqueousAA
concentratedAA

Material comparison at 20 °C

Calcium Hydroxide: Material comparison at 20 °CHDPE: A (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; LDPE: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: AHDPELDPE: ANBR: ANylon (PA): APETG: APMP: AAcetal (POM): APP: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASS 304: ASS 316: APolystyrene: BPolysulfone: BAluminium: CPolycarbonate: 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

HDPE shows excellent resistance to Calcium Hydroxide across all 2 tested concentrations (aqueous, concentrated) at 20 °C, making it a reliable choice for storage, transfer, and handling applications involving this chemical at any of the tested strengths. 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

Calcium Hydroxide is commonly encountered in pulp and paper and chemical processing. HDPE (High-density polyethylene) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. The compatibility between these two is therefore an important consideration for engineers and procurement teams selecting containment, transfer, or processing equipment.

Practical recommendation

HDPE can be used with confidence for Calcium Hydroxide 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. This holds true at both 20 °C and 50 °C, giving a good safety margin for typical process environments.

Did you know?

High-density polyethylene is commonly chosen for tanks, piping, containers and liners because of its combination of chemical resistance, mechanical strength, and cost-effectiveness.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for concentrated, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Nylon (PA) A, Acetal (POM) A, PVC Flexible A, Polystyrene B, Polysulfone B, PETG A, PMP A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
EPDM A, Viton (FPM) A, NBR A
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A

About HDPE

High-density polyethylene resists most aqueous acids, alkalis and salt solutions. Strong oxidising acids, chlorinated solvents and aromatic hydrocarbons attack or swell it. Continuous service is usually limited to about 80 °C.

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.