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HDPE and Calcium Oxide: Chemical Resistance

High-density polyethylene

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
powderA–

Material comparison at 20 °C

Calcium Oxide: 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: APP: APolystyrene: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: ANylon (PA): BPolycarbonate: BPETG: BAluminium: CPMP: –Acetal (POM): –Polysulfone: –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 very good resistance (A) to Calcium Oxide at powder at 20 °C, meaning the material remains essentially unaffected by this chemical under standard laboratory test conditions. 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 Oxide is commonly encountered in surface cleaning and laboratory work. HDPE (High-density polyethylene) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Because Calcium Oxide is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

HDPE can be used with confidence for Calcium Oxide 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?

In industrial practice, HDPE components exposed to Calcium Oxide 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

Based on the row for powder, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Nylon (PA) B, Polycarbonate B, PVC Flexible A, Polystyrene A, PETG B, SAN 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.