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PP and Dichloromethane: Chemical Resistance

Polypropylene

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
concentration not statedCD

Material comparison at 20 °C

Dichloromethane: Material comparison at 20 °CPP: C (highlighted); Aluminium: A; FEP: A; PTFE: A; PVDF: A; SS 304: A.Aluminium: AFEP: APTFE: APVDF: ASS 304: ASS 316: AECTFE/ETFE: BViton (FPM): CNylon (PA): CPMP: CAcetal (POM): CPP: CPPEPDM: DHDPE: DLDPE: DNBR: DPolycarbonate: DPETG: DPolystyrene: DPolysulfone: DPVC Rigid: DPVC Flexible: DSAN: DSilicone: –
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

PP has limited resistance (C) to Dichloromethane 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. However, at 50 °C the resistance rating drops, indicating that temperature must be factored into the design. For heated applications, additional testing under actual service conditions is strongly recommended.

Application context

Dichloromethane is commonly encountered in cleaning and degreasing and chemical synthesis. PP (Polypropylene) 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

PP has limited resistance to Dichloromethane 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, FEP, PTFE, PVDF offer significantly better resistance and are rated A.

Did you know?

Chemical resistance testing according to DIN and ISO standards typically evaluates weight change, dimensional change, and retention of tensile strength after immersion.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE B
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A, Aluminium A

About PP

Polypropylene resists most acids, alkalis and salt solutions. Concentrated oxidising acids, chlorinated solvents and aromatic hydrocarbons attack it, and it turns brittle below about 0 °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.