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PETG and Lactic Acid: Chemical Resistance

Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (co-polyester)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
3 %A–
80 %––
85 %––

Material comparison at 20 °C

Lactic Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CPETG: – (highlighted); Aluminium: A; ECTFE/ETFE: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; HDPE: A.Aluminium: AECTFE/ETFE: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: ANBR: APolycarbonate: APMP: APP: APolysulfone: APTFE: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: APolystyrene: BPVC Rigid: BPVC Flexible: BEPDM: CNylon (PA): CAcetal (POM): CPETG: –PETGSilicone: –
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

PETG shows very good resistance (A) to Lactic Acid at 3 % 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

Lactic Acid is commonly encountered in surface cleaning and laboratory work. PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (co-polyester)) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Because Lactic Acid is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

No resistance data is available for PETG in contact with Lactic Acid. Before using this combination, consult the material manufacturer or conduct independent testing.

Did you know?

Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (co-polyester) 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 85 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid B, LDPE A, Polycarbonate A, PVC Flexible B, Polystyrene B, Polysulfone A, PMP A, SAN A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
Viton (FPM) A, NBR A
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A, Aluminium A

About PETG

PETG is a co-polyester for clear containers. Strong acids and alkalis and most organic solvents 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.