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Nylon (PA) and Mercury(II) Chloride: Chemical Resistance

Polyamide (nylon)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
aqueousDD

Material comparison at 20 °C

Mercury(II) Chloride: Material comparison at 20 °CNylon (PA): D (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; HDPE: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: ANBR: APolycarbonate: APMP: APP: APolystyrene: APolysulfone: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: APETG: BAcetal (POM): CAluminium: DNylon (PA): DPASS 304: DSS 316: 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

Nylon (PA) is not resistant (D) to Mercury(II) Chloride at aqueous 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

Mercury(II) Chloride is commonly encountered in water disinfection and bleaching. Nylon (PA) (Polyamide (nylon)) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Because Mercury(II) Chloride is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

Nylon (PA) is not recommended for use with Mercury(II) Chloride. 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 HDPE, LDPE, Polycarbonate instead, which are rated A for this chemical and offer reliable long-term performance.

Did you know?

Temperature is often the deciding factor when selecting materials for Mercury(II) Chloride: even materials rated A at 20 °C may lose performance at elevated temperatures.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for aqueous, 20 °C.

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

About Nylon (PA)

Polyamide (nylon) resists fuels, oils and many solvents. Mineral acids, even dilute, and strong oxidisers attack it, and it absorbs water.

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.