ChemicalResistance
ChemicalResistance.org

PVC Flexible and Perchloric Acid: Chemical Resistance

Flexible (plasticised) polyvinyl chloride

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
20 %C–
70 %DD

Material comparison at 20 °C

Perchloric Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CPVC Flexible: D (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; PTFE: A; PVDF: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AFEP: AViton (FPM): APTFE: APVDF: AHDPE: BPMP: BPolystyrene: BEPDM: CLDPE: CPVC Rigid: CAluminium: DNBR: DNylon (PA): DPolycarbonate: DPETG: DAcetal (POM): DPP: DPolysulfone: DPVC Flexible: DPVC-PSAN: –Silicone: –SS 304: –SS 316: –
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

The resistance of PVC Flexible to Perchloric Acid is concentration-dependent. Across the 2 tested concentrations (20 %, 70 %), the 20 °C rating ranges from C at lower concentrations to D at higher ones. This means engineers must verify which concentration their process actually involves before relying on a single rating. 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

Perchloric Acid is commonly encountered in surface cleaning and metal finishing. PVC Flexible (Flexible (plasticised) polyvinyl chloride) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Because Perchloric Acid is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

PVC Flexible is not recommended for use with Perchloric Acid. 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 ECTFE/ETFE, FEP, PTFE 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 Perchloric Acid: 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 70 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE B, Polystyrene B, PMP B
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
Viton (FPM) A

About PVC Flexible

Flexible PVC shares the solvent weaknesses of rigid PVC, and any liquid that extracts the plasticiser also hardens it. It is generally less resistant than rigid PVC.

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.