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EPDM and Potassium Hydroxide: Chemical Resistance

Ethylene propylene diene rubber

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
1 %A–
10 %A–
30 %A–
50 %A–
concentratedA–

Material comparison at 20 °C

Potassium Hydroxide: Material comparison at 20 °CEPDM: A (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; FEP: A; HDPE: A; LDPE: A; Nylon (PA): A.ECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AEPDMFEP: AHDPE: ALDPE: ANylon (PA): APMP: APP: APolysulfone: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: APolystyrene: BNBR: CAcetal (POM): CPVDF: CAluminium: DViton (FPM): DPolycarbonate: DPETG: 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

EPDM shows excellent resistance to Potassium Hydroxide across all 5 tested concentrations (1 %, 10 %, 30 %, 50 %, concentrated) at 20 °C, making it a reliable choice for storage, transfer, and handling applications involving this chemical at any of the tested strengths. 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

Potassium Hydroxide is commonly encountered in textile processing and chemical processing. EPDM (Ethylene propylene diene rubber) is an elastomer typically used for seals, O-rings, hoses and flexible connections. Because Potassium Hydroxide is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

EPDM can be used with confidence for Potassium Hydroxide 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?

Temperature is often the deciding factor when selecting materials for Potassium Hydroxide: 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 50 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Nylon (PA) A, PVC Flexible A, Polystyrene B, Polysulfone A, PMP A, SAN A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A

About EPDM

EPDM resists water, steam, alkalis, ketones and alcohols. Mineral oils, fuels and aromatic solvents swell it severely.

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.