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Polycarbonate and Resorcinol: Chemical Resistance

Polycarbonate

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
5 %BC
saturatedBC

Material comparison at 20 °C

Resorcinol: Material comparison at 20 °CPolycarbonate: B (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; FEP: A; HDPE: A; LDPE: A; PMP: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AFEP: AHDPE: ALDPE: APMP: APP: APTFE: AAluminium: BPolycarbonate: BPCPolystyrene: BPVC Rigid: BEPDM: CViton (FPM): CNBR: CAcetal (POM): CPVDF: CSAN: CNylon (PA): DPolysulfone: DPETG: –PVC Flexible: –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

Polycarbonate maintains a consistent rating of B across all 2 tested concentrations (5 %, saturated) of Resorcinol at 20 °C. The fact that the rating does not change with concentration within the tested range simplifies material selection, though the boundary conditions beyond this range remain untested. 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

Resorcinol is commonly encountered in chemical storage and water treatment. Polycarbonate (Polycarbonate) 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

Polycarbonate is suitable for use with Resorcinol under normal conditions, but some minor effects on the material are expected over time. Periodic monitoring for swelling, softening, or weight change is recommended, especially for long-service components. Avoid prolonged exposure at elevated temperatures, as the resistance decreases further at 50 °C. For safety-critical or long-life applications, consider HDPE, LDPE, PMP instead, which are rated A for this chemical.

Did you know?

Polycarbonate 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 5 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid B, LDPE A, Polystyrene B, PMP A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Metals
Aluminium B

About Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is attacked by alkalis, amines, ketones, esters and many organic solvents, and it stress-cracks under load in contact with them.

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.