ChemicalResistance
ChemicalResistance.org

NBR and Salicylic Acid: Chemical Resistance

Nitrile butadiene rubber

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
saturatedCC
powderCC

Material comparison at 20 °C

Salicylic Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CNBR: C (highlighted); Aluminium: A; ECTFE/ETFE: A; EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A.Aluminium: AECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: ANylon (PA): APolycarbonate: APETG: APMP: APP: APolystyrene: APolysulfone: APTFE: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: APVC Rigid: BNBR: CNBRAcetal (POM): DPVC Flexible: –Silicone: –
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

NBR maintains a consistent rating of C across all 2 tested concentrations (saturated, powder) of Salicylic Acid 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. 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

Salicylic Acid is commonly encountered in laboratory work and metal finishing. NBR (Nitrile butadiene rubber) is an elastomer typically used for seals, O-rings, hoses and flexible connections. The compatibility between these two is therefore an important consideration for engineers and procurement teams selecting containment, transfer, or processing equipment.

Practical recommendation

NBR has limited resistance to Salicylic Acid and should only be used for short-term or intermittent contact at ambient temperature. The C rating means the material undergoes noticeable changes — swelling, loss of strength, or surface degradation — that make it unsuitable for permanent installations. For prolonged or continuous exposure, HDPE, LDPE, Nylon (PA) offer significantly better resistance and are rated A.

Did you know?

The ratings shown here apply to pure Salicylic Acid in contact with the base elastomer. In real-world applications, additives, pigments, and fillers in the material can shift resistance in either direction.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for saturated, 20 °C.

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

About NBR

Nitrile rubber resists mineral oils and fuels. Ketones, esters, chlorinated solvents, strong oxidisers and ozone 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.