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Nylon (PA) and Seawater (Salt Water): Chemical Resistance

Polyamide (nylon)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
concentration not statedA–

Material comparison at 20 °C

Seawater (Salt Water): Material comparison at 20 °CNylon (PA): A (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; HDPE: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: ANBR: ANylon (PA): APAPolycarbonate: APETG: AAcetal (POM): APP: APolystyrene: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 316: BAluminium: CSS 304: CPMP: –Polysulfone: –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

Nylon (PA) shows very good resistance (A) to Seawater (Salt Water) at 20 °C, meaning the material remains essentially unaffected by this chemical under standard laboratory test conditions. 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

Seawater (Salt Water) is commonly encountered in electroplating and de-icing. Nylon (PA) (Polyamide (nylon)) 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

Nylon (PA) can be used with confidence for Seawater (Salt Water) 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?

In industrial practice, Nylon (PA) components exposed to Seawater (Salt Water) are typically inspected for swelling, discoloration, or loss of mechanical strength as early indicators of chemical attack.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Acetal (POM) A, Polycarbonate A, PVC Flexible A, Polystyrene A, PETG A, SAN A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
EPDM A, Viton (FPM) A, NBR A
Metals
SS 316 B

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.