ChemicalResistance
ChemicalResistance.org

Polystyrene and Sodium Nitrate: Chemical Resistance

Polystyrene

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
aqueous––
saturatedAA

Material comparison at 20 °C

Sodium Nitrate: Material comparison at 20 °CPolystyrene: A (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: AAcetal (POM): APP: APolystyrene: APSPolysulfone: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: ANBR: BSilicone: –
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

Polystyrene shows very good resistance (A) to Sodium Nitrate at saturated 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

Sodium Nitrate is commonly encountered in chemical storage and electroplating. Polystyrene (Polystyrene) 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

Polystyrene can be used with confidence for Sodium Nitrate 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?

When choosing between thermoplastics for Sodium Nitrate service, engineers consider not just the resistance rating but also factors such as permeation rate, creep resistance, and weldability.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for saturated, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Nylon (PA) A, Acetal (POM) A, Polycarbonate A, PVC Flexible 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, NBR B
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A, Aluminium A

About Polystyrene

Polystyrene is attacked by most organic solvents, including ketones, esters, aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons. It is used for dilute aqueous solutions.

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.