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SAN and White Spirit: Chemical Resistance

Styrene-acrylonitrile

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
liquidAC

Material comparison at 20 °C

White Spirit: Material comparison at 20 °CSAN: A (highlighted); Aluminium: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; NBR: A; Nylon (PA): A.Aluminium: AFEP: AViton (FPM): ANBR: ANylon (PA): APETG: AAcetal (POM): APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVDF: ASAN: ASANSS 304: ASS 316: ALDPE: BPolycarbonate: CPP: CEPDM: DPMP: DPolystyrene: DECTFE/ETFE: –HDPE: –Polysulfone: –PVC 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

SAN shows very good resistance (A) to White Spirit at liquid at 20 °C, meaning the material remains essentially unaffected by this chemical under standard laboratory test conditions. 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

White Spirit is commonly encountered in fuel storage and transfer and automotive. SAN (Styrene-acrylonitrile) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Since White Spirit is flammable, material selection must also consider the risk of static charge buildup and the need for proper grounding in storage and transfer systems.

Practical recommendation

SAN can be used with confidence for White Spirit 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. At elevated temperatures (50 °C), some reduction in resistance occurs, so periodic inspection is advisable for heated applications. Always verify performance under actual operating conditions before committing to a design.

Did you know?

When choosing between thermoplastics for White Spirit 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 liquid, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
PVC Rigid A, LDPE B, Nylon (PA) A, Acetal (POM) A, PETG A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A
Elastomers
Viton (FPM) A, NBR A
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A, Aluminium A

About SAN

Styrene-acrylonitrile resists oils and dilute acids better than polystyrene, but ketones, esters and aromatic and chlorinated solvents still 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.