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Acetal (POM) and Zinc Chloride: Chemical Resistance

Polyoxymethylene (acetal)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
10 %B–
aqueousB–

Material comparison at 20 °C

Zinc Chloride: Material comparison at 20 °CAcetal (POM): B (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; HDPE: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: ANBR: APolycarbonate: APMP: APP: APolystyrene: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: AAcetal (POM): BPOMAluminium: CNylon (PA): CPETG: –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

Acetal (POM) maintains a consistent rating of B across all 2 tested concentrations (10 %, aqueous) of Zinc Chloride 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

Zinc Chloride is commonly encountered in bleaching and waste treatment. Acetal (POM) (Polyoxymethylene (acetal)) is a thermoplastic typically used for tanks, piping, containers and liners. Because Zinc Chloride is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

Acetal (POM) is suitable for use with Zinc Chloride 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. For safety-critical or long-life applications, consider HDPE, LDPE, Polycarbonate instead, which are rated A for this chemical.

Did you know?

Temperature is often the deciding factor when selecting materials for Zinc Chloride: even materials rated A at 20 °C may lose performance at elevated temperatures.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for 10 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Polycarbonate A, PVC Flexible A, Polystyrene A, PMP A, SAN A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
EPDM A, Viton (FPM) A, NBR A
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A

About Acetal (POM)

Acetal (POM) resists many organic solvents and fuels. Strong acids and oxidising agents degrade 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.