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Nylon (PA) and Zinc Chloride: Chemical Resistance

Polyamide (nylon)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
10 %CD
aqueousCD

Material comparison at 20 °C

Zinc Chloride: Material comparison at 20 °CNylon (PA): C (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): BAluminium: CNylon (PA): CPAPETG: –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) maintains a consistent rating of C 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. 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

Zinc Chloride is commonly encountered in pulp and paper and waste treatment. Nylon (PA) (Polyamide (nylon)) 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

Nylon (PA) has limited resistance to Zinc Chloride 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, Polycarbonate offer significantly better resistance and are rated A.

Did you know?

The ratings shown here apply to pure Zinc Chloride in contact with the base thermoplastic. 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 10 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Acetal (POM) B, 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 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.