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Polystyrene and Zinc Chloride: Chemical Resistance

Polystyrene

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
10 %AC
aqueous––

Material comparison at 20 °C

Zinc Chloride: Material comparison at 20 °CPolystyrene: A (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: APSPTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: AAcetal (POM): BAluminium: 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

Polystyrene shows very good resistance (A) to Zinc Chloride at 10 % 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

Zinc Chloride is commonly encountered in water disinfection and waste treatment. Polystyrene (Polystyrene) 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

Polystyrene can be used with confidence for Zinc Chloride 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?

The chemical resistance of Polystyrene depends not only on the chemical concentration but also on exposure time, mechanical stress, and the presence of other chemicals in the mixture.

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, 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 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.