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Polycarbonate Chemical Resistance Chart

Polycarbonate is a transparent, impact-resistant thermoplastic. While not suited for aggressive chemicals, it excels in applications requiring clarity and toughness.

800 chemicals tested 20°C & 50°C data
264
Excellent (A)
239
Good (B)
229
Limited (C)
221
Not Recommended (D)

Resistance by chemical class

Most rows rated A or B
Foods and beverages 91 %; Salts and salt solutions 91 %; Vegetable and animal oils, fats, essential oils 73 %
Fewest rows rated A or B
Halogenated hydrocarbons 0 %; Aromatic hydrocarbons 0 %; Esters and ethers 1 %
All rated rows, by rating
A 28 %, B 25 %, C 24 %, D 23 % (953)

Chemical classes were assigned by this site, not by the source. Mixtures and trade products without a clear class are not counted.

Polycarbonate: Resistance by chemical classMineral acids: A 24 %, B 8 %, C 25 %, D 42 %. Organic acids: A 33 %, B 21 %, C 19 %, D 27 %. Alkalis: A 5 %, B 14 %, C 23 %, D 59 %. Salts and salt solutions: A 46 %, B 45 %, C 7 %, D 3 %. Oxidising agents and halogens: A 30 %, B 36 %, C 16 %, D 18 %. Alcohols and glycols: A 28 %, B 44 %, C 19 %, D 9 %. Phenols: B 14 %, C 50 %, D 36 %. Ketones and aldehydes: A 9 %, B 6 %, C 23 %, D 63 %. Esters and ethers: B 1 %, C 48 %, D 51 %. Amines and nitrogen compounds: A 5 %, B 8 %, C 45 %, D 42 %. Aromatic hydrocarbons: C 36 %, D 64 %. Fuels, mineral oils and aliphatic hydrocarbons: A 23 %, B 32 %, C 36 %, D 9 %. Vegetable and animal oils, fats, essential oils: A 35 %, B 38 %, C 25 %, D 2 %. Halogenated hydrocarbons: C 50 %, D 50 %. Foods and beverages: A 72 %, B 20 %, C 2 %, D 7 %.Mineral acids (59)Mineral acids: A 24 % (14)A 24 %Mineral acids: B 8 % (5)BMineral acids: C 25 % (15)C 25 %Mineral acids: D 42 % (25)D 42 %Organic acids (63)Organic acids: A 33 % (21)A 33 %Organic acids: B 21 % (13)B 21 %Organic acids: C 19 % (12)C 19 %Organic acids: D 27 % (17)D 27 %Alkalis (22)Alkalis: A 5 % (1)AAlkalis: B 14 % (3)B 14 %Alkalis: C 23 % (5)C 23 %Alkalis: D 59 % (13)D 59 %Salts and salt solutions (197)Salts and salt solutions: A 46 % (91)A 46 %Salts and salt solutions: B 45 % (88)B 45 %Salts and salt solutions: C 7 % (13)CSalts and salt solutions: D 3 % (5)Oxidising agents and halogens (61)Oxidising agents and halogens: A 30 % (18)A 30 %Oxidising agents and halogens: B 36 % (22)B 36 %Oxidising agents and halogens: C 16 % (10)C 16 %Oxidising agents and halogens: D 18 % (11)D 18 %Alcohols and glycols (57)Alcohols and glycols: A 28 % (16)A 28 %Alcohols and glycols: B 44 % (25)B 44 %Alcohols and glycols: C 19 % (11)C 19 %Alcohols and glycols: D 9 % (5)DPhenols (14)Phenols: B 14 % (2)B 14 %Phenols: C 50 % (7)C 50 %Phenols: D 36 % (5)D 36 %Ketones and aldehydes (35)Ketones and aldehydes: A 9 % (3)AKetones and aldehydes: B 6 % (2)BKetones and aldehydes: C 23 % (8)C 23 %Ketones and aldehydes: D 63 % (22)D 63 %Esters and ethers (69)Esters and ethers: B 1 % (1)Esters and ethers: C 48 % (33)C 48 %Esters and ethers: D 51 % (35)D 51 %Amines and nitrogen compounds (38)Amines and nitrogen compounds: A 5 % (2)AAmines and nitrogen compounds: B 8 % (3)BAmines and nitrogen compounds: C 45 % (17)C 45 %Amines and nitrogen compounds: D 42 % (16)D 42 %Aromatic hydrocarbons (14)Aromatic hydrocarbons: C 36 % (5)C 36 %Aromatic hydrocarbons: D 64 % (9)D 64 %Fuels, mineral oils and aliphatic hydrocarbons (75)Fuels, mineral oils and aliphatic hydrocarbons: A 23 % (17)A 23 %Fuels, mineral oils and aliphatic hydrocarbons: B 32 % (24)B 32 %Fuels, mineral oils and aliphatic hydrocarbons: C 36 % (27)C 36 %Fuels, mineral oils and aliphatic hydrocarbons: D 9 % (7)DVegetable and animal oils, fats, essential oils (48)Vegetable and animal oils, fats, essential oils: A 35 % (17)A 35 %Vegetable and animal oils, fats, essential oils: B 38 % (18)B 38 %Vegetable and animal oils, fats, essential oils: C 25 % (12)C 25 %Vegetable and animal oils, fats, essential oils: D 2 % (1)Halogenated hydrocarbons (70)Halogenated hydrocarbons: C 50 % (35)C 50 %Halogenated hydrocarbons: D 50 % (35)D 50 %Foods and beverages (46)Foods and beverages: A 72 % (33)A 72 %Foods and beverages: B 20 % (9)B 20 %Foods and beverages: C 2 % (1)Foods and beverages: D 7 % (3)D
A very good resistanceB good resistanceC limited resistanceD not resistant
Share of each rating at 20 °C among the source rows of a class. The number in brackets is the number of rated rows; a row is one chemical at one concentration. Classes with fewer than 8 rated rows are left out.
Showing 953 chemicals
Chemical Concentration 20°C 50°C CAS
Hydrogen Fluoride Exhaust Gases
Abgase, fluorwasserstoffhaltig
low concentrationC*–—
Carbon Dioxide Exhaust Gases
Abgase, kohlendioxidhaltig
low concentrationA*–—
Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyd
40 %DD75-07-0
Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyd
technical gradeDD75-07-0
Acetamide
Acetamid
saturatedDD60-35-5
Acetone
Aceton
—DD67-64-1
Acetonitrile
Acetonitril
—DD75-05-8
Acetophenone
Acetophenon
—D*–98-86-2
Acetyl Chloride
Acetylchlorid
100 %DD75-36-5
Acetylene
Acetylen
100 %A–74-86-2
Acrylonitrile
Acrylnitril
—DD107-13-1
Adipic Acid
Adipinsäure
saturatedAA124-04-9
Battery Acid
Akkusäure
38 %AA7664-93-9
Alanine
Alanin
—DD56-41-7
Allyl Acetate
Allylacetat
100 %DD591-87-7
Allyl Alcohol
Allylalkohol
96 %CC107-18-6
Allyl Chloride
Allylchlorid
100 %D*–107-05-1
Allyl Mustard Oil
Allylsenföl
—D*–57-06-7
Aluminum Hydroxide Acetate
Aluminium(hydroxid)acetat
aqueousA*–139-12-8
Aluminum Ammonium Sulfate
Aluminiumammoniumsulfat
saturatedB*–7784-26-1
Aluminum Chloride
Aluminiumchlorid
10 %A–7784-13-6
Aluminum Chloride
Aluminiumchlorid
saturatedB*–7784-13-6
Aluminum Chloride
Aluminiumchlorid
solidC*–7784-13-6
Aluminum Fluoride
Aluminiumfluorid
aqueousB*–7789-18-1
Aluminum Hydroxide
Aluminiumhydroxid
—AA21645-51-2
Aluminum Nitrate
Aluminiumnitrat
aqueousA–13473-90-0
Aluminum Oxide
Aluminiumoxid
solidAA1344-28-1
Aluminum Sulfate
Aluminiumsulfat
10 %A–10043-01-3
Aluminum Sulfate
Aluminiumsulfat
saturatedA–10043-01-3
Formic Acid
Ameisensäure
3 %AB64-18-6
Formic Acid
Ameisensäure
50 %CC64-18-6
Formic Acid
Ameisensäure
98-100 %CD64-18-6
Glycine
Aminoessigsäure
10 %AA56-40-6
Ammonium Acetate
Ammoniumacetat
saturatedAA631-61-8
Ammonium Carbonate
Ammoniumcarbonat
50 %C–10361-29-2
Ammonium Carbonate
Ammoniumcarbonat
aqueousC*–10361-29-2
Ammonium Chloride
Ammoniumchlorid
aqueousA–12125-02-9
Ammonium Chloride
Ammoniumchlorid
solidA–12125-02-9
Ammonium Dihydrogen Phosphate
Ammoniumdihydrogenphosphat
any concentrationB*–7722-76-1
Ammonium Iron(II) Sulfate
Ammoniumeisen-(II)-sulfat
—B*–7783-85-9
Ammonium Iron(III) Sulfate
Ammoniumeisen-(III)-sulfat
saturatedB*–7783-83-7
Ammonium Fluoride
Ammoniumfluorid
aqueousC*–12125-01-8
Ammonium Fluoride
Ammoniumfluorid
saturatedDD12125-01-8
Ammonium Glycolate
Ammoniumglycolat
—BC35249-89-9
Ammonium Heptamolybdate
Ammoniumheptamolybdat
—B*–12054-85-2
Ammonium Bicarbonate
Ammoniumhydrogencarbonat
saturatedB*–1066-33-7
Ammonium Bifluoride
Ammoniumhydrogendifluorid
50 %D*–1341-49-7
Ammonium Hydrosulfide
Ammoniumhydrosulfid
any concentrationC*–12124-99-1
Ammonium Hydroxide (Ammonia Solution)
Ammoniumhydroxid
5 %CD1336-21-6
Ammonium Hydroxide (Ammonia Solution)
Ammoniumhydroxid
30 %DD1336-21-6

* = estimated rating in the source, given without a temperature. L = risk of pitting or stress-corrosion cracking. Only chemicals with a rating for this material are listed.

Polycarbonate Properties

Full Name Polycarbonate (PC)
Max Temperature 120°C (248°F)
Transparency Optically clear
Key Property Outstanding impact resistance

Common Applications

Safety Guards

Machine guards, safety shields, face shields

Lab Equipment

Desiccators, centrifuge tubes, safety glasses

Sight Glasses

Flow indicators and level gauges

Not Recommended For

Polycarbonate may degrade when exposed to:

  • Alkalis (NaOH, KOH, ammonia)
  • Acetone and MEK
  • Chlorinated solvents
  • Aromatic hydrocarbons
  • Strong acids

Tip: For chemical-resistant transparent applications, consider PETG or PMP.

Compare Materials

PETG
Chemical resistant
PMP
Autoclavable
SAN
Transparent
PS
Budget