tjax
Harmless
Posts: 2
Registered: 18-9-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Chemical resistance of materials
Hi everybody, this is my first post on this board.
I need a trustable and accurate source for chemical resistance charts. I launched a search on previous posts and
I've seen that you mostly recommend using google to search for these charts. The problem is that the information provided by various websites seems
contradictory. One website says that material X is resistant to chemical Y (considering also the temperature and concentration), another website says
the contrary - that material X is in fact severy damaged by chemical Y.
I noticed this while comparing the chemical resistance of PTFE/Teflon reported by these websites:
http://www.jenseninert.com/chemical-resistance.htm
http://www.buerkle.de/eng/d2-1.php (the Excel file)
http://www.coleparmer.com/TechInfo/ChemComp.asp
http://www.efunda.com/DesignStandards/oring/oring_chemical.c...
http://www.zeusinc.com/chem_ptfe.asp
For example, some say PTFE has excellent resistance to Bromine at 50 degr. C, others say it has poor resistance.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to use PTFE for the comparison, but the question remains: which chemical resistance chart should I trust? Which one
do you trust, when you need such a thing? If you use a book instead of the Internet - which book? Or which source?
I'm interested in the resistance of various materials, not only plastics, and to as many chemicals as possible, so the larger the charts the better.
Thanks in advance for your help. And sorry if I posted my message on the wrong topic board.
|
|
|
unionised
International Hazard
Posts: 5128
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: UK
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
"need a trustable and accurate source for chemical resistance charts. "
Sorry, but the only way to be sure is to do the experiment yourself.
Not least because "resistant to bromine" might mean " The stuff pisses through, but the PTFE is OK". If you want a bottle top that isn't resistant.
|
|
|
chromium
Hazard to Others
Posts: 284
Registered: 27-6-2005
Member Is Offline
Mood: reactive
|
|
You probably can not trust any resistance charts. As we have seen here, even best chemistry handbooks contain some errors. Whenever possible do your
own tests and use resistance charts as source for ideas.
Another way is to look what materials are commonly used in particular manufacturing (or refining) processes and just use these materials.
[Edited on 18-9-2006 by chromium]
|
|
|
ethan_c
Hazard to Others
Posts: 104
Registered: 5-6-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
In your particular example, suffice to say: If it is organic, bromine will destroy it. If it is a metal, bromine will likely destroy it. If there is
any small possibility of the container not being sealed in a manner sufficient for high vacuum, bromine will find that possibility and laugh at you as
it exits your holding device.
|
|
|
tjax
Harmless
Posts: 2
Registered: 18-9-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Thanks for the answers. I agree with you that the only way to be absolutely sure is to do the experiment yourself. But sometimes, to avoid some
mistakes, a good chemical resistance chart might be useful (see also http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=2529#p... , I found it while browsing the boards)
So I'll rephrase my question: do you know any chemical resistance chart that you consider to be good, based on your experience? One
that you noticed has less mistakes than others? One that you first go to when you need such a chart?
|
|
|
matei
Hazard to Others
Posts: 205
Registered: 16-9-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
You can find lots of useful tables in "The Laboratory Companion - A Practical Guide to Materials, Equipment, and Technique" (you can find it on
rapidshare).
|
|
|
Magpie
lab constructor
Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
|
|
As you likely know just because someone publishes a table, either as a book or some narrative on the internet, does not in itself make it trustworthy.
You have to examine the reputation and credentials of the author(s). These tables are very useful for screening candidates for material selection.
Once you have made a short list of candidates you may want to do some testing, depending on how you are pushing the limits of the material, and the
risks involved. I go to Perry's "Chemical Engineer's Handbook" first as it is heavily peer reviewed and has stood the test of time for many decades.
I would also think that lists supplied by the major lab suppliers would be reasonably reliable - they have their reputation at stake with all their
customers. So you have to evaluate each source on its own merits - just like you would evaluate the opinions of those from whom you seek advice.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
|
|
|
Jdurg
Hazard to Others
Posts: 220
Registered: 10-6-2006
Location: Connecticut, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by ethan_c
In your particular example, suffice to say: If it is organic, bromine will destroy it. If it is a metal, bromine will likely destroy it. If there is
any small possibility of the container not being sealed in a manner sufficient for high vacuum, bromine will find that possibility and laugh at you as
it exits your holding device. |
Hehe. Bromine is a little bitch. It will also just sit around happily confined until one day it says "You know what? I hate being in this glass
tube. I'm going to seep out of it an expand my horizons. Kiss my ass world." 
\"A real fart is beefy, has a density greater than or equal to the air surrounding it, consists of the unmistakable scent of broccoli, and usually
requires wiping afterwards.\"
http://maddox.xmission.com. |
|
|
The_Davster
A pnictogen
Posts: 2861
Registered: 18-11-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: .
|
|
I keep 5 mls of bromine in my freezer at -30 in a volumetric flask with ground glass stopper wrapped in teflon. I keep some Al foil near it and so
far so good!
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xpblue/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
