Chemical Resistance of PEEK and Other Polymers

PEEK exhibits excellent resistance to a wide range of organic and inorganic chemicals. The compatibility of PEEK with many chemicals at 20°C (68°F) has been investigated and the results for unreinforced grades are given in the table below.

PEEK is compatible with almost any of the solvents used in HPLC. The only solvents which will attack PEEK are concentrated nitric acid and sulphuric acids. However, PEEK tubing can safely withstand the 20-30% nitric acid used for system passivation.

Methylene chloride, DMSO, and THF may cause swelling in PEEK. The highest temperature we recommend for PEEK is 100°C. Up to that temperature the tubing will maintain the stated pressure rating.

To view polymers' resistance to a chemical, click on the letter that the chemical begins with.

A | B | C | D | E | H | I | K | M | N | P | S | T | W | X

A=suitable
B=marginal; dependent on application
C=not recommended
–=no data available
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Acetaldehyde A – – – A – A –
Acetic acid (20%) A A A A A A A A
Acetic acid (80%) A A A A A – A A
Acetic acid (glacial) A A A A A A A A
Acetone A B A A A A A A
Acetonitrile A – – A A A A A
Acrylic acid A – – A A – A –
Ammonia, anhydrous A – – A A – A –
Ammonia (10%) A B A A A A A A
Ammonia (liquid) B – – A A – A –
Ammonium hydroxide A A A A A A A A
Aqua regia C – – C A – A –
Aromatic hydrocarbons A B C A A – A –
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Benzene A B C A A A A A
Benzoic acid A – – A A – A –
Benzaldehyde A – – A A – A –
Bromine/dibromoethane C – – C A – A –
Bromine (dry) C – – C A – A –
Bromine (wet) C – – C A – A –
Boric acid A – – A A – A –
Butanol A A A A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Calcium hydroxide A – – A A – A –
Carbon tetrachloride A – – A A – A –
Chlorine (gas) A – – C A – A –
Chlorine (liquid) C – – C A – A –
Chloroacetic acid A B B A A A A A
Chlorobenzene A – – A A – A –
Chloroform A B B A A A A A
Cyclohexane A B C A A A A A
Cyclohexanone A C C A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Diethylamine A C A – A A A A
Diethylether A – – A A – A –
Diethylformamide A A A A A A A A
Dioxane A – – A A A A –
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Ethanol A B A A A A A A
Ether A B C A A A A A
Ethyl acetate A B A A A A A A
Ethylene chloride – B B A A A A A
Ethlene glycol A A A A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Heptane A B B A A A A A
Hexane A B B A A A A A
Hydrobromic acid (20%) C B B A A – A A
Hydrobromic acid (20%) C B A – A A A A
Hydrochloric acid (100%) A – B C A A A A
Hydrochloric acid (20%) A A B C A A A A
Hydrofluoric acid (100%) C – B C A A A A
Hydrofluoric acid (20%) – A A A A A A A
Hydrogen peroxide (100%) A B B C A – A A
Hydrogen peroxide (50%) A B B – A A A A
Hydrogen peroxide (10%) A A A A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Iso-octane A – A A A – A A
Isopropanol A A A A A – A A
Isopropyl ether – A B – A – A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Ketones A B B A A – A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Methanol A A A A A A A A
Methyl dichloride – – C – A – A –
Methyl ethylketone A B B A A A A A
Methlyene chloride B B B A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Nitric acid (100%) C B C C A A A A
Nitric acid (20%) A B A C A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Pentane A C C – A – A A
Perchloric acid A B B – B – B A
Phenol (dilute) A – – A A – A –
Phenol (concentrated) C – – A A – A –
Phosphoric acid (100%) A B A A A A A A
Phosphoric acid (40%) A A A A A A A A
Potassium hydroxide (dilute) A – – A A – A –
Potassium hydroxide (70%) A – – A A – A –
Propanol A – – – A – A –
Pyridine A B A A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Sodium hydroxide (80%) A B A A A – A A
Sodium hydroxide (20%) A A A A A A A A
Sulfuric acid (100%) C B B A A A A A
Sulfuric acid (75%) C A A A A A A A
Sulfuric acid (40%) A A A A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Tetrahydrofuran B B B A A A A A
Toluene A B B A A A A A
Trichloroacetic acid A A A A A A A A
Trichloroethane A – B – A – A A
Trichloroethylene A – – A A – A –
Triethylamine – – C – A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Water A A A A A A A A
Water (distilled) A A A A A A A A
Resistance at 20°C PEEK PE PP PPS FEP EFTE PFA PTFE
Xylene A – – A A – A –
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