Material Compatibility Charts

Determining the compatibilty for a filter membrane in conjunction with various chemicals can be the difference between successful processes and potentially hazardous reactions. Important factors like: temperature, pressure, concentration, and duration of contact can dramatically affect the performance of filter materials. If you are unsure about the efficacy of a solution and a given material, it is suggested to conduct a small-scale test prior to any extended test processes.

Chart Legend

Please reference the following guide when interpreting the charts below.

Chemical Family: In each chart below, the chemicals are grouped by family (Acids, Bases, Alcohols, Esters, etc.). Within each chemical family specific chemicals are listed as one of many possible chemical names. Cross-reference the name listed with the chemcial formula, or potential synonyms for the chemical in question.

Chemical Formula: The symbolic represention of the composition of a chemical compound using initials for elements and subscript for the number of atoms of that element that are present.

1mM/ 10mM/ 100mM Millimolar (mM) is a unit of concentration used below to represent the pH value of the associated chemical at specific levels of concentration.

Molecular Weight (g/mol) Molecular Weight is also known as molar mass. The total mass of one mole of a substance is expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). This is particularly useful to know when considering different filtration media. Some filtration media uses Molecular Weight Cut-Off (MWCO), especially in microfiltration processes, to describe the size exclusion characteristics of a membrane.

Material Type Abbreviations PTFE: Polytetrafluoroethylene, PVDF: Polyvinylidene Difluoride, PES: Polyethersulfone, CA: Celluose Acetate, RC: Regenerated Cellulose, PP: Polypropylene, GF: Glass Fiber

Compatibility Ratings

✔: Compatible

X: NOT-Compatible

LC: Limited Compatibility

ACIDS Chemical
Formula 1mM / 10mM / 100mM NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Acetic C₂H₂O₂ 3.91 / 3.39 / 2.88 LC ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ ✔

Hydrochloric HCI 3.01 / 2.04 / 1.04 LC ✔ ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔

Sulfuric H₂HO₄ 2.75 / 1.87 / 1.01 LC ✔ X X X X ✔ ✔

Nitric HNO₃ 3.01 / 2.04 / 1.08 LC ✔ ✔ X X X ✔ LC

Phosphoric H₃PO₄ 3.06 / 2.26 / 1.63 LC ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ ✔

Formic CH₂O₂ 3.47 / 2.91 / 2.38 LC ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Tricholoroacetic C₂HCI₃O₂ 2.0 / 1.2 / 1.2 LC ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

BASES Chemical
Formula 1mM/ 10mM/ 100mM NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Ammonium Hydroxide NH₄OH 10.09/ 10.61/ 11.12 ✔ ✔ LC ✔ ✔ LC ✔ ✔

Sodium Hydroxide NaOH 10.98/ 11.95/ 12.88 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ X X ✔ X

ALCOHOLS Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Amyl Alcohol C₄H₁₀O 74.12 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Benzyl Alcohol C₇H₈O 108.14 ✔ ✔ ✔ X LC ✔ ✔ X

Butyl Alcohol C₇H₇ 91.13 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Ethanol C₂H₆O 46.07 LC ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Ethylene Glycol C₂H₆O₂ 62.07 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Glycerine C₃H₈O₃ 92.09 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Isopropanol C₃H₈O 60.1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Methanol CH₄O 32.042 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

n-Propanol C₃H₈O 60.1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Propylene Glycol C₃H₈O₂ 76.09 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ ✔

Esters Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Ethyl Acetate C₄H₈O₂ 88.11 ✔ ✔ ✔ X X ✔ LC ✔

Methyl Acetate C₃H₆O₀ 88.11 ✔ ✔ ✔ X X ✔ LC ✔

Amyl Propyl C₉H₁₈O 142.24 ✔ ✔ X X LC ✔ LC ✔

Butyle Acetate C₆H₁₂O₂ 116.16 ✔ ✔ X X LC ✔ LC ✔

Propyl Acetate C₅H₁₀O₂ 102.13 ✔ ✔ X X LC ✔ LC ✔

Propylene Glycol Acetate C₅H₁₀O₄ 134.13 ✔ ✔ LC X X ✔ ✔ ✔

2-Ethoxyethyl Acetate C₆H₁₂3 132.16 LC ✔ ✔ X LC ✔ LC ✔

Methyl Cellosolve Acetate C₅H₁₀O₃ 118.13 LC ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔ ✔

Benzyl Benzoate C₁₄H₁₂O₂ 212.24 ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔ X ✔

Isopropyl Myristate C₁₇H₃₄O₂ 270.5 ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔ LC ✔

Tricresyl Phosphate C₂₁H₂₁O₄P 368.4 X ✔ X X ✔ ✔ X ✔

Organic Oxides Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Ethyl Ether C₄H₁₀O 74.12 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ LC LC

Dioxane/Tetrahydrofuran C₈H₁₆O₃ 160.21 ✔ ✔ LC X X ✔ ✔ ✔

Triethanolamine C₆H₁₅NO₃ 149.19 ✔ ✔ LC X ✔ ✔ X ✔

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) C₂H₆OS 78.14 ✔ ✔ X X X ✔ ✔ ✔

Isopropyl Ether C₆H₁₄O 102.17 LC ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Amines and Amides Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Dimethyl Formamide C₃H₇O 74.12 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ LC LC

Diethylacetamide C₆H₁₃NO 115.17 ✔ ✔ X X X ✔ ✔ ✔

Triethanolamine C₆H₁₅NO₃ 149.19 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Aniline C₈H₁₁N 121.18 LC ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔ ✔

Pyridine C₅H₅N 79.1 ✔ ✔ X X X ✔ X ✔

Aniline C₂H₃N 41.05 ✔ ✔ ✔ LC X ✔ ✔ ✔

Halogenated Hydrocarbons Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Methylene Chloride CH₂CI₂ 84.93 LC ✔ ✔ X X ✔ LC ✔

Chloroform CHCI₃ 119.37 ✔ ✔ ✔ X X ✔ LC ✔

Trichloroethylene C₂HCI₃ 131.38 ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Monochlorobenzene, Freon C₆H₅CI 112.55 ✔ ✔ ✔ LC ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Carbon Tetrachloride CCI₄ 153.8 ✔ ✔ ✔ X LC ✔ LC ✔

Hydrocarbons Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Hexane C₆H₁₄ 86.18 ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ X ✔

Xylene C₈H₁₀ 106.16 ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ X ✔

Benzene C₆H₆ 78.11 ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ X ✔

Toulene CH₃ 92.14 ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔ ✔ X ✔

Kerosene C₁₂H₂₆ - C₁₅H₃₂ 184.41 ✔ ✔ ✔ LC ✔ ✔ LC ✔

Gasoline C₄H₁₀ - C₁₂H₂₆ 114.26 ✔ ✔ ✔ LC ✔ ✔ LC ✔

Tetralin C₁₀H₁₂ 132.20 ✔ ✔ ✔ LC ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Decalin C₁₀H₁₈ 138.25 ✔ ✔ ✔ LC ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Ketones Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Acetone C₃H₆O 58.08 ✔ ✔ X X X ✔ ✔ ✔

Cyclohexanone C₆H₁₀O 98.14 ✔ ✔ X X X ✔ ✔ ✔

Methyl Ethyl Ketone C₄H₈O 72.11 ✔ ✔ LC X LC ✔ ✔ ✔

Icepropylacetone (MIBK) C₆H₁₂O 100.16 ✔ ✔ X X ✔ ✔ LC ✔

Common Chemicals Chemical
Formula Molecular
Weight (g/mol) NYLON PTFE PVDF PES CA RC PP GF

Silicone Oil [-Si(CH₃)₂-O-]_n 74.15 ✔ ✔ LC LC LC LC ✔ ✔

Mineral Oil CH₂O OR H₂CO 30.026 ✔ ✔ ✔ LC LC LC ✔ ✔

Formaldehyde C₄H₈O 72.11 X ✔ ✔ LC LC X ✔ ✔

Hydrogen Peroxide H₂O₂ 34.015 X ✔ ✔ LC X X ✔ ✔