When selecting chips for microfluidic applications, ensuring chemical resistance is crucial for maintaining system integrity and performance. PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate) is a popular choice due to its optically clear nature, lightweight properties, and shatter-resistant characteristics. It is commonly used in medical, pharmaceutical, and food processing applications because of its excellent resistance to water, alcohols, and a variety of chemicals.
However, like all materials, PMMA has its limitations, and not every chemical is compatible with it. Therefore, understanding resistance is essential for preventing chip degradation and ensuring safety. In this guide, we present a comprehensive table of chemical resistance for PMMA chips. This table, based on the chemical resistance data (at 20°C) provided by Reichelt Chemietechnik, is designed to help engineers, technicians, and researchers quickly determine whether PMMA chips are suitable for their specific applications, ensuring reliable and long-lasting performance in various chemical environments.
Refer to this table to make informed choices and maintain the efficiency and safety of your system.
💡 The chemical resistance rating key is as follows:
- resistant = no effect to slight effect
- limited resistance = moderate effect
🚨 The resistance ratings provided in these tables are for general guidance only and may not be complete or accurate. They do not address potential contamination or changes in fluid properties due to tubing interaction. We do not guarantee the suitability of any material for specific purposes or the impact of tubing on fluid quality. For critical applications, conduct specific tests or seek expert advice.
PMMA Chips: Chemical Resistance Table
| Substance/Media | Chemical Resistance |
|---|---|
| A | |
| Acetyl cellulose (cellulose acetate) | resistant |
| Adipic acid | resistant |
| Aluminum chloride | resistant |
| Aluminum hydroxide | limited resistance |
| Aluminum nitrate | resistant |
| Aluminum sulfate | resistant |
| Amino acids | resistant |
| Ammonia solution | resistant |
| Ammonia, aqueous (ammonia solution) | resistant |
| Ammonium carbonate (sal volatile) | resistant |
| Ammonium chloride (salmiac) | limited resistance |
| Ammonium fluoride (Fluorammon) | limited resistance |
| Ammonium hydroxide, 30% | resistant |
| Ammonium hydroxide, aqueous | resistant |
| Ammonium nitrate (fertilizer) | resistant |
| Ammonium phosphate (fertilizer) | resistant |
| Ammonium salts of mineral acids | resistant |
| Ammonium sulfate (fertilizer) | resistant |
| Antichlor (sodium thiosulfate, fixing salt) | resistant |
| Argon gas | resistant |
| B | |
| Barium chloride | resistant |
| Barium salts of mineral acids | resistant |
| Beer | resistant |
| Blue vitriol (copper sulfate) | resistant |
| Borax (sodium tetraborate) | resistant |
| Boric acid | resistant |
| Boric acid, 10% | resistant |
| Butanol-1 (butyl alcohol) | limited resistance |
| C | |
| Calcium carbonate (chalk) | resistant |
| Calcium chloride | resistant |
| Calcium chloride, aqueous | resistant |
| Calcium hydroxide (milk of lime) | resistant |
| Calcium hypochlorite | limited resistance |
| Calcium hypochlorite, aqueous | resistant |
| Calcium sulfate (gypsum) | resistant |
| Caliche solution (Chile saltpeter) | resistant |
| Carbon tetrachloride (tetrachloromethane) | limited resistance |
| Carbon tetrachloride (tetrachloromethane, tetra) | limited resistance |
| Carbonic acid | resistant |
| Caustic potash (potassium hydroxide, potash lye) | resistant |
| Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) | resistant |
| Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, soda lye) | resistant |
| Cellulose acetate (acetyl cellulose) | resistant |
| Chalk (calcium carbonate) | resistant |
| Chloroacetic acid (ethyl chloroacetate) | limited resistance |
| Chloroacetic acid ethyl ester (ethyl chloroacetate) | limited resistance |
| Chromic acid, 10% | limited resistance |
| Chromic acid, 50% | limited resistance |
| Chromium anhydride (chromium trioxide) | limited resistance |
| Chromium trioxide (chromium anhydride) | limited resistance |
| Citric acid | limited resistance |
| Citric acid, aqueous | limited resistance |
| Citrus fruits, citrus juices | resistant |
| Common salt (sodium chloride) | resistant |
| Cooking fats, cooking oils | resistant |
| Copper sulfate (blue vitriol) | resistant |
| Crude oil | resistant |
| Cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons | resistant |
| Cyclohexanol (hexalin, anol) | resistant |
| D | |
| Decahydronaphthalene (decane) | limited resistance |
| Decalin (decahydronaphthalene, decane) | limited resistance |
| Dextrin, aqueous | resistant |
| Dibutyl sebacate | limited resistance |
| Diesel fuel | resistant |
| Diesel oil | limited resistance |
| Dihydroxysuccinic acid (tartaric acid) | limited resistance |
| E | |
| Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) | resistant |
| Ethanedioic acid (oxalic acid), aqueous | resistant |
| Ethyl chloroacetate (chloroacetic acid ethyl ester) | limited resistance |
| Ethylene glycol (glycol, 1,2-ethanediol) | resistant |
| Ethylene oxide | resistant |
| F | |
| Fats, cooking oils | resistant |
| Fatty acids | resistant |
| Ferric chloride (iron(III) chloride) | limited resistance |
| Ferrous chloride (iron(II) chloride) | resistant |
| Fixing salt (antichlor, sodium thiosulfate) | resistant |
| Fluorammon (ammonium fluoride) | limited resistance |
| Formaldehyde (formalin, methanal) | resistant |
| Formamide | resistant |
| Formic acid | resistant |
| Freon (Frigen) 12 | resistant |
| Fruit juices | resistant |
| Fuel oil, mineral oil-based | limited resistance |
| G | |
| Gasoline | resistant |
| Gasoline, premium | resistant |
| Gasoline, unleaded | resistant |
| Glucose (grape sugar) | resistant |
| Glycerine (glycerol) | resistant |
| Glycol (ethylene glycol) | resistant |
| Grape sugar (glucose) | resistant |
| Gypsum (calcium sulfate) | resistant |
| H | |
| Heptane | limited resistance |
| Hexalin (cyclohexanol) | resistant |
| Hexane | limited resistance |
| Hexanoic acid | resistant |
| Hexanol (hexyl alcohol) | resistant |
| Hexyl alcohol (hexanol) | resistant |
| Hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), 10% | limited resistance |
| Hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), 20% | limited resistance |
| Hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), 37% | limited resistance |
| Hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), concentrated | limited resistance |
| Hydrochloric acid (spirits of salt) | limited resistance |
| Hydrofluorosilicic acid (silicic acid) | resistant |
| Hydrogen peroxide, diluted | resistant |
| Hydrogen sulfide | resistant |
| Hydrogen, gaseous | resistant |
| I | |
| Iron sulfate (iron vitriol), aqueous | resistant |
| Iron(II) chloride, aqueous (ferrous chloride) | resistant |
| Iron(III) chloride (ferric chloride) | limited resistance |
| Isobutanol (isobutyl alcohol) | limited resistance |
| Isobutyl alcohol (isobutanol) | limited resistance |
| Isopropanol (2-propanol) | limited resistance |
| Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol, persprit) | limited resistance |
| J | |
| Javel water (sodium hypochlorite, bleaching solution) | resistant |
| K | |
| Kerosene | resistant |
| L | |
| Lactic acid | limited resistance |
| Lactic acid, concentrated | limited resistance |
| Lanolin (wool grease) | resistant |
| M | |
| Magnesium carbonate | resistant |
| Magnesium chloride, aqueous | resistant |
| Magnesium nitrate | resistant |
| Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) | resistant |
| Malt | resistant |
| Manganese sulfate, aqueous, 10% | resistant |
| Mercury | resistant |
| Mercury (II) chloride | resistant |
| Mercury chloride | resistant |
| Methanal (formaldehyde) | resistant |
| Methane (mine gas, natural gas) | resistant |
| Methylamine (monomethylamine) | resistant |
| Milk | resistant |
| Milk of lime (calcium hydroxide) | resistant |
| Mine gas (methane, natural gas) | resistant |
| Mineral oils | resistant |
| Monochloroacetic acid | limited resistance |
| Mortar, cement, lime | resistant |
| N | |
| n-amyl acetate | resistant |
| Naphtha | resistant |
| Natural gas (mine gas, methane) | resistant |
| Nickel sulfate | resistant |
| Nitric acid, 10% | resistant |
| Nitric acid, 30% | limited resistance |
| Nitric acid, 70% | limited resistance |
| Nitrogen | resistant |
| O | |
| Octane | limited resistance |
| Oleic acid | resistant |
| Oleum (fuming sulfuric acid) | limited resistance |
| Oxalic acid (ethanedioic acid) | resistant |
| Oxalic acid (ethanedioic acid), aqueous | resistant |
| Oxygen | resistant |
| Ozone | resistant |
| P | |
| Paraffin (alkane) | resistant |
| Perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene) | limited resistance |
| Petroleum | resistant |
| Petroleum ether | resistant |
| Phosphoric acid, 10% | resistant |
| Polyester resins | resistant |
| Potassium bichromate | limited resistance |
| Potassium carbonate | resistant |
| Potassium carbonate (potash) | resistant |
| Potassium chlorate | resistant |
| Potassium chloride (sylvine) | resistant |
| Potassium cyanide | resistant |
| Potassium dichromate | limited resistance |
| Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash, potash lye) | resistant |
| Potassium hypochlorite | resistant |
| Potassium nitrate (saltpeter) | resistant |
| Potassium permanganate | resistant |
| Potassium permanganate, aqueous | resistant |
| Propanol (propyl alcohol) | limited resistance |
| Propyl alcohol (propanol) | limited resistance |
| S | |
| Sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride) | limited resistance |
| Sal volatile (ammonium carbonate) | resistant |
| Salt water (sea water) | resistant |
| Saltpeter (potassium nitrate) | resistant |
| Sea water (salt water) | resistant |
| Silicic acid (hydrofluorosilicic acid) | resistant |
| Silicone grease | resistant |
| Silicone oil | resistant |
| Silver acetate | limited resistance |
| Silver nitrate (lunar caustic) | resistant |
| Soda (sodium carbonate), aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium acetate | resistant |
| Sodium bicarbonate, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium bisulfate, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium bisulfite, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium borate, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium bromide | resistant |
| Sodium carbonate (soda), aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium chlorate, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium chloride (common salt) | resistant |
| Sodium cyanide | resistant |
| Sodium dichromate | resistant |
| Sodium fluoride | resistant |
| Sodium formate, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda, soda lye) | resistant |
| Sodium hypochlorite (bleaching solution, Javel water) | resistant |
| Sodium hypochlorite (bleaching solution, Javel water), 12.5% | resistant |
| Sodium hypochlorite (bleaching solution, Javel water), 15% | resistant |
| Sodium hypochlorite (bleaching solution, Javel water), diluted | resistant |
| Sodium hypochlorite (bleaching solution, Javel water), saturated | resistant |
| Sodium iodide | resistant |
| Sodium nitrate (Chile saltpeter) | resistant |
| Sodium nitrite, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium phosphate, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium silicate, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium sulfate (Glauber's salt), aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium sulfide | resistant |
| Sodium sulfide, aqueous | resistant |
| Sodium sulfite | resistant |
| Sodium tetraborate (borax) | resistant |
| Sodium thiosulfate (antichlor, fixing salt) | resistant |
| Stearic acid (zinc salt) | resistant |
| Sulfur | resistant |
| Sulfur dioxide | resistant |
| Sulfuric acid, 10% | resistant |
| Sulfuric acid, 60% | limited resistance |
| Sulfuric acid, fuming (20/25% oleum) | limited resistance |
| T | |
| Tartaric acid (dihydroxysuccinic acid) | limited resistance |
| Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) | limited resistance |
| Tetrachloromethane (carbon tetrachloride) | limited resistance |
| Tin (II) chloride | resistant |
| Triethylamine (TEA) | resistant |
| Triethylene glycol | limited resistance |
| Tripropylene glycol (TPG) | limited resistance |
| Turpentine | resistant |
| U | |
| Urea | resistant |
| Urea, aqueous | resistant |
| V | |
| Vinegar | resistant |
| W | |
| Water, with carbon dioxide | resistant |
| Water/Spring water, cold | resistant |
| Wool grease (lanolin) | resistant |
| Z | |
| Zinc salt (stearic acid) | resistant |
| Zinc sulfate | limited resistance |
| Zinc sulfate, aqueous | resistant |
