Corrosivity to Non-Metals:
Sodium hydroxide solutions attack plastics, such as polyamide-imide (Torlon) (10-100% solutions),
polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate (20-100%), thermoset polyester isophthalic
acid (10-100%), polyvinylidene fluoride (Kynar; PVDF) (70-100% solutions), polyurethane (riged)
(80-100%), and polyvinylidene chloride (Saran) (100%); elastomers, such as polysulfide and
butadiene-styrene (SBR) (10-100%) and soft rubber (30-100%) (52,55); and coatings, such as polyester
and vinyls (10-100%), coal tar epoxy, general purpose epoxy, epoxy polyamide and phenolic (70-100%).
Sodium hydroxide solutions (10-100%) do not attack plastics, such as Teflon and other fluorocarbons,
such as ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (Tefzel), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (Halar),
chlorotrifluoroethylene (Kel-F), polyvinylidene chloride (up to 70%), polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
polypropylene, nylon, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN), polyetherether
ketone (Peek), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMPE),
crosslinked polyethylene (XPE), polystyrene and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) (52,54); elastomers, such
as ethylene propylene (EP,EPDM), nitrile rubber (nitrile Buna N), neoprene, Viton A and other
fluorocarbons, Chemraz, Kalrez, Teflon and Fluoraz, chloroprene, butyl rubber (isobutylene isoprene;
IIR), natural rubber, synthetic isoprene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM), silicone rubbers, flexible
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene vinyl acetate; and coatings, such as chemical resistant epoxy, coal tar
epoxy, general purpose epoxy, epoxy polyamide, phenolic and urethanes (10-50% but see above for
higher concentrations).