Chemical Compatibility of Materials Used in Millipore® Filtration Products
To ensure you always have the most accurate information for using Millipore® products, we have compiled several published solubility and compatibility tables to provide a comprehensive compatibility guide for Millipore® membranes, filtration devices, ultrafiltration products, centrifugal filters, and MultiScreen® filter plates. All information presented below is based entirely upon published polymer and metal compatibility tables, not from usage experiments conducted by our scientists.
While our complete compatibility table features recommendations for over 85 solvents, solutions, and gases, we have highlighted the most common materials used with our filtration products in the corresponding sections below.
Materials used to fabricate Millipore® membranes and filtration devices
Millipore® ultrafiltration products and centrifugal filters
MultiScreen®HTS and MultiScreen® Classic filter plates
MultiScreen®HTS Vacuum Manifolds
Can't find the solvent, solution, or gas you are looking for? Download our complete chemical compatibility guide to see our complete recommendations for Millipore® filtration products.
Housing Materials |
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Filter Materials |
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O-Ring Materials |
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Filter Holder Materials |
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HDPE = High-density polyethylene; PP= Polypropylene; PS = Polystyrene; PVC = Polyvinyl chloride; MMA = Modified acrylic copolymer; ABS = Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer; SAN = Styrene-acrylonitrile polymer; PC = Polycarbonate; PET = Polyethylene terephthalate; PTFE = Polytetrafluoroethylene; PVDF = Polyvinylidene fluoride; MCE = Mixed cellulose esters; PES = Polyether sulfone; EPR = Ethylene-propylene rubber; Fluoroelastomer = Vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer; 316SS = Stainless steel
*Aqueous solution
†See compatibility recommendation criteria, general considerations, and references below for additional information
Compatibility recommendation criteria
Materials used in Millipore® membranes and filtration devices, and Millipore® ultrafiltration products and centrifugal filters
- R = Recommended. Chosen for polymer-solvent combinations showing top ratings in published compatibility tables
- GR = Generally Recommended. Where no polymer-solvent specific information was available, general compatibility with a solvent type was stated; e.g., PES is compatible with alcohols
- LTD = Limited Recommendation. Chosen for those polymer-solvent combinations that showed both top and less-than-top ratings in published compatibility tables where exposure times of less than 24 hours at room temperature are recommended. Component materials may stress crack or swell, ultimately affecting filtration efficiency.
- NR = Not Recommended. Chosen for those polymer-solvent combinations that showed less-than-top ratings in the published compatibility tables
- GNR = Generally not recommended. Chosen when we do not recommend the combination. Users may test prior to use to confirm, if needed
- TST=Testing recommended. Chosen for combinations in which the polymer and solvent/solution may be compatible, depending on the conditions in which the filter or filtration device is used. We recommend that the user test for compatibility prior to use
- ND = No data presently available. No data is currently available in the literature regarding polymer-solvent compatibility. Customers should use caution with these polymer-solvent combinations and test prior to use.
Materials used in MultiScreen® Filter Plates
- R= Recommended. Chosen when there are no known restrictions
- NR= Not Recommended. Chosen when the membrane or plate is severely attacked by the chemical or solution.
- L = Limited Recommendation. Chosen when the chemical resistance is marginal. Short-time exposures should be tested individually for each application
Materials used in MultiScreen®HTS Vacuum Manifolds
- E = Excellent Performance. Chosen when there are no known restrictions with polymer-solvent or metal-solvent interactions.
- G = Good Performance. Chosen when no specific information was available, but general recommendations could be made based on properties of the component composition.
- R = Rinse after contact. Chosen when the component is compatible during short-term use with a given solvent or solution, but severe damage (to the component) will occur if the chemical remains on the surface over extended periods of time.
- NR = Not Recommended. Chosen when the component is severely attacked by the chemical or solution.
General considerations when determining Millipore® product compatibility
As mentioned previously, all information presented is based upon polymer- or metal-solvent compatibility tables, not from any usage experiments. Please also consider the following when using our compiled compatibility charts.
- These recommendations assume pure solutions at room temperature and pressure without applied stresses. Time of exposure is not considered. These are critical assumptions as polymer properties are strongly affected by environmental conditions, time, the presence of external stress and the presence of additives. It is not safe to assume that property changes are linearly related to changing temperature. A 10 °C increase in temperature, for example, may place the test conditions closer to the glass transition of the polymer, thus allowing greater penetration of solvent molecules. This has a plasticizing effect, further lowering the glass transition and resulting in a modulus drop of up to three orders of magnitude. The glass transition of nylons, for example, has been shown to range from below -50 °C to +70 °C depending upon their moisture content.
- These recommendations assume that each polymer category has a uniform chemistry, molecular weight distribution and thermomechanical history. This assumption will never be true, and, in some cases, variation has a distinct influence on compatibility. For example, solvent compatibility of cellulose esters is strongly dependent upon their degree of substitution (acetylation/nitration). Crystalline morphology and degree of crystallinity influences compatibility of semi-crystalline polymers and can vary significantly. Polyethyleneterephthalate, for example, can be quenched to obtained samples with almost no crystallinity or annealed to obtain samples with >50% crystallinity. The response time of these two polyesters, although chemically identical, will be quite different. The effect of molecular weight distribution and degree of branching on solvent compatibility can be seen by comparing the solvent compatibility of LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE and UPE. Such specific information concerning polymers evaluated does not accompany published compatibility tables.
- The definition of solvent compatibility for Millipore products differs from that used in determining the ratings given in published compatibility tables. Such tables are generally concerned with chemical attack and significant losses in strength and/or dimensional changes. A top designation, for example, might be designated for solvent-polymer combinations with <10% swelling, which is high. Other compatibility tables may make recommendations based upon dimensional change as a function of time. This is difficult to relate to a membrane that may respond almost immediately to immersion in solvent. In addition, solvent-membrane compatibility requires additional consideration of filtration-specific factors. None of these published compatibility guides, for example, monitors the solvent’s ability to wet a membrane or increase extractables.
- This table does not consider solvent safety issues.
References used to develop Millipore® Filter Component Compatibility Charts
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