Plastic Materials Selection

Learn more about plastic materials and the Nalgene products we produce from them by clicking on these links.

Most of our resins are Drug Master File (DMF) registered and meet a number of regulatory specifications including USP Class VI, EP monographs and non-cytotoxicity (indicating compatibility with biological materials), 40 CFR Pt 177 and EU food contact directives, CONEG, RoHS, CA Prop 65, SARA Title III Sec 313, 21, and others. Most Nalgene plastic resins are free from animal derived compounds (ADCs), Bisphenol-A (BPA)³, phthalates², and contact with latex.

Resin-specific regulatory data is available for use in critical applications under customer confidentiality by contacting Nalgene Regulatory Support.

1. Some PMP labware is not food grade. Please contact Nalgene Regulatory Support for inquiries about specific product claims.
2. Except PVC tubing. Nalgene PVC tubing contains DEHP, a phthalate plasticizer.
3. PC and PSF products contain BPA.

Plastics are a family of high molecular weight synthetic materials made up of organic polymers and additives that stabilize the material.  

            Polymerize different monomers and get different polymers

Monomer	Isopropylene	Styrene	Methylpentene	Fluorinated ethyl propylene
Polymer	Polypropylene	Polystyrene	Polymethylpentene	Teflon FEP

Polymer properties vary with

• Chain length
• Chemically reactive sites in the molecular chain
• Chain branching
• Chain folding into 3-D structures

• 3-D polymer structure

Crystalline		Amorphous
	Chain is highly ordered Translucent/opaque More chemical resistance Less dimensional stability LDPE, HDPE, PP		Chain is random Transparent/clear Less chemical resistance More dimensional stability PS, PC, PETG

Necessary additives usually include heat stabilizers which allow the plastic material to be melted and molded into useful products without polymer degradation, and anti-oxidants which give the product shelf life by slowing polymer breakdown and the onset of signs of aging like discoloration, embrittlement, and cracking. The key to success in the laboratory is using as little of these additives as possible (and no unnecessary additives) to create usable products with the lowest possible potential for extractables.  Also, under certain conditions, additives have the potential to leach out of the plastic.  It is imperative that unnecessary additives like slip agents, fillers, and plasticizers not be present in plastics destined for laboratory use.

Therefore, extractables and leachables (E&Ls) play an important role when picking the right product. Organizations like the USP have released guidelines for measuring E&Ls to lower interference risk. More information about USP chapters <661.1> and <665> can be found in this technical note.

Material qualification is key to Nalgene quality and consistency. When making Nalgene labware and bottles, we choose our plastic resins very carefully, making sure they are of the highest quality for our laboratory customers. We qualify and specify the exact resins we’ll use for each product, and we don’t change those materials if we can help it. Where our competitors might buy the cheapest commodity resins on the market from one day to the next, we don’t do that. We stick with our high-quality tested and qualified resins for every lot of product we produce. In the event we have to make a change (for example, if the resin supplier makes a formulation change), we perform extensive material validation testing and notify customers who register in our customer notification database of the change.

Different kinds of plastic have different chemical and physical properties. And they can do different jobs in the laboratory. Some plastics like the polyethylenes (LDPE and HDPE), polypropylene (PP and PPCO), polymethylpentene (PMP), and the Teflons (PFA and FEP), are very compatible with a wide variety of laboratory chemicals and have many applications in the lab as bottles, beakers, graduated cylinders, pans, funnels, etc. Other plastics like polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate G copolymer (PETG), and polystyrene (PS), offer glass-like clarity for easy viewing of labware contents and are used for making things like media bottles, desiccators, cryoboxes, and filterware, for example. Some plastics are autoclavable while others will melt. Some maintain their protective elastic properties at temperatures below freezing (–20°C, –80°C and even –250°C) while others become brittle at those temperatures and must be handled with more care.

You don’t have to be a polymer science expert to use plastic labware successfully in your lab and get the most value from your purchases. We provide resources to make it easy.

• Our online Nalgene Bottle and Carboy Selection Guide is interactive and application driven. 
• Request a copy of the Nalgene Chemical Resistance Wall Chart for chemical compatibility ratings between each kind of plastic and over 250 specific chemicals. 
• Visit the Nalgene Learning Center for more information about Nalgene labware selection, use, care and sustainability.
• Want to talk to a real live person about your application needs? Call or email Nalgene Technical Support.