Dichloromethane Solvent Compatibility Matrix / Application Map

Rating Legend

‑A Excellent: Suitable for long‑term continuous exposure

‑B Good: Minor swell; prefer static service, not for dynamic high‑speed sealing

‑C Fair: Short‑term / intermittent exposure only; continuous service not advised

‑D Poor: Severe swell / dissolution / cracking; do not use.

Baseline condition: ambient temperature 20‑25 °C. Elevated temperature significantly degrades chemical resistance. Real‑world immersion test is required for critical service.

Elastomers

Plastics

Metals

Chemical Incompatibility: Do not mix with alkali metals (Na, K, Li), powdered Al, concentrated nitric acid, azide salts, t‑BuOK; risk of violent reaction / explosion.

Dichloromethane Application Map

Recommended Use‑Cases

Organic synthesis reaction medium

Liquid‑liquid extraction & aqueous work‑up washing

Column‑chromatography eluent

Natural‑product & API isolation / purification

Low‑boiling solvent for coating & adhesive formulations

Metal degreasing and precision‑part cleaning

Photoresist stripping

Soxhlet extraction; rotary evaporation for heat‑sensitive compounds

Operational Warnings

‑BP 40 °C; highly volatile. Work under closed‑system with strong ventilation. IARC Group 2A (possible human carcinogen); limit vapor inhalation exposure.

‑Storage: 316L vessel with PTFE lining. Avoid NBR/EPDM/silicone gaskets, PVC, PC containers.

‑Avoid hot surfaces; thermal decomposition yields HCl and phosgene gas.

Forbidden / Not‑Advised

‑Equipment constructed from aluminum / magnesium alloys

‑Seals of NBR, EPDM, silicone, polyurethane

‑Long‑term storage inside PP, PE, PC or PVC containers

‑Co‑existence with alkali‑metals, concentrated nitric acid, azide‑based salts