In the course of its everyday work, Rapra receives many enquiries from member companies on specific problems related to chemical resistance. In dealing with these enquiries use is made of published charts and tables which indicate, in general terms, which plastics or rubbers, are likely to resist a given fluid.

The previous Chemical Resistance Data Sheets published only quantitative assessments of chemical resistance. Whilst it is true that quantitative assessments themselves can, on occasion, be misleading, it was felt that, in the absence of first-hand experience, this was the best type of information available at the time.

This view has now been somewhat modified, and the latest editions of the Chemical Resistance Data Sheets also include tables of qualitative information on a greater number of chemicals, with qualitative assessments of the effect of temperature, for some of these chemicals.

Over 190 chemicals are assessed for 19 rubber materials