These sorts of chemical resistance (glycerol in thermoset resins) inquiries look simple, but they are rather complex due to their reliance on solubility thermodynamics, diffusion processes and fracture mechanics.

The above list gives a rough indication of the applicability. The volume uptake of Glycerol should not exceed the 4.5 vol% to 6.5 vol% depending on the resin and specific glass reinforcement considered. At that volume uptake the material and the glass fibre - matrix restraint becomes critical and fracture will occur. The background of this list could be the same.

For practical reasons, chemical resistance guides have the set-up and appearance as shown above. From our viewpoint these chemical resistance selectors can surely be of indicative support to inexperienced users, but it lacks critical information chemical-physical parametric information on what actually happens.

Therefore, the effect of temperature and pressure variations, the influence of type of reinforcements (glass veil, chopped strand mat, woven roving, glass fibre, carbon fibre, aramide fiber), the influence of shape (thick wall of thin walled cylinder) are hard to assess. We opt for a more fundamental approach to chemical resistance, including surface corrosion, solubility, swelling, plasticizing, diffusion effects and forthcoming mechanical retention analysis. This all has been implemented in our CheFEM (Chemical driven FEM Simulation) program. Which can analyse cured as well as uncured resins.

Note that CheFEM chemical resistance routines can handle the following thermoset polymers: Polyesters, Vinyl Esters, Epoxy Esters, Furans, Phenolics, Phenol-Formaldehyde, Siliconces, Polyurethanes, Melamines, Alkyds, Ureas, Allyls, Polybutadienes, Polyimides and Cyanate Esters.

The corrosion selector simulation / guide handles the following thermoplastic polymers:
Polyvinylidine Fluoride (PVDF), Polyetherether Ketone (PEEK), Polyamide (PA), ETFE (Ethylenetetrafluorethylene), Polyphenylene Oxide (PPO), Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) and many others.

Some chemicals for corrosion evaluation are Glycerol, Carbonic Acid, Sulphuric Acid, Nitric Acid, Chlorine and Bromine gas, Hydrofluoric Acid, Water, Distilled Water, Salt Water, Diesel Fuel, Jet Fuel, Indolene, Aviation Oil, Gasoline, Toluene, Benzene, Xylene, Bisphenol, Methanol, etc.