Nalgene laboratory bottles are in a class of their own. They're iconic in labs the world over for their guaranteed leakproof* performance and rugged construction. What makes Nalgene so great? Thermo Scientific Nalgene bottles and their caps are carefully engineered to work perfectly together, providing dependable leakproof* performance, every time, guaranteed.
Looking for ways to make your lab more sustainable? Nalgene high-density polyethylene bottles are reusable, durable and readily recyclable at end-of-life; discover more about Nalgene bottle sustainability and green manufacturing practices through our participation in My Green Lab's ACT Label program.
Shop for Nalgene bottles
Select your bottle by plastic material
| Nalgene Polypropylene | Nalgene High Density Polyethylene | Nalgene Low Density Polyethylene | Nalgene Polycarbonate | Nalgene Polyethylene terephthalate (Copolymer G) | Nalgene Fluoropolymer |
| Good chemical compatibility, translucent, autoclavable | Good chemical compatibility, translucent, low cost | Good chemical compatibility, translucent, low cost, flexible | Window clear, impact resistant, freezer to autoclave | Window clear, pre-sterilized | Amazing chemical resistance and inertness |
| PPCO | HDPE | LDPE | PC | PETG | FEP/PFA |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Nalgene Polypropylene | Nalgene High Density Polyethylene | Nalgene Low Density Polyethylene | Nalgene Polycarbonate | Nalgene Polyethylene terephthalate (Copolymer G) | Nalgene Fluoropolymer |
| Good chemical compatibility, translucent, autoclavable | Good chemical compatibility, translucent, low cost | Good chemical compatibility, translucent, low cost, flexible | Window clear, impact resistant, freezer to autoclave | Window clear, pre-sterilized | Amazing chemical resistance and inertness |
| PPCO | HDPE | LDPE | PC | PETG | FEP/PFA |
| | | | | |
| 4mL - 8L | 4mL - 4L | 8mL - 8L | 15mL - 2L | 30mL - 2L | 30mL - 2.2L |
| milky-white translucent | milky-white translucent | milky-white translucent | window clear | window clear | hazy white translucent |
| semi-rigid | moderate flexibility | very flexible | rigid | moderate flexibility | very flexible |
| autoclavable | not autoclavable | not autoclavable | autoclavable | not autoclavable | autoclavable |
| max use 121oC | max use 120oC | max use 70oC | max use 135oC | max use 70oC | 205oC FEP 260oC PFA |
| brittle1 below -40oC | brittle1 below -100oC | brittle1 below -76oC | brittle1 below -135oC | brittle1 below -40oC | brittle1 below -270oC |
| complies with Part 21 CFR 177.1520 for food use | complies with Part 21 CFR 177.1520 for food use2 | complies with Part 21 CFR 177.1520 for food use2 | complies with Part 21 CFR 177.1580 for food use | complies with Part 21 CFR 177.1315 for food use3 | FEP complies with Part 21 CFR 177.1550 for food use4 |
| BPA-Free | BPA-Free | BPA-Free | Contains BPA | BPA-Free | BPA-Free |
| phthalate-free | phthalate-free | phthalate-free | phthalate-free | phthalate-free | phthalate-free |
Footnotes:
1. Brittleness temp is the temperature at which an item made from the material may break or crack if dropped. This is not the lowest use temperature if care is exercised in use and handling.
2. HDPE and LDPE are acceptable for: Nonacid, aqueous products; may contain salt, sugar or both (pH above 5.0). Dairy products and modifications; oil-in-water emulsions, high or low fat. Moist bakery products with surface containing no free fat or oil. Dry solids with the surfaces containing no free fat or oil (no end-test required) and under all conditions as described in Table 2 of FDA Regulation 177.1520 except condition A - high temperature sterilization (e.g. over 100° C / 212° F).
3. PETG is acceptable for alcoholic foods containing not more than 15% (by volume) alcohol; fill and storage temperature not to exceed 49° C (120° F). Non-alcoholic foods of hot fill to not exceed 82° C (180° F) and 49° C (120° F) in storage. Not suitable for carbonated beverages or beer or packaging food requiring thermal processing.
4. PFA has no food compliance
What chemicals are compatible with my plastic bottles
| Acids, dilute or week | Acids^ strong, concentrated | Alcohols, aliphatic | Aldehydes |
| Bases/alkali | Esters | Hydrocarbons, aliphatic | Hydrocarbons, aromatic |
| Hydrocarbons, halogenated | Ketones, aromatic | Oxidizing agents, strong |
| Hydrocarbons, |
| Hydrocarbons, |
| Nalgene Polypropylene | Nalgene High Density Polyethylene | Nalgene Low Density Polyethylene | Nalgene Polycarbonate | Nalgene Polyethylene terephthalate (Copolymer G) | Nalgene Fluoropolymer | |
| Acids, dilute or weak | E | E | E | E | G | E |
| Acids^ strong, concentrated | G | G | G | N | N | E |
| Alcohols, aliphatic | E | E | E | G | G | E |
| Aldehydes | G | G | G | F | G | E |
| Bases/alkali | E | E | E | N | N | E |
| Esters | G | G | G | N | F | E |
| Hydrocarbons, aliphatic | G | G | F | G | G | E |
| Hydrocarbons, aromatic | N | N | N | N | N | E |
| Hydrocarbons, halogenated | N | N | N | N | N | E |
| Ketones, aromatic | N | N | N | N | N | E |
| Oxidizing agents, strong | F | F | F | F | F | E |
For a more detailed chemical resistance guide by chemical and application temperature, please refer to the Nalgene Chemical Resistance Wall Chart or contact Nalgene Technical Support.
| E | No damage after 30 days constant exposure at 20 oC |
| G | Little or no damage after 30 days constant exposure at 20oC |
| F | Some effect after 7 days constant exposure at 20oC |
| N | No recommended. Immediate damage may occur |
^Except for oxidizing acids, see "Oxidizing acids, strong."
Why are Nalgene bottles leakproof? It's in the design.
Click to enlarge for details
Nalgene bottles are available in a variety of weights and packaging configurations to accommodate a broad range of applications, budgets and scales of use. Start with small quantity lab packs and scale up to bulk packed production bottles without changing plastics.
For help selecting the best product for your lab, use the Nalgene Bottle and Carboy Online Selection Guide ›
Start everyday with dependable labware | Thermo Scientific Nalgene labware
Guidelines and tips for choosing the right bottle for your lab application
Nalgene containers are made from a wide variety of plastic types to meet the needs of virtually any laboratory application. Care should be taken to ensure chemical compatibility between the type of plastic chosen and the intended contents of the bottle. Likewise, some plastic materials provide better performance at high or low temperature extremes than others.
For help selecting the Nalgene bottles that are perfect for your lab applications, use our online selection guide, or request a copy of our chemical compatibility wall chart, or for personal assistance, contact the Nalgene Technical Support.
Nalgene bottles are made only from the highest quality plastic materials that meet pharmaceutical, laboratory and food grade standards; our plastic resins are selected to minimize additives and reduce potential leachables. Nalgene bottles are manufactured in our ISO 13485:2016 registered manufacturing facilities. Most of our plastic resin materials are DMF registered and meet a number of regulatory specifications including: USP Class VI, EP monographs, EU food-contact directives, CONEG, RoHS, CA Prop 65, SARA Title III Sec. 313, and 21 CFR pt 177. For regulatory claims and certifications applicable to specific Nalgene bottles, please contact Nalgene Regulatory Support at RocRegSupport@thermofisher.com.
| Chemical resistance simplified To choose the best lab plastics for your application, download our guide ›  Or request a printed poster for your lab. |
*The term “leakproof” applies to Thermo Scientific Nalgene products that meet the following criteria: a) Bottle/flask/funnel closure systems with closures smaller than 100mm, after they are filled with water, inverted, withstand air pressure of 2psig for 2 minutes, and no water escapes;. b) Bottle/funnel/flask closure systems of larger than 100mm after they are filled with water, inverted for 15 minutes, and no water escapes. Note: these tests, using other liquids, may not yield the same results. To ensure safe usage, customers are advised to test Thermo Scientific Nalgene bottles and closures under conditions of their planned applications. Thermo Scientific Nalgene products are leakproof at ambient temperature and pressure when used with their Nalgene closures.
Select the Nalgene dilution bottle that works for you
Nalgene dilution bottles make 1/10 and 1/100 dilutions simple. Graduated at 90mL and 99mL, with plenty of head space for reagent additions after dilution, often eliminating the need to transfer diluted samples to another container for further process steps.
 | Polypropylene copolymer (PPCO) dilutions bottles offer the best chemical resistance and will hold up to Tween exposure even at high temperatures. |
 | Choose polysulfone (PSF) dilution bottles for better clarity and easier liquid level viewing and for their higher graduation accuracy (PSF ±1ml versus PPCO ±4mL). |
Resources
- Break the Glass Habit Brochure
- Bottle and Carboy Selection Guide
- Plastic Properties Reference Magnet
- Plastic Labware Chemical Resistance Wall Poster
California Proposition 65 Warning: Products manufactured with polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) or polystyrene (PS) contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.