Chemical additives in steam will attack transparent plastics and cause a permanently glazed surface after autoclaving. Some transparent plastics may absorb minute amounts of water vapor and appear cloudy after autoclaving. The clouding will disappear as the plastic dries. Test tube racks filled with tubes must be autoclaved on a flat surface. Cycles should be at least 15 minutes to ensure sterility.
Polycarbonate products are autoclavable.
They must be thoroughly rinsed before autoclaving because detergent residues cause crazing and spotting. PC shows some loss of mechanical strength after repeated autoclaving and therefore may not function well under high-stress applications, such as centrifugation. Do not use strong alkaline detergents on polycarbonate. Do not use boiler steam containing alkaline chemical additives that may attack the plastic and cause the item to fail. Acetal products are autoclavable at recommended settings.