| HS Code | 488150 |
| Vinyl Acetate Content | 12% |
| Density | 0.940 g/cm3 |
| Melt Flow Rate 190 C 2 16kg | 8 g/10min |
| Melting Point | 96°C |
| Vicat Softening Point | 70°C |
| Tensile Strength At Break | 14 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 650% |
| Flexural Modulus | 40 MPa |
| Hardness Shore D | 33 |
| Brittleness Temperature | -100°C |
As an accredited ELVAX 3172Z Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | ELVAX 3172Z ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer is supplied as free-flowing pellets in 25 kg sealed bags. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Container Loading (20′ FCL): ELVAX 3172Z in 25kg bags, palletized and shrink-wrapped, loaded into a standard 20-foot container for safe transport. |
| Shipping | ELVAX 3172Z is shipped as solid ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer pellets, typically in 25 kg bags or bulk sacks. Non-hazardous, it requires dry, ventilated conditions away from heat and sunlight. Avoid dust accumulation; handle with standard PPE during transfer. Store below 30°C to prevent agglomeration. |
| Storage | Store ELVAX 3172Z in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat, and ignition sources. Keep containers tightly sealed to prevent moisture absorption and contamination. Avoid contact with strong oxidizers. Under proper conditions, shelf life is typically two years from manufacture. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically two years from shipment when stored in original packaging, away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight. |
Compounding of ELVAX 3172Z into packaging adhesives is carried out in jacketed sigma-blade intermix contactors with close-clearance rotating blades operating at 40–80 rpm, not in unheated single-screw plastication units. The polymer is first fluxed with a tackifier phase at 130–150 °C; wax diluent is added incrementally afterward to prevent cold-shot formation and blade slippage on the melt surface. In corrugated case-sealing formulations, the copolymer is incorporated at 28–38 wt%, combined with 35–45 wt% rosin ester or C5/C9 hydrocarbon tackifier, 15–25 wt% Fischer-Tropsch or paraffin wax, and 0.5–1.0 wt% hindered phenolic antioxidant. Melt viscosity measured under ASTM D3236-24 at 180 °C is maintained in the 1,200–2,800 mPa·s range for bead application; machine trials on gear-pump bulk melters show that viscosity below 1,000 mPa·s produces nozzle drip and pattern inconsistency, while reservoir residence time beyond 4 h above 200 °C can produce gel specks larger than 100 µm on 80–120 mesh screen packs. The operating limit of 200 °C is stated because vinyl acetate repeat units begin measurable deacetylation under adiabatic shear; the resulting acetic acid vapor lowers pH in extraction hoods and increases char accumulation on heated transfer hoses.
Food-contact compliance for North American packaging is anchored to FDA 21 CFR 175.105 for indirect food adhesives. If the same compound is evaluated as a direct polymer layer or component rather than a bonding adhesive, FDA 21 CFR 177.1350 applies, with its end-use temperature, food type, and extractive limitations. For EU-converted packaging, the finished adhesive system is assessed under Regulation (EC) No 10/2011, including the specific migration limit for vinyl acetate monomer. Downstream application equipment includes platen bulk melters feeding gear pumps at 8–25 kg/h per slot nozzle, with compression on corrugated board at 0.2–0.5 MPa for 0.5–2.0 s. Finished product types include corrugated case sealing, carton closure, tray forming, paper sack seams, and bookbinding adhesive layers.
| End-use package type | ELVAX 3172Z (wt%) | Tackifier (wt%) | Wax diluent (wt%) | Application viscosity at 180 °C (mPa·s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corrugated case sealing | 30–32 | 40–45 | 20–25 | 1,400–1,800 |
| Bookbinding | 35–38 | 35–40 | 15–20 | 1,800–2,400 |
| Tray forming | 28–30 | 42–48 | 18–24 | 1,200–1,600 |
| Paper sack seam | 32–35 | 38–42 | 20–25 | 1,500–2,000 |
In coextrusion coating and extrusion lamination lines producing sealant webs for aseptic cartons and medical device pouches, ELVAX 3172Z is introduced into the sealant layer at 20–40 wt% in LDPE or used as a 100 wt% sealant layer where a low seal-initiation temperature is mandatory. The addition ratio is constrained by neck-in and melt-draw stability: the resin has a melt flow rate of 2.5 g/10 min under ASTM D1238-20 Procedure A, which reduces draw resonance versus higher-flow EVA grades but elevates backpressure on a 90 mm single-screw extruder with 30:1 L/D to 12–18 MPa at 210 °C melt temperature. Production equipment runs with a barrel profile of 150–230 °C, a flat die gap of 0.5–0.8 mm, an air gap of 100–180 mm, and a chill roll held at 10–15 °C. Line speed is typically 150–250 m/min; excursions above 250 m/min with melt temperature below 205 °C produce observable edge webbing and draw resonance on a polished chill roll. Seal initiation below 100 °C is measured by ASTM F2029-22 heat-seal gradient procedures, seal strength by ASTM F88/F88M-21, and hot-tack performance by ASTM F1921-18. Compliance is established under FDA 21 CFR 177.1350 for the EVA sealant layer and Regulation (EC) No 10/2011 for EU food-contact finished articles. Terminal product categories include aseptic carton seal strips, peelable lidding films, frozen food pouches, and clean-peel medical packaging.
ELVAX 3172Z at 4–10 wt% is added to refined paraffin and microcrystalline wax blends to raise melt viscosity, improve scuff resistance, and reduce blocking in wet-strength corrugated board coatings. The upper addition limit is controlled by dispersion quality rather than solubility alone: concentrations above 12 wt% create polymer-rich domains that pass through 100 µm hot filters as softened stringers and appear as uneven curtain-coat streaks. Compounding is conducted at 130–150 °C in a nitrogen-blanketed vessel using a rotor-stator mixer with impeller tip speed of 5–10 m/s, followed by 60–90 min hold time and transfer to heated roll or curtain coaters. For food-contact paperboard, formulations are evaluated under FDA 21 CFR 176.170 for components of paper and paperboard and FDA 21 CFR 178.3710 for petroleum wax. Terminal product types include corrugated produce boxes, meat and poultry wrap, frozen food paperboard, and cupstock barrier coatings.
Polymer-modified bitumen formulations incorporate ELVAX 3172Z at 3–6 wt% of total bitumen, dispersed through an inline high-shear mixer at 170–190 °C with a rotor-stator shear rate of 10,000–50,000 s⁻¹, followed by low-shear maturation at 200–500 rpm for 2–4 h. The processing ceiling is 200 °C; above this temperature, thermo-oxidative chain scission of the vinyl acetate segments reduces the molecular weight contribution to high-temperature stiffness and can generate volatile acid species in tank vents. Published data for ELVAX 3172Z specifically under EN 14023 is limited, but EVA copolymers with 18 wt% vinyl acetate are reported in technical bitumen literature to raise ring-and-ball softening point from 45–50 °C to 60–75 °C at 4–6 wt% addition, while penetration at 25 °C under ASTM D5/D5M-20 falls by 10–25 dmm and rotational viscosity at 135 °C under ASTM D4402/D4402M-20 rises into the 1.0–2.0 Pa·s band. High-temperature rutting resistance is conventionally screened through dynamic shear rheology under ASTM D7175-23; a phase angle reduction at 60 °C is the primary rheological indicator of semi-crystalline network formation.
Storage stability is the critical operational boundary in bitumen modification. Without 1–3 wt% aromatic oil or a compatibilizing filler, EVA-rich domains can separate during 24 h static storage at 160 °C in vertical tanks. Production sites mitigate this by continuous low-shear mixing at 0.5–1.0 m/s tip speed and by specifying a maximum storage temperature of 170 °C before rework. Compliance for polymer-modified bitumen is established under EN 14023:2017 and, for North American paving grades, ASTM D5976/D5976M-21. Terminal product types include heavy-duty road surfacing membranes, bridge deck waterproofing, polymer-modified mastic asphalt, and roofing underlayment compounds.
| Standard designation | Measured property | Control bitumen | EVA-modified at 4–6 wt% |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTM D36/D36M-14e1 | Ring-and-ball softening point | 45–50 °C | 60–75 °C |
| ASTM D5/D5M-20 | Penetration at 25 °C | 65–90 dmm | 45–70 dmm |
| ASTM D4402/D4402M-20 | Rotational viscosity at 135 °C | 0.3–0.6 Pa·s | 1.0–2.0 Pa·s |
| EN 14023:2017 | Specification frame for polymer-modified bitumen | Not applicable | Storage-stable grade required by class |
Color masterbatch production on a co-rotating twin-screw extruder with 40:1 L/D and segmented barrel uses ELVAX 3172Z as the carrier phase at 40–60 wt%, with the remainder comprising pigment and processing stabilizer. The low melt flow rate of 2.5 g/10 min under ASTM D1238-20 Procedure A limits filler absorption in high-shear kneading blocks; carbon black loadings above 50 wt% can push screw fill ratio above 70% and raise melt temperature toward 190 °C, the practical upper threshold before vinyl acetate degradation produces detectable gel specks on 80–120 mesh screen packs. Barrel temperatures are maintained at 130–180 °C, with die head pressure below 30 MPa, followed by water-ring or strand pelletizing. The masterbatch is let down at 2–5 wt% into polyolefin film or injection-molded articles to deliver 0.5–1.0 wt% final pigment concentration. Food-contact master batch formulations intended for packaging are assessed under FDA 21 CFR 177.1350 for the polymer carrier and Regulation (EC) No 10/2011 for EU migration compliance; supply-chain documentation is maintained under REACH (EC) No 1907/2006. Terminal product categories include color concentrates for blown film, injection-molded caps and closures, agricultural film, and polyolefin cable jacketing compounds.
Halogen-free cable compounders use ELVAX 3172Z at 15–25 wt% within a PE/EVA matrix to increase uptake of alumina trihydrate and magnesium dihydrate fillers. Typical total filler loading is 55–65 wt%, dispersed in an intermeshing twin-screw extruder at 130–170 °C, with die head pressure held below 30 MPa to prevent filler compression and pellet porosity. The processing ceiling of 180 °C is constrained by ATH dehydration onset, which releases water vapor and creates internal voids before EVA degradation dominates. Tensile properties of the sheathing compound are measured under ASTM D638-14; elongation at break typically falls to 150–250% depending on filler surface treatment and coupling agent selection. Compliance is governed by IEC 60754-1/-2:2011 for halogen acid gas evolution, RoHS 2011/65/EU, and REACH (EC) No 1907/2006. Terminal product categories include low-smoke zero-halogen sheathing for building wire, automotive cable, and industrial control cable. Published data for ELVAX 3172Z in this exact filler matrix is limited; compounders typically run comparative compatibility trials against 28 wt% VA grades before qualifying an 18 wt% VA grade for cable specifications.
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ELVAX 3172Z ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer is a low-melt-flow, semi-crystalline random copolymer supplied as pelletised resin for film extrusion, injection moulding, compounding, and hot-melt formulation modification. The nominal vinyl acetate comonomer content is 18% by weight, determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy following ASTM D5594. Melt mass-flow rate measured at 190 °C under 2.16 kg load is nominally 2.5 g/10 min under ISO 1133-1:2022 or ASTM D1238. Density at 23 °C is approximately 0.94 g/cm³ under ISO 1183-1. The polymer exhibits a crystalline melting point in the range of 84–86 °C and a Vicat softening point of approximately 66–69 °C under ISO 306 A120. The 18% vinyl acetate level interrupts polyethylene crystallinity, reduces stiffness, and increases toughness, while the polar acetate group improves wetting and adhesion to polar substrates such as paper, aluminium foil, and surface-oxidised polypropylene. The low melt mass-flow rate imparts high elongational viscosity and bubble stability in blown film, but also raises back pressure and reduces throughput relative to higher-melt-flow EVA grades.
The Z suffix in the grade designation denotes a proprietary stabiliser and additive package within DuPont nomenclature. Public technical literature does not fully define the package composition, but it is selected to maintain colour stability during melt processing and to control pellet blocking during storage. Users should request the supplier’s food-contact statement and lot-specific certificate of analysis because additive package variants can shift haze, seal initiation, and storage stability under high-humidity conditions.
The property differences across the 12–28% vinyl acetate range are primarily governed by crystallinity and polarity. At 12% vinyl acetate, EVA retains a crystalline melting point above 90 °C and a higher modulus, but exhibits lower adhesive wetting and reduced low-temperature flexibility. At 28% vinyl acetate, the material is markedly more amorphous, with a melting point below 75 °C, higher surface tack, lower modulus, and greater permeability to oxygen and moisture. ELVAX 3172Z at 18% vinyl acetate occupies the intermediate position: it retains enough crystallinity for dimensional stability and creep resistance, while the acetate group density is sufficient to improve seal strength and hot-tack in heat-seal layers. In film sealing tests, the hot-tack force measured under ASTM F1921 rises substantially when moving from 12% to 18% vinyl acetate, although published numerical data for this specific grade are limited. The lower crystalline fraction also reduces the brittle transition temperature; impact toughness measured under ISO 179-1 or ASTM D1709-16 is typically higher for 18% vinyl acetate EVA than for 12% vinyl acetate EVA at -20 °C.
Within the Elvax family, the practical consequence is that 18% vinyl acetate grades are often selected when sealant webs require both low-temperature ductility and resistance to blocking on the roll. Higher vinyl acetate grades provide more tack and lower modulus, while lower vinyl acetate grades provide greater stiffness and better thermal dimensional stability under load. The selection therefore is not based on a single property but on the balance between seal initiation temperature, surface tack, stiffness, and oxygen transmission rate.
Typical property values are compiled from industrial technical data and are not batch specification limits. Certificate-of-analysis values should control for lot release. The following table aligns each property with a recognised method.
| Property | Representative value | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl acetate content | 18% | ASTM D5594 |
| Melt mass-flow rate | 2.5 g/10 min at 190 °C/2.16 kg | ISO 1133-1:2022 / ASTM D1238 |
| Density at 23 °C | 0.94 g/cm³ | ISO 1183-1 |
| Melting point, DSC | 84–86 °C | ISO 11357-3 |
| Vicat softening point, A120 | 66–69 °C | ISO 306 |
| Hardness | 40–45 Shore D | ISO 868 |
| Tensile stress at break | 18–24 MPa | ISO 527-2 |
| Elongation at break | 700–800% | ISO 527-2 |
Because the material is semicrystalline and polar, measured density and hardness shift with cooling rate and conditioning time. Samples conditioned at 23 °C and 50% relative humidity for 40 h per ISO 291 yield more reproducible mechanical values than unconditioned specimens. The tensile and elongation ranges in the table should not be interpreted as specification minima; they reflect representative values for 18 wt% vinyl acetate EVA and may vary with additive package and compounding history.
EVA copolymers undergo acetic-acid elimination from the vinyl acetate moiety at elevated temperature, with the reaction rate becoming process-significant above 230 °C. The released acetic acid corrodes unplated screw, barrel, die, and downstream roll surfaces and promotes gel formation through polyene crosslinking. Consequently, barrel profiles for extrusion should be held between 150 °C and 190 °C, with die temperature not exceeding 210 °C unless corrosion-resistant downstream equipment is installed. On a co-rotating twin-screw compounding extruder with screw diameter 40 mm and L/D 32:1, screw speeds above 400 rpm can generate shear heating that pushes melt temperature to 220–230 °C; barrel cooling zones and side-stuffing of heat-sensitive additives are used to limit residence time at temperature. In single-screw blown film, a compression ratio of 2.5:1 to 3.0:1 and an L/D of 24:1 to 30:1 are typical; high-shear barrier screws with Maddock mixing sections may raise melt temperature by 5–10 °C relative to simple metering screws.
Pre-drying is recommended at 60 °C for 4 h when storage humidity has exceeded 60% relative humidity. Moisture in the feed accelerates hydrolysis and increases acetic acid evolution. Formulation additives containing free amine groups, primary or secondary amide slip agents, and strongly alkaline fillers should be avoided because they catalyse deacetylation and can reduce colour stability. Acid scavengers such as calcium stearate or zinc stearate at 0.05–0.2 wt% are commonly used in compounds to buffer residual acidity, but their effect must be validated against long-term heat ageing protocols such as ISO 11357-6 or ASTM D3045-18.
On blown film lines fitted with 45 mm single-screw extruders and 150–250 mm annular dies, melt temperature is commonly set at 170–190 °C, with a blow-up ratio between 2.5:1 and 3.5:1. The 2.5 g/10 min melt mass-flow rate gives higher bubble stability than EVA copolymers in the 6–15 g/10 min range because the longer relaxation time increases extensional viscosity and resists bubble sag. However, head pressure is also higher; a shallow-flighted screw with a metering depth greater than 3.0 mm may be needed to avoid overloading the drive on smaller extruders. Film rolls should be cooled to below 30 °C before winding to reduce blocking, and slip and antiblock concentrates are typically added in the range of 0.5–2.0 wt% depending on coefficient-of-friction targets measured under ISO 8295.
For profile extrusion and injection moulding, melt temperatures of 180–200 °C and mould temperatures of 20–30 °C are representative. Injection tooling should be vented to remove acetic acid trace volatiles; hot-runner systems should use corrosion-resistant components or frequent purging to limit residue formation. The material’s low-shear melt viscosity is relatively high, so fill of thin-wall sections below 1.5 mm may require higher injection pressures in the range 70–100 MPa and gates sized above 1.0 mm; published data for this specific configuration is limited.
In hot-melt adhesive blending, higher melt-flow EVA copolymers are often selected for low application viscosity; a 15 g/10 min melt flow grade wets low-surface-energy substrates more readily and can be applied through slot-die coaters at lower hydraulic pressure. Replacing that grade with ELVAX 3172Z raises melt viscosity and may require application temperature increases of 10–20 °C to reach the same flow behaviour. The trade-off is an increase in heat resistance and a reduction in adhesive bleed-through on porous papers and nonwovens. When compared with a 28% vinyl acetate grade, 3172Z shows lower polarity and lower compatibility with highly hydrogenated tackifiers; formulators may need to increase tackifier content or use partially hydrogenated rosin ester blends to obtain equivalent loop tack on polyethylene, as measured under FINAT FTM 9. Conversely, relative to a 12% vinyl acetate resin, 3172Z lowers seal initiation temperature and improves hot-tack strength in coextruded sealant layers, which is critical for high-speed form-fill-seal packaging lines operating above 60 packages/min.
In blends with linear low-density polyethylene, additions of 10–30 wt% 3172Z improve dart impact strength under ASTM D1709-16 and tear strength under ASTM D1922, but the same additions reduce modulus and increase surface tack. At loadings above 30 wt%, gas permeability increases and the inner film surface may block unless slip additives are used. These trade-offs are typical for EVA blend systems and must be established per formulation because the exact numerical response depends on comonomer type and molecular weight of the polyethylene diluent.
Incoming resin should be tested for melt mass-flow rate under ISO 1133-1:2022 and vinyl acetate content under ASTM D5594 because polymerisation lot-to-lot variation, though narrow, can shift seal performance in coextruded structures. Pellets should be stored in sealed containers or silos at temperatures below 30 °C and protected from direct sunlight; inventory should be consumed within 12 months from production date when stored under dry conditions. If a production line changes from polyamide or PET to EVA, a purge with low-density polyethylene at 180 °C is recommended before introducing the EVA resin to avoid interfacial contamination and gel formation from incompatible melt residues.
For food-contact applications, the final formulation must be assessed under 21 CFR 177.1350 or the corresponding regional regulation; neat-resin compliance does not automatically extend to formulated compounds containing tackifiers, colourants, or release agents. EU users should confirm REACH registration and SVHC status for the specific grade and packaging under the current tonnage band. RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU restrictions do not apply to the neat polymer, but compounds for electrical and electronic applications require evaluation of the filler and flame-retardant system.
