| HS Code | 359683 |
| Product | ELVAX 560 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer |
| Chemical Family | Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) Copolymer |
| Vinyl Acetate Content | 15% |
| Melt Flow Rate 190c 2 16kg | 2.5 g/10 min |
| Density | 0.935 g/cm3 |
| Melting Point | 90 C |
| Vicat Softening Point | 67 C |
| Tensile Strength At Break | 20 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 800% |
| Flexural Modulus | 50 MPa |
| Hardness | 90 Shore A |
| Brittleness Temperature | -75 C |
As an accredited ELVAX 560 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | ELVAX 560 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer supplied as free-flowing pellets in 25 kg multiwall paper bags. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL loaded with ELVAX 560 EVA copolymer in palletized bags, securely stowed, protected from moisture, ready for safe transport. |
| Shipping | ELVAX 560 is not classified as dangerous goods for transport under IMO/IMDG, IATA/ICAO, or ADR/RID. It may be shipped by road, rail, sea, or air in clean, suitable packaging. Keep dry and avoid excessive heat, which can cause softening or clumping. |
| Storage | Store ELVAX 560 in its original, sealed packaging in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and oxidizers. Keep containers tightly closed to prevent moisture absorption and contamination. Avoid generating dust; use good housekeeping practices. Maintain moderate temperatures and follow all safety data sheet guidelines. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically at least two years when stored in the original, unopened container under cool, dry conditions. |
In corrugated case and carton sealing lines operating at speeds above 40 packs/min, the hot-melt adhesive must develop fibre-tearing bond strength before the compression section releases. ELVAX 560 ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is compounded into EVA-based hot-melt formulations at 25–35 wt%; the vinyl acetate level of 15 wt% and melt index of 2.5 g/10 min under ASTM D1238 at 190°C/2.16 kg deliver peel cohesion without requiring a separate plasticizer. The adhesive is blended with a hydrogenated hydrocarbon tackifier at 30–45 wt% and a Fischer-Tropsch or microcrystalline wax at 15–30 wt%, with an antioxidant package at 0.5–1.0 wt%. Melt viscosity is verified on a Brookfield Thermosel at 170°C; for wheel applicators the target is 700–1,200 mPa·s, while slot-die extrusion through a Nordson or Robatech head with a 0.2–0.4 mm shim tolerates values up to 1,500 mPa·s. Viscosity below 700 mPa·s causes strike-through on lightweight recycled linerboard, and values above 1,500 mPa·s produce tailing and nozzle plugging on high-speed guns.
Thermal control on the tank and hose is more critical than melting point alone. ELVAX 560 begins measurable deacetylation above 190°C; acetic acid evolution accelerates char formation in dead zones of the applicator. Production tanks are set at 150–165°C with the hose and head at 160–175°C, and nitrogen blanketing is applied where intermittent production leaves molten adhesive in the reservoir for more than 8 h. Bond performance is assessed by T-peel adhesion on kraft linerboard per ASTM D1876 and by fibre-return trials after 24 h at −20°C. For indirect food packaging, the final adhesive must meet FDA 21 CFR 175.105 when separated from food by a functional barrier; where no barrier exists, migration testing under EU Regulation 1935/2004 and the applicable national measure is required before use.
| Component | Loading range | Function | Relevant test |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELVAX 560 | 25–35 wt% | Cohesive strength, low-temperature flexibility | ASTM D1238, ASTM D1876 |
| Hydrocarbon tackifier | 30–45 wt% | Substrate wetting, open time | ASTM D3236, ASTM E28 |
| Wax | 15–30 wt% | Set speed, viscosity reduction | ASTM D938, ASTM D3236 |
| Antioxidant | 0.5–1.0 wt% | Thermal stabilization | ASTM D3895 or oxidative-induction time by DSC |
Fully refined paraffin wax at 100°C exhibits melt viscosity below 10 mPa·s measured by ASTM D3236, which causes complete penetration into medium-flute corrugated board and a discontinuous surface film. ELVAX 560 is introduced at 1–5 wt% to form a three-dimensional EVA network that raises melt viscosity and controls strike-through. The upper loading is set by the oil content and molecular weight distribution of the paraffin; above 5 wt% in fully refined paraffin with oil content below 0.5 wt%, the blend can undergo phase separation during slow cooling, producing surface roughness and non-uniform gloss. Published data for this specific EVA grade in fully refined paraffin systems is limited; therefore the cloud point is measured by thermal optical microscopy using a controlled cooling rate of 0.5°C/min from 140°C to 80°C. Target application viscosity is adjusted by wax selection and EVA loading until ASTM D3236 viscosity at 100°C reaches 20–60 mPa·s for curtain coating and 100–300 mPa·s for immersion coating of produce boxes.
Processing employs a heated ribbon blender or a jacketed rotor-stator mixer at 120–140°C under slow agitation to avoid localized shear heating above 150°C, where EVA begins to oxidize in the absence of antioxidant. The melt is pumped through a fine mesh screen pack of 100–200 µm before entering the coating head. Coated board is evaluated for water-vapour transmission rate according to ASTM E96, flex-crack resistance on a Gelbo flex tester, and surface tack after blocking at 40°C for 24 h. Food-contact compliance for coated board requires conformity with FDA 21 CFR 176.170 and 21 CFR 176.180, with the EVA component limited to the conditions of use specified in the applicable paragraph.
On blown film lines running LLDPE-rich collation shrink film above die shear rates of 400 s⁻¹, melt fracture and bubble instability are the first visible signs that the polymer melt relaxation time is too long. Adding ELVAX 560 at 5–10 wt% to an LDPE–LLDPE matrix alters crystallization and shear-thinning response; the reduction in crystallinity is measured by differential scanning calorimetry as a lower heat of fusion per gram of total blend, and the rheological change is quantified by a twin-bore capillary rheometer at 190°C and 210°C. The target is a melt flow ratio that keeps the bubble stable under a blow-up ratio between 2.0:1 and 3.5:1. On production-scale lines, the EVA is added as a pre-compounded pellet rather than dry-blended to avoid screw slip from the lower melting point of EVA compared with LLDPE.
Mechanical property changes are evaluated against ASTM D1709 for dart drop, ASTM D1922 for Elmendorf tear, and ASTM D882 for tensile properties. The addition of ELVAX 560 typically improves machine-direction tear and dart drop but reduces stiffness and tensile yield; the exact balance depends on the base resin comonomer type and the frost-line height. At 10 wt% loading, stiffness-limited specifications for automatic packaging machines may not be met if gauge is not adjusted upward. Processors running high-speed lines must monitor die lip buildup; the low vinyl acetate content of ELVAX 560 produces less die-lip deposit than high-VA EVA grades, but continuous operation beyond 72 h without a purging compound can still leave oxidized deposits at the die lip. The trend is documented by optical profile measurements of die lip surface roughness and by transmitted-light film inspection for gel particles.
Colour masterbatches for LDPE film and polypropylene injection moulding use carrier resins with melt indices between 2.0 and 3.0 g/10 min to ensure pellet integrity after strand cooling while providing enough melt flow for pigment wetting. ELVAX 560 at 15 wt% vinyl acetate and 2.5 g/10 min melt index is selected when the converter requires a softer carrier that disperses at temperatures below the base resin processing temperature. In co-rotating twin-screw extrusion with 40:1 L/D and 300–500 rpm screw speed, the EVA carrier is fed into the main hopper at 20–35 wt%; organic pigment at 20–40 wt% is side-fed after the melt seal to prevent pigment agglomeration. The specific mechanical energy input is normally controlled below 0.25 kWh/kg because higher energy input raises melt temperature above 200°C and initiates deacetylation, evidenced by brown specks and acid odor at the die face. Data for individual pigment combinations must be developed on a pilot line because the surface treatment of the pigment dominates wetting behavior.
Dispersion quality is checked by a pressure-rise test across a screen pack in a single-screw laboratory extruder and by transmitted-light microscopy; agglomerates larger than 10 µm are considered critical for thin-gauge film. The pelletized masterbatch is dried at 60°C for 4 h if ambient relative humidity exceeds 60% before shipment, because EVA carriers pick up surface moisture that creates voids in injection-moulded parts. The final carrier content must be declared for REACH and for food-contact applications where applicable; in such cases the masterbatch is not automatically compliant until migration under EU Regulation 10/2011 or FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 is confirmed.
Appliance assembly and metal enclosure sealing use EVA-based hot-melt sealants filled with calcium carbonate to reduce cost and control sag. ELVAX 560 is processed with stearic-acid-coated CaCO₃ at 30–50 wt%, a hydrocarbon tackifier at 15–25 wt%, and a wax or viscosity diluent at 5–10 wt%. The filled melt is pumped by a heated platen unloader with a 15:1 air motor ratio; if filler loading exceeds 50 wt%, the melt viscosity at 180°C can exceed 5,000 mPa·s and stall the pump. The formulation is adjusted to maintain a viscosity below 3,000 mPa·s at 180°C for single-bead application through a 0.5–1.0 mm nozzle. Moisture on the CaCO₃ surface is a direct process variable: when the filler arrives with more than 0.2 wt% moisture, the water flashes in the melt and produces foaming; pre-drying at 120°C for 4 h is required when storage relative humidity exceeds 60%.
Performance is evaluated according to ASTM C961 for hot-applied sealant lap shear, slump, and low-temperature flexibility. Adhesion to painted steel is tested by lap shear on phosphated panels after 7 days at 23°C and 50% RH; cohesive failure of the sealant rather than adhesive debonding is the acceptance criterion. ELVAX 560 provides higher cohesive strength than EVA grades with higher melt index, but the 15 wt% vinyl acetate content is at the lower polarity end for adhesion to polar substrates; primers or a maleic-anhydride-modified polyolefin coupling agent are necessary for aluminium substrates with thin oxide coatings. Without a coupling agent, interfacial peel can occur at the metal surface rather than within the EVA matrix.
Polymer-modified bitumen for road and roofing membranes incorporates EVA to raise the high-temperature softening point and reduce permanent deformation. ELVAX 560 is dispersed at 3–6 wt% into penetration-grade bitumen using a high-shear rotor-stator mixer at 3,000–5,000 rpm and a bulk temperature of 175–185°C for 30–60 min. The high-shear step is required because the density of ELVAX 560, 0.94 g/cm³, is close to bitumen but the viscosity ratio between polymer melt and bitumen prevents simple low-shear blending. After dispersion, the softening point is measured by ASTM D36 and penetration by ASTM D5; the reported changes depend on the base bitumen, the EVA concentration, and the aromaticity of the maltene phase. Storage stability is tested according to ASTM D5976 with top and bottom samples taken after 48 h at 163°C; a softening-point difference above 2.2°C indicates phase separation and requires reformulation with an aromatic fluxing oil or a reactive compatibilizer.
The same high-shear mixing technology is used for roofing compounds, where the EVA-modified bitumen is compounded with mineral filler and reinforced polyester mat. Production lines using inline high-shear mixers must monitor melt temperature with infrared probes after the mixing head because the energy input can raise the temperature beyond 200°C and initiate oxidative degradation. The final roofing membrane is evaluated for low-temperature flexibility by a 5°C bend test over a 10 mm mandrel and for heat resistance according to ASTM D5147. In road applications, the binder is tested for elastic recovery by ASTM D6084 and for viscosity at 135°C by ASTM D4402 to ensure pumpability from the bitumen tanker. Published data for ELVAX 560 in polymer-modified bitumen is available in supplier technical literature but must be validated against the specific bitumen source because the maltene-to-asphaltene ratio controls dispersion stability.
| Test | Standard | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Softening point | ASTM D36 | Ring-and-ball, °C |
| Penetration | ASTM D5 | 25°C, 100 g, 5 s |
| Storage stability | ASTM D5976 | 48 h at 163°C, Δ softening point |
| Elastic recovery | ASTM D6084 | 25°C ductility recovery |
| Viscosity | ASTM D4402 | 135°C, Brookfield |
Competitive ELVAX 560 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer prices that fit your budget—flexible terms and customized quotes for every order.
For samples, pricing, or more information, please contact us at +8615380400285 or mail to sales2@liwei-chem.com.
We will respond to you as soon as possible.
Tel: +8615380400285
Email: sales2@liwei-chem.com
Flexible payment, competitive price, premium service - Inquire now!
ELVAX 560 is an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer resin supplied as translucent pellets. The nominal vinyl acetate comonomer content is 15 wt%, and the melt mass-flow rate is 2.5 g/10 min when measured at 190 °C under a 2.16 kg load in accordance with ASTM D1238 or ISO 1133-1:2022. Solid-state density at 23 °C is typically 0.94 g/cm³ as determined by ISO 1183-1:2019. Differential scanning calorimetry under ASTM D3418 places the main melting endotherm near 93 °C, and the Vicat softening temperature is approximately 68 °C under 10 N load per ISO 306:2022. These specifications locate ELVAX 560 in the lower-polarity region of the EVA portfolio: the 15 wt% vinyl acetate content reduces crystallinity relative to low-density polyethylene, imparts low-temperature flexibility, and retains compatibility with nonpolar polyolefins, paraffin waxes, and hydrocarbon tackifiers. Because the molecular weight is higher than that of ELVAX 550 at the same vinyl acetate content, ELVAX 560 is specified where lower melt flow, higher melt strength, and reduced draw sag are required in cast film, extrusion coating, profile extrusion, and melt blending. Certificates of analysis for commercial lots typically report MFR within ±0.2 g/10 min of the nominal value and vinyl acetate content within ±1 wt%; these lot-to-lot control limits are sufficient for most compounding operations provided incoming resin is sampled and tested before silo transfer.
For specification purposes, mechanical testing on compression-molded or injection-molded plaques is conducted under ASTM D638 or ISO 527-2:2012. Published typical values for 15 wt% vinyl acetate EVA in this melt-flow range fall between 12 MPa and 20 MPa for tensile strength at break and between 650 % and 800 % for elongation at break, depending on specimen conditioning, draw ratio, and test speed. Flexural modulus measured by ISO 178:2019 is lower than that of 12 wt% vinyl acetate grades and higher than that of 18 wt% vinyl acetate grades. Hardness is typically in the range of 42 to 48 Shore D when measured by ISO 868:2003. The material exhibits a broad melting endotherm rather than a sharp crystalline peak, which is characteristic of random incorporation of vinyl acetate units that disrupt polyethylene crystallinity. The degree of crystallinity calculated from the DSC melt enthalpy is lower than that of LDPE and depends on the thermal history imposed during cooling. These mechanical and thermal characteristics are relevant where a balance of toughness, flexibility, and dimensional stability under ambient conditions is required. Because the product is a semicrystalline copolymer, post-processing shrinkage and warpage are influenced by cooling rate; controlled cooling to 20 °C at uniform air velocity is recommended for profile extrusion.
Temperature control is a primary processing constraint because the vinyl acetate segment begins to undergo thermal deacetylation at sustained melt temperatures above 230 °C; the resulting acetic acid accelerates corrosion of nitrided barrel surfaces, degrades optical clarity, and generates bubble defects in extruded profiles. On a 45 mm co-rotating twin-screw extruder with L/D 36:1, a reverse temperature profile of 130 °C in barrel zone 1, 150 °C in zone 2, 170 °C in zone 3, 180 °C in zones 4 through 6, and 190 °C at the die limits viscous heating while maintaining plastication. Screw speeds are normally held below 250 min⁻¹ because higher speeds in fully filled zones can produce melt-temperature overshoot above 215 °C even when barrel setpoints remain unchanged. Melt pressure at the die is higher than for ELVAX 550 at the same output by roughly 20 % due to the molecular-weight difference. Pre-drying is not required for resin taken from factory-sealed bags with moisture levels below 0.1 wt%; if surface condensation occurs after storage in an unheated warehouse, drying at 50 °C for 4 h with desiccant air at a dew point below −20 °C prevents steam-induced gels. The usable melt-temperature window is narrow at high shear: when melt temperature exceeds 210 °C at screw speeds above 250 min⁻¹, film samples show surface pitting and acetic-acid odor. Direct metering of this pellet resin into a single-screw extruder with L/D 24:1 is possible at lower outputs; a mixing section is recommended when adding powdered tackifiers or fillers because the higher melt strength of ELVAX 560 reduces dispersive mixing relative to a lower-viscosity grade.
The principal degradation pathway is deacetylation of the vinyl acetate units, which proceeds by radical and ester-cleavage mechanisms with measurable acetic acid evolution above 230 °C under inert atmosphere. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that mass loss depends on both temperature and residence time; published data for this specific grade is limited, but EVA copolymers with similar vinyl acetate content exhibit onset of non-oxidative mass loss near 230 °C and rapid acetic acid release above 250 °C. In compounding trials, a melt-temperature overshoot to 240 °C for 10 min produced a measurable increase in MFR and gel count in blown film; the effect is attributed to main-chain scission and cross-linking reactions following deacetylation. This degradation behavior imposes two operational requirements: melt temperature must be monitored with an immersion probe, and acid-scavenging additives such as zinc stearate may be used in formulations containing moisture-sensitive substrates. The addition of acid scavengers should not exceed 0.1 wt% to 0.5 wt% unless the formulation is explicitly designed for high-acid conditions, because excess metallic stearate can plate out on die lips. Processors should also avoid using copper-based heating elements or bronze screens in contact with melt above 230 °C, because acetic acid accelerates corrosion of copper alloys.
In melt-flow terms, ELVAX 560 occupies the 2.5 g/10 min slot with 15 wt% vinyl acetate. ELVAX 550 has the same 15 wt% vinyl acetate content but an MFR of 8.0 g/10 min; ELVAX 460 has a higher vinyl acetate content of 18 wt% at the same 2.5 g/10 min MFR. The comparison is not limited to melt viscosity: vinyl acetate content controls polarity, crystallinity, moisture sensitivity, and thermal properties, while molecular weight controls melt strength, draw sag, and the shear-thinning response.
| Grade | Nominal vinyl acetate content | Melt mass-flow rate at 190 °C/2.16 kg |
|---|---|---|
| ELVAX 660 | 12 wt% | 2.5 g/10 min |
| ELVAX 560 | 15 wt% | 2.5 g/10 min |
| ELVAX 550 | 15 wt% | 8.0 g/10 min |
| ELVAX 460 | 18 wt% | 2.5 g/10 min |
Relative to ELVAX 550, ELVAX 560 provides a higher melt viscosity at the same vinyl acetate content. This translates to greater melt strength and lower draw sag in cast-film and profile extrusion, but it also raises torque in high-speed compounding and can reduce line output by approximately 10 % to 20 % when equipment is torque-limited. Rheological characterization by small-amplitude oscillatory shear at 150 °C shows a higher storage modulus at low frequency for ELVAX 560 than for ELVAX 550, which corresponds to a longer relaxation time and greater melt elasticity. Relative to ELVAX 460, ELVAX 560 has 3 wt% lower vinyl acetate content. The lower vinyl acetate content reduces polarity and specific adhesion to polar substrates such as aluminum, polyester, and glass; it also raises the Vicat softening temperature and lowers equilibrium moisture uptake when measured by ASTM D570. Relative to ELVAX 660, ELVAX 560 contains 3 wt% more vinyl acetate, which improves low-temperature flexibility and tack in hot-melt formulations. Differences in adhesion are quantified by peel tests on polar films: ASTM D1876 T-peel and ASTM D903 peel or stripping tests are commonly used to compare formulated adhesives from these grades on the same substrate. Selection between ELVAX 560 and ELVAX 460 therefore depends on whether polarity and adhesion are more important than hydrocarbon compatibility and moisture resistance. Selection between ELVAX 560 and ELVAX 550 depends on whether the target line can tolerate the higher viscosity of the 2.5 g/10 min grade.
In hot-melt adhesive compounding, ELVAX 560 is commonly melt-blended with hydrocarbon resin tackifiers, microcrystalline waxes, and antioxidant packages at EVA loadings from 25 wt% to 40 wt%. The 2.5 g/10 min MFR of ELVAX 560 produces higher melt viscosity and longer relaxation time than ELVAX 550 at a given formulation; this can reduce penetration into porous board and increase the cohesive component of bond failure. Bond performance is characterized by ASTM D4498 shear strength, ASTM D1876 T-peel, and ASTM D6862 180-degree peel methods depending on the substrate. In case-sealing operations at 160 °C to 180 °C, adhesive stringing is controlled by adjusting application temperature: below 150 °C, the high melt strength of ELVAX 560 can delay clean adhesive break-off and increase stringing, while an application temperature of 170 °C typically reduces stringing without entering the deacetylation region. Open time is governed less by the base resin MFR alone than by the ratio of wax, tackifier, and branched polymer in the formulation; therefore open-time predictions should be based on formulated adhesive viscosity measured by ASTM D3236 at the application temperature. Published data for specific case-sealing line speeds with this exact resin is limited, so line trials are required to establish the upper speed limit for a given board stock and adhesive tank geometry. Batch-to-batch viscosity variation in hot-melt tanks is more sensitive to wax source than to the 0.2 g/10 min MFR tolerance of the resin; however, lot changes should be tracked by full melt-viscosity curves rather than single-point MFR because shear-thinning differences can occur from branching or molecular-weight distribution shifts.
In polyolefin modification, addition of 5 wt% to 15 wt% ELVAX 560 to low-density polyethylene-rich compounds improves environmental stress-crack resistance and impact toughness. The ESCR effect is measured by ASTM D1693 notched constant-strain immersion in 10 % Igepal CO-630 at 50 °C; the relative improvement depends on the base polyethylene density and comonomer type. Because the viscosity mismatch between ELVAX 560 and high-melt-index LDPE can produce phase domains rather than complete miscibility, mixing on a twin-screw extruder with effective shear is preferred over simple dry blending.
Paraffin wax systems containing 5 wt% to 20 wt% ELVAX 560 display a monotonic increase in melt viscosity and a reduction in blocking tendency. In paperboard saturating lines, addition above 25 wt% can reduce wax penetration into the substrate because the melt viscosity at 120 °C approaches the upper operating limit of air-knife metering systems. The grade is selected over ELVAX 550 when a wax-modified coating must retain more melt strength during vertical draw or when lower creep at 40 °C is required. The effect on wax crystal size is evaluated by modulated differential scanning calorimetry or microscopy; published data for specific air-knife coaters is limited, so formulated viscosity should be measured by ASTM D3236 at the wet-bath temperature. In fully refined paraffin with melting point 60 °C, addition of 10 wt% ELVAX 560 typically elevates the ring-and-ball softening point of the blend by approximately 5 °C when measured by ASTM E28; with microcrystalline wax the shift is smaller because the base already contains branched-chain structure. Avoid melt blending with strong alkaline additives and certain amine-based stabilizers because these can catalyze ester cleavage; an evaluation of formulation pH after acetone dilution provides a simple screening method. In extrusion coating, ELVAX 560 can be processed at melt temperatures from 160 °C to 210 °C; adhesion to paper and board is typically measured by a tape peel method following conditioning at 23 °C and 50 % relative humidity for 24 h. When high-speed coating lines exceed 200 m/min, the higher melt viscosity of ELVAX 560 may cause draw resonance unless the air gap is shortened.
Under 21 CFR 177.1520, olefin polymers may be eligible for food-contact applications only when the finished article meets the specified extractables limits and end-use conditions; compliance is not an inherent property of the resin. Food-contact status for ELVAX 560 should be confirmed through a supplier declaration referencing EU 10/2011 or FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 as applicable to the target market. The product is not intended for medical implant applications. RoHS screening under Directive 2011/65/EU annex II restrictions for lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB, and PBDE is typically addressed by the supplier's material declaration; if the resin is colored or compounded, the assessment must include the additive package. Storage should avoid unheated warehouses where the pellet temperature falls below the dew point, because surface condensation can introduce moisture into hot-melt mixing vessels. Continuous outdoor exposure of unpigmented ELVAX 560 without UV stabilizers leads to chain scission, gloss loss, and reduction in elongation at break when specimens are tested under ISO 527-2:2012 after weathering. The material should not be processed above 230 °C for extended periods, and any acetic-acid odor during processing indicates that melt temperature reduction or a shorter residence time is required.
