| HS Code | 509488 |
| Ethylene Content | 29 mol% |
| Density | 1.29 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Rate | 1.6 g/10 min (190°C, 2.16 kg) |
| Melting Point | 191 °C |
| Glass Transition Temperature | 62 °C |
| Tensile Strength | 80 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 3.0 % |
| Oxygen Transmission Rate | 0.3 cc·20 µm/m²·day·atm (23°C, 65% RH) |
| Water Absorption | 6.9 % |
| Thermal Decomposition Temperature | ~200 °C |
| Flexural Modulus | 3.5 GPa |
As an accredited EVOH EVAL C109B factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | EVOH EVAL C109B is supplied in 25 kg sealed polyethylene-lined paper bags, protecting against moisture and contamination. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL shipment of EVOH EVAL C109B resin, packed in sealed bags, palletized, and securely containerized. |
| Shipping | Ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) resin, grade EVAL C109B, supplied as solid pellets. Non-hazardous for transport by road, sea, or air under normal conditions. Packed in moisture-barrier sealed bags on pallets. Protect from water, humidity, and direct heat. Not regulated as dangerous goods and not a marine pollutant. |
| Storage | Store EVOH EVAL C109B in its original, sealed packaging in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Keep the container tightly closed to prevent moisture absorption, which can affect processing performance. Maintain moderate ambient temperature and avoid excessive humidity. Use within the recommended shelf life to ensure consistent quality and melt flow properties. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically two years when stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture. |
The grade is an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer with a nominal ethylene content of 44 mol% and a melt flow rate of 15 g/10 min measured under ISO 1133-1:2022 at 190 °C and 2.16 kg. The elevated ethylene content relative to 32 mol% barrier grades reduces moisture-activated oxygen transmission sensitivity after flexing but imposes a processing ceiling near 240 °C; prolonged residence above 240 °C initiates intramolecular ether elimination and crosslinked gel formation that appears as fish-eye defects in cast and blown film. Pre-drying to residual moisture below 0.3 % is therefore a fixed requirement before any melt processing step. The following application scenarios are limited to downstream sectors where EVOH C109B is a demonstrated barrier layer in commercial multilayer structures.
Cold-chain packaging lines for presliced cooked ham and surface-ripened cheese operate with a headspace gas mix of 70 % CO₂ / 30 % N₂ or 20 % CO₂ / 80 % N₂; the barrier requirement is an oxygen transmission rate no greater than 2.0 cm³/(m²·day·atm) at 23 °C, 0 % RH for a 20 µm EVOH C109B core, tested according to ASTM D3985-17 on a MOCON OX-TRAN 2/40 system. In a typical 9-layer web—LDPE/tie/EVOH/tie/LDPE/tie/EVOH/tie/LDPE—the EVOH C109B layer is specified at 3–8 µm per core, representing 4–6 % of a 70–120 µm total film thickness; maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene tie layers are held at 8–15 µm each, and the outer LDPE skins are adjusted to 20–40 µm to protect the hygroscopic barrier from water vapour ingress. Food contact acceptability for such structures is evaluated under 21 CFR §177.1360 and EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, Annex I, with migration testing conducted under OM2 conditions for high-moisture foods. The conversion stage uses a seven- or nine-layer spiral mandrel blown film die with a die gap of 1.4–2.0 mm, barrier extruder barrels of 24:1–30:1 L/D, melt temperature 220–235 °C, and die temperature no higher than 240 °C; C109B pellets are dried at 80 °C for 4–6 h to below 0.3 % moisture before entering the extruder. A blow-up ratio of 2.0:1–2.6:1 and frost line height of 300–600 mm provide the balanced biaxial orientation needed to limit film curl after lamination. Terminal structures include thermoformed VSP trays with peelable lidding film, horizontal form-fill-seal pouches for sliced fermented sausage, and vertical form-fill-seal bags for shredded mozzarella, where the EVOH core must survive flexing without cracking at 4 °C.
Retortable polypropylene trays coextruded with EVOH C109B are exposed to 121 °C saturated steam for 30 min or 116 °C for 60 min, conditions that drive free water into the EVOH core and temporarily disrupt the interchain hydrogen bonding responsible for oxygen barrier. The specification for the barrier layer is 25–40 µm EVOH C109B inside a 500–1,000 µm five-layer PP/tie/EVOH/tie/PP sheet, corresponding to 3–6 % of total sheet thickness; the adhesion layers are 20–40 µm of maleic anhydride grafted PP on each side. The structure is compliant only if the EVOH layer is tested as part of the finished tray under 21 CFR §177.1360 and EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, Annex I, with OM2 retort testing at 121 °C for 30 min; seal strength is assessed according to ASTM F88/F88M-21 after retort, because interfacial weakening at the tie layer can reduce flange seal performance even when the tray body remains intact. Published post-retort recovery kinetics for this specific configuration is limited, and batch-to-batch validation against ASTM D3985-17 after 14 days at 23 °C and 50 % RH is required before commercial release.
The process conflict arises after thermal processing, when the hydrated EVOH layer swells and the PP skins contract during cooling; this differential strain concentrates at the tie layer. Production-scale lines therefore hold retort overpressure at 2.0–2.6 bar during cooling from 121 °C to below 80 °C and limit cooling ramp to 3.5 °C/min at the tray flange to prevent sidewall delamination. Thermoforming is performed on five-layer sheet produced at 220–235 °C melt temperature for the EVOH C109B extruder and 230–250 °C for the PP skins; sheet surface temperature is maintained at 160–180 °C with mold temperature of 110–130 °C. Terminal product types include retorted ready meals, shelf-stable rice bowls, wet pet food trays, and baby food containers where oxygen ingress must remain below 2.0 cm³/(m²·day·atm) after a 14-day ambient dry storage recovery period.
Blow molded 0.7 L to 12 L HDPE fuel tanks for portable fuel containers, chainsaws, trimmers and marine applications are produced with a continuous coextrusion accumulator head that places EVOH C109B as a discrete hydrocarbon barrier layer at 50–150 µm within a 5–8 mm wall, or 1–2.5 % of total wall thickness. Maleic anhydride grafted HDPE tie layers are specified at 15–40 µm each, and the HDPE skins are adjusted to 4–7 mm on each side. Permeation compliance is demonstrated under EPA 40 CFR Part 1054 evaporative emission standards for nonroad fuel tanks and the corresponding California EVAP procedures; a finished tank must maintain barrier continuity at the pinch-off weld and around the closure flange. The coextrusion blow molding line uses 90–120 mm HDPE extruders and a 45–60 mm barrier extruder, with EVOH C109B melt temperature held at 220–235 °C and head temperature no greater than 240 °C to prevent gel formation. Parison programming is used to maintain a pinch-region wall thickness above 2.5 mm, because thinning below that threshold can rupture the EVOH core and produce localized hydrocarbon permeation. Regrind of coextruded flash is limited to 20 % in the HDPE skins; higher addition levels generate gel specks from crosslinked EVOH and increase delamination risk at the tie interface. Finished product types include nonremovable head jerry cans, portable fuel containers, chain saw and brush cutter tanks, marine outboard fuel tanks, and generator tanks for gasoline and ethanol-blended fuels up to the concentration specified in the EPA test fuel matrix.
Five-layer PE-RT/tie/EVOH/tie/PE-RT pipe coextrusion lines use a discrete EVOH C109B core to suppress oxygen diffusion in hydronic heating circuits; the pipe must demonstrate oxygen permeability below 0.1 g/(m³·d) at 40 °C when tested according to ISO 17455:2005, and the finished multilayer pipe is covered under DIN 4726 requirements for oxygen barrier in hot water surface heating systems. For pipes from 16 mm to 32 mm outside diameter with SDR 7.4, the EVOH C109B layer is specified at 15–25 µm, representing 1.5–3 % of the total wall thickness; the grafted tie layers are 10–20 µm each and the PE-RT skins are 1.4–2.4 mm each. The EVOH extruder is run at 220–235 °C, while the PE-RT layers are processed at 230–250 °C; vacuum sizing and spray cooling at 15–20 °C are used to stabilize the pipe diameter and prevent EVOH layer sagging before solidification. C109B pellets must be dried to below 0.3 % moisture, because residual moisture in the barrier core forms microvoids during extrusion and reduces burst pressure under ISO 9080 internal pressure testing. Terminal product types include underfloor heating pipe, radiator connection pipe, and hydronic distribution pipe in residential and light commercial systems where oxygen ingress would otherwise accelerate corrosion of ferrous circulator and manifold components.
Three-layer and six-layer die-head configurations are used when an HDPE container must hold cyclohexanone, xylene, or emulsifiable concentrate formulations without the surface-treatment variability associated with in-line fluorination; a discrete EVOH C109B layer is placed at 15–40 µm within a 1.0–2.5 mm HDPE wall, or 1.5–3 % of total wall thickness, with maleic anhydride grafted HDPE tie layers at 20–35 µm each. Packaging compliance is demonstrated by type testing under UN Model Regulations Chapter 6.1 for rigid plastics packagings as 1H1 non-removable head jerricans or 1H2 removable head containers, with transport conformity under ADR/RID/IMDG Code. The barrier layer provides continuity across the pinch-off weld only when parison programming maintains a minimum sidewall thickness of 1.0 mm; blow pressure is set at 0.6–0.9 MPa and mold temperature at 10–20 °C to cool the HDPE skins without quenching the EVOH core too rapidly. EVOH C109B is resistant to nonpolar hydrocarbons but can be plasticized by high-load free alcohols and ketones in some solvent-based formulations; compatibility testing with the actual formulation is required before specifying the barrier layer. Terminal product types include 1 L to 20 L jerry cans, 250 mL to 1 L trigger spray bottles, and F-style containers for agricultural emulsifiable concentrates, horticultural solvents, and forestry chemical intermediates.
Aluminum-free laminated tube sleeves for oxygen-sensitive topical retinoids, vitamin C gels, and wound-care vehicles are coextruded from five-layer sheet in which EVOH C109B is embedded at 20–40 µm within a 300–400 µm sidewall, representing 5–10 % of the total laminate thickness; the structure is typically PE/tie/EVOH/tie/PE with maleic anhydride grafted PE tie layers at 15–25 µm each. Regulatory review is conducted under 21 CFR §177.1360 and EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, Annex I, with the finished tube evaluated under USP ⟨671⟩ for oxygen and moisture vapour barrier classification. The downstream process includes sheet coextrusion at 210–230 °C, slitting to sleeve width, side seam welding by hot air or ultrasonic welding, and injection molding of the shoulder and cap; the EVOH core must survive side seam welding without thinning below 10 µm or breaching at the weld flash. Terminal product types include 5 g to 100 g tubes for retinoid creams, ascorbic acid gels, diagnostic ointments, and oxygen-sensitive topical anaesthetics; compatibility with low pH actives and penetration enhancers must be confirmed because strong protic solvents can reduce EVOH barrier function during storage.
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Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer grade EVAL C109B is specified by Kuraray Co., Ltd. as a 32 mol% ethylene barrier resin for coextruded film and extrusion coating. Manufacturer-published nominal values include a melt flow rate of 1.6 g/10 min at 190 °C under 2.16 kg in ISO 1133-1:2022, density 1.17–1.19 g/cm³ in ISO 1183-1:2019, and a peak melting temperature of 183 °C by ISO 11357-3:2018. The resin is pre-dried to a maximum residual moisture of 0.3 wt% before melt processing. In cast-film structures, the grade is embedded between anhydride-modified polyolefin tie layers; direct exposure of the EVOH layer to water or high-humidity air reduces the oxygen barrier and can cause melt instability at the die lip.
Typical barrier-layer thicknesses in five-layer flexible webs range from 3 µm to 10 µm. A continuous EVOH layer of 3 µm is regarded as a practical minimum on cast-film lines using a barrier-layer screw with an L/D ratio of 24:1 to 30:1. At 2 µm and below, gauge variation and melt-defect propagation create voids that compromise oxygen barrier. Total web oxygen transmission is measured by ASTM D3985 at 23 °C and 50% RH; a 25 µm film from the 32 mol% EVOH family commonly exhibits an oxygen transmission rate below 0.01 cm³/(m²·day·atm). Published data for grade C109B at 85% RH are limited, but EVOH materials with 32 mol% ethylene generally show a fivefold to tenfold increase in oxygen transmission when relative humidity exceeds 75%.
Oxygen permeability in EVOH is controlled by free-volume hole size and hydrogen-bond density. The 32 mol% ethylene sequences disrupt the periodic hydrogen-bonded planes, lowering dry-state barrier relative to 27 mol% grades but improving melt processability. In coextruded webs, the oxygen barrier of the finished structure is estimated from the layer permeability coefficient by ASTM D3985; the reciprocal relationship between transmission rate and layer thickness holds only when the EVOH layer remains continuous and below its critical saturation moisture content. Above 70% RH, the permeability coefficient is not constant but rises with time as water diffuses into the layer.
Oxygen transmission through the EVOH layer follows P = (OTR × thickness)/Δp. For a 25 µm cast film at 23 °C and 50% RH, the permeability coefficient is below 0.25 cm³·µm/(m²·day·atm). At 85% RH, the apparent permeability coefficient can exceed 2.5 cm³·µm/(m²·day·atm). The increase is not linear and is driven by the water activity gradient across the layer. Barrier models that use a single dry permeability coefficient overpredict shelf life for high-humidity packages.
The 32 mol% ethylene concentration places C109B between lower-ethylene grades with higher dry oxygen barrier and higher-ethylene grades with lower water uptake and improved flexural fatigue resistance. The vinyl alcohol segments produce interchain hydrogen bonding that suppresses oxygen diffusion in the dry state; water molecules disrupt this network above 70% RH. At 90% RH, oxygen transmission increases by approximately one order of magnitude compared with 50% RH, consistent with plasticization and glass-transition depression in EVOH.
Lower-ethylene grades at 27 mol% provide a denser hydrogen-bonded network and lower dry oxygen permeability, but their melt processing window is narrower. Higher-ethylene grades at 38–44 mol% process at lower melt temperatures and show less moisture-induced barrier shift, but their initial dry oxygen barrier is lower. C109B is therefore specified where dry-barrier performance and cast-film melt stability must be balanced in the same layer.
Thermal degradation of EVOH above 240 °C proceeds through chain scission of vinyl alcohol and residual acetate groups, producing water, acetaldehyde, and conjugated unsaturation. The practical upper melt-temperature limit for C109B is lower than the TGA onset because gel formation from crosslinking appears before significant volatile loss. Chrome-plated screw and die surfaces are specified; copper alloys and iron oxides that catalyse degradation are avoided. Screws with high-intensity mixing elements are not used because excessive viscous heating creates localized zones above the melt-temperature limit.
Pellet moisture is reduced to 0.3 wt% or less by desiccant drying at 80 °C for 4 h with a dryer dew point of −40 °C or lower. Residual moisture above 0.3 wt% is associated on production cast-film equipment with splay, bubble defects, and die-lip deposit accumulation. Barrier-layer extrusion is run on a single-screw extruder with L/D between 24:1 and 30:1 and a compression ratio between 2.5:1 and 3.5:1. Barrel profiles begin at 180 °C near the feed pocket and rise to 220 °C in the metering zone; adapter and die temperatures are held at 225–235 °C. Melt temperature is maintained between 205 °C and 230 °C. Residence time above 240 °C is limited to 15 min; beyond this limit, gel particle formation and darkening are observed. Metering-zone pressure fluctuation is held near ±5% of mean pressure to avoid layer-thickness variation and intermittent barrier loss.
Layer-thickness uniformity is measured by optical cross-section microscopy or Raman line scans. A barrier-layer thickness standard deviation above 10% is associated with localized weak spots in oxygen-transmission testing. On cast-film lines, total web thickness is monitored continuously by beta or X-ray gauges, but the EVOH layer distribution requires off-line cross-section analysis after trial runs.
Anhydride-modified polyolefin tie layers are specified on both sides of the EVOH layer. Peel adhesion between EVOH and tie layer is evaluated by ASTM F904 or ASTM D1876; measured values below 1.5 N/15 mm in flexible laminates are associated with delamination after flex-crack testing or retort. Adjacent polyolefin skins are selected to limit water flux into the barrier layer. High-density polyethylene and polypropylene skins provide lower water-vapour transmission than low-density polyethylene and are used where the package is exposed to 85% RH or higher.
Polyamide layers in seven-layer structures require viscosity matching at the melt temperature of the cocurrent channel. If the polyamide melt-flow index at 230 °C is lower than the EVAL C109B value by more than 0.5 g/10 min, interfacial instability can appear in the barrier layer. Increasing tie-layer thickness to 15% of total web thickness and reducing die temperature to 220 °C are reported to reduce wave-like interface defects.
The melt flow rate of 1.6 g/10 min is a single-point low-shear measurement and does not define the full viscosity curve. Capillary rheometry at 210 °C and shear rates between 100 s⁻¹ and 1000 s⁻¹ is recommended for matching the barrier-layer melt with adjacent tie layers. Multilayer flow simulation packages use shear-viscosity data to predict interfacial extension and layer thickness distribution; unstable layer distribution is more likely when the EVOH layer is below 3% of total structure thickness.
In-plant edge trim containing C109B is typically re-fed into the polyolefin skin or tie layer, not into the virgin barrier layer at more than 5 wt%, because dispersed tie-layer particles reduce optical clarity and barrier continuity. Recycled polyolefin streams containing unneutralized acid-functional polymers or incompatible slip additives are monitored because acid groups can catalyse chain scission in the EVOH layer.
| Property | Nominal value | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Ethylene content | 32 mol% | Manufacturer-published data |
| Melt flow rate | 1.6 g/10 min | ISO 1133-1:2022 at 190 °C/2.16 kg |
| Density | 1.17–1.19 g/cm³ | ISO 1183-1:2019 |
| Peak melting temperature | 183 °C | ISO 11357-3:2018 |
| Residual moisture after drying | ≤0.3 wt% | ISO 15512 |
| Oxygen transmission rate of 25 µm cast film at 20 °C/50% RH | ≤0.01 cm³/(m²·day·atm) | ASTM D3985 |
PVDC-coated webs retain barrier after moderate flexing, while EVOH requires external polyolefin skins for puncture and flex-crack resistance. In packages exposed to 85% RH, the EVOH layer is positioned toward the dry side of the structure; if the barrier layer is closer than 20 µm to the moist food-contact surface, the oxygen transmission rate increases. Gelbo flex testing per ASTM F392 is used to compare barrier retention after 50 flex cycles. EVOH structures with tie-layer peel adhesion below 1.5 N/15 mm develop cracks at fold lines and lose oxygen barrier. Substitution is therefore limited to constructions where the EVOH layer is shielded from direct moisture and sharp folding.
MXD6 polyamide is an alternative oxygen barrier that retains a portion of its barrier at high humidity but has higher dry-state oxygen transmission than EVAL C109B. In retort and high-moisture packages, MXD6 and EVOH are occasionally combined in separate layers so that the MXD6 layer functions after moisture deactivation of the EVOH layer. The combination is not automatic; the layers must be separated by a tie resin to prevent interfacial viscosity mismatch and delamination.
Moisture absorption and desorption kinetics also influence package design. After exposure to 85% RH, the oxygen barrier of 32 mol% EVOH does not recover instantly when the film is dried. Water desorption is slower than absorption; conditioning for 24–48 h at 40 °C under dry nitrogen is required before reliable dry-state oxygen transmission is measured. Packages that are dried after steam sterilization must be evaluated after the full drying cycle.
Food-contact status is established only for the finished article. The EVOH resin is generally covered as an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer under FDA 21 CFR 177.1360 and under European Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 as amended, with verification of specific migration limits for residual monomers and additives according to EN 1186 and EN 13130 procedures. The converter is responsible for confirming that the tie resins, adhesives, and printing inks in the full laminate meet the applicable migration limits for the intended food type and sterilization condition.
| Standard | Scope | Condition/Note |
|---|---|---|
| FDA 21 CFR 177.1360 | Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer | Food-contact use in finished article |
| European Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 | Plastic food-contact materials | Overall migration limit 10 mg/dm²; SML verification |
| ASTM D3985 | Oxygen transmission rate | 23 °C, controlled RH |
| ASTM F392 | Flex durability of barrier films | Gelbo flex cycles |
| ASTM F904 | Peel adhesion of laminated structures | Seal/lamination peel |
| ISO 1133-1:2022 | Melt flow rate | 190 °C, 2.16 kg |
Retort and hot-fill applications require the barrier layer to be protected from steam and high-temperature water. At 121 °C for 30 min, the oxygen barrier of 32 mol% EVOH can decrease significantly if the polyolefin skins are not thick enough to control water uptake. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; barrier performance is therefore measured on the finished pouch according to ASTM D3985 after retort, not on the resin pellet.
