EAA HIGH-AA
Grade
ISO E/AA · also Primacor
HIGH-AA = high acid content
Maximum adhesion to aluminium foil, nylon and EVOH, and the usual base resin for dispersions/ionomers; softer and less heat resistant.
Values for the HIGH-AA condition
Other EAA grades and fills
EAA is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at EAA.
Compare all 6 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aqueous dispersion grade | High-acid EAA supplied or converted into a waterborne dispersion for primers, heat-seal coatings and metal/paper barrier coatings. | 6 | 8 | 300 | 42 Shore D |
Ionomer precursor (base acid copolymer for Zn/Na neutralization) | High-acid, controlled-MFR resin sold specifically for downstream metal-ion neutralization into Surlyn-type ionomers. | 8 | 13 | 500 | 43 Shore D |
High-melt-flow extrusion coating grade | For high-line-speed extrusion coating/laminating onto paper, board and foil where neck-in and draw-down control dominate. | 8 | 12 | 450 | 45 Shore D |
Tie-layer / coextrusion adhesive resin | Use as the adhesive layer bonding PE/PP to EVOH, PA or aluminium foil in multilayer film, sheet and pipe. | 10 | 16 | 600 | 46 Shore D |
HIGH-AAThis page High acid content | Maximum adhesion to aluminium foil, nylon and EVOH, and the usual base resin for dispersions/ionomers; softer and less heat resistant. | — | 13 | 650 | 40 Shore D |
Low acid content | Pick when higher stiffness, higher melting point and better heat resistance matter more than peel strength. | — | 22 | 500 | 55 Shore D |
What is EAA HIGH-AA?
EAA HIGH-AA is EAA in the HIGH-AA grade — maximum adhesion to aluminium foil, nylon and EVOH, and the usual base resin for dispersions/ionomers; softer and less heat resistant. EAA HIGH-AA has a yield strength of 10 MPa (1.45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 13 MPa (1.89 ksi) — weaker than 91% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 650% and the elastic modulus is 0.05 GPa (0.0073 Msi). EAA HIGH-AA has a density of 0.96 g/cm³ (0.0346 lb/in³), lighter than 74% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -25°C (-13 °F).
Advantages
- Readily welded — 92/100, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 650%, better than 94% of polymer grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2.6 kg CO₂/kg, better than 89% of polymer grades
- Conducts heat well — 0.3 W/m·K (0.173 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 85/100, better than 81% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 50°C (122 °F), worse than 94% of polymer grades
- Low strength — 10 MPa (1.45 ksi), worse than 91% of polymer grades
- Difficult to machine — 35/100, worse than 84% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2%, worse than 81% of polymer grades
EAA HIGH-AA properties
Typical room-temperature values for EAA HIGH-AA; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are EAA reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical7
EAA HIGH-AA has a density of 0.96 g/cm³ (0.0346 lb/in³), lighter than 74% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -25°C (-13 °F).
Mechanical9
EAA HIGH-AA has a yield strength of 10 MPa (1.45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 13 MPa (1.89 ksi) — weaker than 91% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 650% and the elastic modulus is 0.05 GPa (0.0073 Msi).
Thermal10
EAA HIGH-AA is rated for continuous service to 50°C (122 °F). It conducts heat at 0.3 W/m·K (0.173 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 180 µm/m·K (100 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
EAA HIGH-AA is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 30 kV/mm (762 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (80/100), worse than 52% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of EAA HIGH-AA takes about 82 MJ of energy and emits 2.6 kg of CO₂ — less than 83% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability8
EAA HIGH-AA's machinability is fair (35/100, worse than 84% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (92/100); formability excellent (85/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with EAA HIGH-AA
Is EAA easy to machine?
Rarely machined; soft and gummy — use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed/low feed, and cool with air to avoid smearing.
Can EAA be welded?
Excellent heat sealing, hot-plate, impulse and ultrasonic welding; seals initiate at low temperature (~70–90 °C) and it bonds directly to foil and polar films without adhesives.
Can EAA be formed, bent or molded?
Processes on standard PE equipment (blown/cast film, extrusion coating, injection); keep melt <300 °C and purge well — carboxyl groups attack copper/brass tooling and can crosslink on hot spots; drying is generally unnecessary but hygroscopic pickup should be checked before high-temperature coating.
What surface finishes work on EAA?
High surface energy gives good printability and ink/adhesive anchorage; corona treatment optional; not paintable in the structural sense and cannot be polished to optical quality.
EAA chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| acrylic acid (comonomer)acid level sets adhesion, Tm, stiffness | 3 – 20 | 9 |
| antioxidant/process stabilizerhindered phenol/phosphite package | 0.02 – 0.3 | 0.1 |
| slip & antiblock (film grades only)erucamide / silica, optional | 0 – 0.5 | 0 |
| ethylenerandom free-radical high-pressure copolymerization | balance | — |
EAA HIGH-AA — frequently asked
What is EAA HIGH-AA used for?
EAA HIGH-AA is typically used for extrusion coating on metal foil, tie layers in multilayer film, hot-melt adhesives and ionomer precursor resin. In short: bonds directly to foil; low-temperature heat seal; ionomer precursor resin.
What is the yield strength of EAA HIGH-AA?
EAA HIGH-AA has a typical yield strength of 10 MPa (1.45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 13 MPa (1.89 ksi) — weaker than 91% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is EAA HIGH-AA easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (35/100, worse than 84% of polymer grades). Rarely machined; soft and gummy — use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed/low feed, and cool with air to avoid smearing.
Can EAA HIGH-AA be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (92/100). Excellent heat sealing, hot-plate, impulse and ultrasonic welding; seals initiate at low temperature (~70–90 °C) and it bonds directly to foil and polar films without adhesives.
What surface finishes work on EAA HIGH-AA?
High surface energy gives good printability and ink/adhesive anchorage; corona treatment optional; not paintable in the structural sense and cannot be polished to optical quality.
Can EAA HIGH-AA be formed, bent or molded?
Processes on standard PE equipment (blown/cast film, extrusion coating, injection); keep melt <300 °C and purge well — carboxyl groups attack copper/brass tooling and can crosslink on hot spots; drying is generally unnecessary but hygroscopic pickup should be checked before high-temperature coating.
What is the maximum service temperature of EAA HIGH-AA?
EAA HIGH-AA is rated for continuous use to about 50°C (122 °F), and briefly to 90°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- PRIMACOR Ethylene-Acrylic Acid Copolymers — product and processing data — Dow / SK Functional Polymer (2022)
- NUCREL Ethylene Acid Copolymer Resins datasheets — DuPont / Dow (2021)
- ESCOR Acid Copolymers — ExxonMobil Chemical (2020)
- ASTM D1238 — Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer — ASTM (2020)
- ASTM D882 / D638 — Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting and Plastics — ASTM (2018)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector polyolefin copolymer datasets — CAMPUS / UL (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.