EBA
ISO E/BA · also Enable
EBA is a flexible ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer supplied under the Enable name, with the acrylate comonomer providing low-temperature flexibility and clarity at 0.925 g/cm3, 8 MPa tensile strength, 700 % elongation and 33 Shore D.
Reference datasheet — EBA is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
EBA grades and fills
EBA is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 5 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hot-melt adhesive grade | Low-viscosity grade for hot-melt adhesive formulation, sealant layers and wax/tackifier blends. | 3 | 4 | 600 | 28 Shore D |
Extrusion coating / lamination grade | Broad-MWD grade with good neck-in/draw-down for coating paper, foil and board with heat-seal and adhesion. | 4 | 8 | 650 | 33 Shore D |
High comonomer | Very soft, low-melting elastomeric grade for high filler loading, impact modification and tack-critical adhesives. | 5 | 850 | 22 Shore D | |
Flame-retardant HFFR compound | Halogen-free flame-retardant cable jacket compound built on EBA base with 55–65 % mineral hydrate. | 11 | 160 | 45 Shore D | |
Low comonomer | Choose when more stiffness, higher melting point and better film strength are needed than high-BA grades. | 13 | 600 | 43 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways EBA is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
MB | Masterbatch carrier / filler-carrier grade | Supply form |
FDA | Food-contact / FDA-compliant grade | Certification |
UV | UV-stabilized / carbon-black weatherable grade | Grade option |
NATDefault | Unfilled / Natural | Standard supply |
What is EBA?
EBA is a flexible ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer supplied under the Enable name, with the acrylate comonomer providing low-temperature flexibility and clarity at 0.925 g/cm3, 8 MPa tensile strength, 700 % elongation and 33 Shore D. It is used as cable jacketing and insulation, as a hot-melt adhesive base, and as an impact modifier or softening blend component in polyolefin film, with low- and high-BA, HMA, extrusion-coating, FR, UV, FDA and masterbatch grades on file. Maximum service temperature is 70 C and stiffness is very low, so it is a modifier and flexible-layer resin rather than a structural material. EVA is the nearest alternative where higher polarity and lower cost matter more than thermal stability. EBA has a density of 0.93 g/cm³ (0.0334 lb/in³), lighter than 79% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -45°C (-49 °F). EBA has a tensile strength of 8 MPa (1.16 ksi), weaker than 81% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 700% and the elastic modulus is 0.05 GPa (0.0073 Msi).
What is EBA used for?
- wire and cable insulation
- hot-melt adhesive formulations
- flexible film blends
- impact modification of polyolefins
Advantages
- Readily welded — 92/100, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 700%, better than 96% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 90/100, better than 91% of polymer grades
- Conducts heat well — 0.33 W/m·K (0.191 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 89% of polymer grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2.6 kg CO₂/kg, better than 89% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 15/100, worse than 99% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 82% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2%, worse than 81% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 70°C (158 °F), worse than 77% of polymer grades
EBA properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
EBA has a density of 0.93 g/cm³ (0.0334 lb/in³), lighter than 79% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -45°C (-49 °F).
Mechanical8
EBA has a tensile strength of 8 MPa (1.16 ksi), weaker than 81% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 700% and the elastic modulus is 0.05 GPa (0.0073 Msi).
Thermal9
EBA is rated for continuous service to 70°C (158 °F). It conducts heat at 0.33 W/m·K (0.191 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 89% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 200 µm/m·K (111.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
EBA is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 65% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of EBA 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
EBA's machinability is poor (15/100, worse than 99% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (92/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. EBA is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with EBA
Is EBA easy to machine?
Not a machining material — soft and tacky; cut film/sheet with hot knife or die, chill before slitting.
Can EBA be welded?
Excellent heat, impulse and hot-air/extrusion welding; seal initiation typically 20–40 °C below the grade's melting point.
Can EBA be formed, bent or molded?
Processes on standard LDPE equipment (blown/cast film, extrusion coating, injection) at 150–230 °C melt; dry pellets are hygroscopically inert but high-BA grades need cooled, anti-block-treated handling to avoid pellet blocking.
EBA 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 |
|---|---|---|
| butyl acrylate (comonomer)wt % in copolymer; defines softness, Tm and polarity | 4 – 35 | 17 |
| antioxidant / process stabilizertypical additive package | 0.05 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| anti-block / slip agentpellet anti-tack for high-BA grades | 0 – 0.5 | 0.1 |
| ethylenehigh-pressure free-radical random copolymerization | balance |
What surface finishes work on EBA?
Low surface energy — corona or flame treatment to ≥38 dyn/cm before printing, laminating or adhesive bonding; no paint adhesion without pretreatment.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to EBA in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- E/BA
- Trade names
- Enable
How much does EBA cost?
EBA is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
EBA — frequently asked
What is EBA used for?
EBA is typically used for wire and cable insulation, hot-melt adhesive formulations, flexible film blends and impact modification of polyolefins. In short: flexible at low temperature; runs on LDPE equipment; hot-melt adhesive base.
What is the tensile strength of EBA?
EBA has a typical tensile strength of 8 MPa (1.16 ksi) — weaker than 81% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is EBA easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (15/100, worse than 99% of polymer grades). Not a machining material — soft and tacky; cut film/sheet with hot knife or die, chill before slitting.
Can EBA be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (92/100). Excellent heat, impulse and hot-air/extrusion welding; seal initiation typically 20–40 °C below the grade's melting point.
What surface finishes work on EBA?
Low surface energy — corona or flame treatment to ≥38 dyn/cm before printing, laminating or adhesive bonding; no paint adhesion without pretreatment.
Can EBA be formed, bent or molded?
Processes on standard LDPE equipment (blown/cast film, extrusion coating, injection) at 150–230 °C melt; dry pellets are hygroscopically inert but high-BA grades need cooled, anti-block-treated handling to avoid pellet blocking.
What is the maximum service temperature of EBA?
EBA is rated for continuous use to about 70°C (158 °F), and briefly to 90°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does EBA cost?
EBA is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Lotryl EBA copolymer grade range technical data — Arkema (2023)
- Elvaloy AC ethylene butyl acrylate copolymer resins — Dow / DuPont (2022)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector ethylene-acrylate copolymer property sets — CAMPUS Consortium (2024)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- ISO 1133 / ISO 527 / ISO 306 test methods for thermoplastics — ISO (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.