EBA FR
Flame-retardant grade
ISO E/BA · also Enable
FR = flame-retardant HFFR compound
Halogen-free flame-retardant cable jacket compound built on EBA base with 55–65 % mineral hydrate.
Values for the FR condition
Other EBA grades and fills
EBA is listed in 5 conditions; see the grade overview at EBA.
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 |
FRThis page 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 |
What is EBA FR?
EBA FR is EBA in the FR grade — halogen-free flame-retardant cable jacket compound built on EBA base with 55–65 % mineral hydrate. EBA FR has a tensile strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi), weaker than 78% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 160% and the elastic modulus is 0.35 GPa (0.0508 Msi). EBA FR has a density of 1.5 g/cm³ (0.0542 lb/in³), heavier than 88% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -45°C (-49 °F).
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 92/100, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 90/100, better than 91% of polymer grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2.6 kg CO₂/kg, better than 89% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.03%, better than 88% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.5 g/cm³ (0.0542 lb/in³), worse than 88% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 82% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2%, worse than 81% of polymer grades
EBA FR properties
Typical room-temperature values for EBA FR; 12 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are EBA reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
EBA FR has a density of 1.5 g/cm³ (0.0542 lb/in³), heavier than 88% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -45°C (-49 °F).
Mechanical8
EBA FR has a tensile strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi), weaker than 78% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 160% and the elastic modulus is 0.35 GPa (0.0508 Msi).
Thermal9
EBA FR is rated for continuous service to 90°C (194 °F). It conducts heat at 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 200 µm/m·K (111.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
EBA FR 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 FR 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 FR's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades); weldability excellent (92/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with EBA FR
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.
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.
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 | — |
EBA FR — frequently asked
What is EBA FR used for?
EBA FR 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 FR?
EBA FR has a typical tensile strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) — weaker than 78% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is EBA FR easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades). Not a machining material — soft and tacky; cut film/sheet with hot knife or die, chill before slitting.
Can EBA FR 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 FR?
Low surface energy — corona or flame treatment to ≥38 dyn/cm before printing, laminating or adhesive bonding; no paint adhesion without pretreatment.
Can EBA FR 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 FR?
EBA FR is rated for continuous use to about 90°C (194 °F), and briefly to 90°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.