EVOH E38
Grade
also EVAL, Soarnol
E38 = 38 mol% ethylene
Use for deep-draw thermoforming, blow-moulded bottles and structures that must tolerate humidity.
Values for the E38 condition
Other EVOH grades and fills
EVOH is listed in 11 conditions; see the grade overview at EVOH.
Compare all 11 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flex-crack / pinhole-resistant grade | For pouches, bag-in-box and vacuum packs that are repeatedly flexed — modified for Gelbo flex durability. | 38 | 50 | 350 | 66 Shore D |
48 mol% ethylene | Pick for very low-temperature coextrusion, flexible pouches and blend/masterbatch use where barrier demand is modest. | 40 | 48 | 330 | 67 Shore D |
44 mol% ethylene | Best choice for biaxially oriented, shrink and stretch films, and for coex with LDPE at low temperature. | 44 | 55 | 300 | 70 Shore D |
E38This page 38 mol% ethylene | Use for deep-draw thermoforming, blow-moulded bottles and structures that must tolerate humidity. | 50 | 60 | 250 | 74 Shore D |
Retort-resistant grade | Use in packages sterilised at 121–135 °C: recovers barrier quickly after steam retort and resists moisture-induced haze. | 52 | 62 | 250 | 76 Shore D |
Blow-moulding / high-viscosity grade | Low-MFR grade with high melt strength for coex bottles, cosmetic containers and large drums. | 55 | 65 | 250 | 78 Shore D |
Injection-moulding grade | High-MFR grade for coinjected preforms/containers and rigid barrier parts. | 55 | 60 | 120 | 79 Shore D |
E32Default 32 mol% ethylene | Default workhorse: best balance of oxygen barrier, processability and cost for film, sheet and bottle coex layers. | 58 | 68 | 230 | 78 Shore D |
Fuel-barrier / lamellar blend grade | Grades qualified for HDPE fuel tanks and fuel lines — either as a coex layer or dispersed as lamellae in HDPE. | 58 | 70 | 200 | 80 Shore D |
27–29 mol% ethylene | Higher barrier than the 32 mol% standard, still coextrudable with PP at normal temperatures. | 62 | 72 | 180 | 80 Shore D |
24 mol% ethylene | Choose when the lowest possible oxygen transmission is required and the structure stays dry and rigid. | 65 | 75 | 150 | 82 Shore D |
What is EVOH E38?
EVOH E38 is EVOH in the E38 grade — use for deep-draw thermoforming, blow-moulded bottles and structures that must tolerate humidity. EVOH E38 has a yield strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 52% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 250% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.348 Msi). EVOH E38 has a density of 1.17 g/cm³ (0.0423 lb/in³), lighter than 54% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 62°C (144 °F). E32 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; E38 is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 0.32 W/m·K (0.185 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 88% of polymer grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 250%, better than 79% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 4.5%, worse than 99% of polymer grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 68/100, worse than 85% of polymer grades
EVOH E38 properties
Typical room-temperature values for EVOH E38; 30 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are EVOH reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical7
EVOH E38 has a density of 1.17 g/cm³ (0.0423 lb/in³), lighter than 54% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 62°C (144 °F).
Mechanical14
EVOH E38 has a yield strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 52% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 250% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.348 Msi).
Thermal11
EVOH E38 is rated for continuous service to 85°C (185 °F). It conducts heat at 0.32 W/m·K (0.185 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 88% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 85 µm/m·K (47.2 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
EVOH E38 has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (68/100), worse than 85% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of EVOH E38 takes about 90 MJ of energy and emits 4.2 kg of CO₂ — less than 75% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability8
EVOH E38's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability good (58/100); formability very good (78/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with EVOH E38
Is EVOH easy to machine?
Rarely machined; if a thick coex sheet must be trimmed, use sharp tools and low heat — the resin is notch sensitive when dry and picks up moisture from coolant.
Can EVOH be welded?
Heat-seals and welds readily to itself but not to polyolefins; always use maleic-anhydride-grafted tie layers in coex structures.
Can EVOH be formed, bent or molded?
Dry to <0.1% moisture, extrude at 190–230 °C with streamlined, dead-spot-free flow paths and short residence time to avoid gels and cross-linking; purge with LDPE/EVA at shutdown.
What surface finishes work on EVOH?
Buried as an internal layer, so no surface finishing; surface EVOH would need corona treatment for printing and must be protected from liquid water.
EVOH 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 |
|---|---|---|
| ethylenemol% of copolymer; grade designation is the ethylene mole fraction | 24 – 48 | 32 |
| residual vinyl acetatesaponification degree normally >99% | 0 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| stabilizers / lubricantsantioxidant, acid scavenger, boron compounds for gel control | 0 – 1 | 0.3 |
| vinyl alcoholmol%; formed by full saponification of vinyl acetate units | ≥ 52 (balance) | — |
EVOH E38 — frequently asked
What is EVOH E38 used for?
EVOH E38 is typically used for multilayer food packaging film, barrier bottles, co-extruded pouches, fuel tank barrier layers and medical packaging. In short: highest oxygen barrier polymer; coextrusion core layer only; barrier lost when wet.
What is the yield strength of EVOH E38?
EVOH E38 has a typical yield strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 52% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 11 listed tempers.
Is EVOH E38 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades). Rarely machined; if a thick coex sheet must be trimmed, use sharp tools and low heat — the resin is notch sensitive when dry and picks up moisture from coolant.
Can EVOH E38 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (58/100). Heat-seals and welds readily to itself but not to polyolefins; always use maleic-anhydride-grafted tie layers in coex structures.
What surface finishes work on EVOH E38?
Buried as an internal layer, so no surface finishing; surface EVOH would need corona treatment for printing and must be protected from liquid water.
Can EVOH E38 be formed, bent or molded?
Dry to <0.1% moisture, extrude at 190–230 °C with streamlined, dead-spot-free flow paths and short residence time to avoid gels and cross-linking; purge with LDPE/EVA at shutdown.
What is the maximum service temperature of EVOH E38?
EVOH E38 is rated for continuous use to about 85°C (185 °F), and briefly to 130°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between EVOH E32 and EVOH Flex?
E32 is the default condition — default workhorse: best balance of oxygen barrier, processability and cost for film, sheet and bottle coex layers. Flex: for pouches, bag-in-box and vacuum packs that are repeatedly flexed — modified for Gelbo flex durability. Yield strength is 58 MPa in E32 versus 38 MPa in Flex.
Sources
- EVAL EVOH resin grade data and processing guide — Kuraray (EVAL Europe / EVAL Americas) (2023)
- Soarnol EVOH technical data sheets — Mitsubishi Chemical (Nippon Gohsei) (2022)
- Handbook of Plastic Films / Barrier Polymers and Structures — ACS / Rapra (2010)
- EVOH (2026)
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.