EMAC® and EBAC® Acrylate Copolymers

Westlake's EMAC® and EBAC® acrylate copolymers are preferred resins to improve physical properties and performance in film casting, extrusion coating, tie layer, masterbatch, and plastic compounding applications. EMAC® and EBAC®, which are ethylene methyl acrylate and ethylene butyl acrylate copolymers, respectively, are highly compatible with a wide variety of polymers and substrates that enable various durable laminations, seals, and surface modifications to be made.

 EMAC® and EBAC® grades have varying ethylene or n-butyl methacrylate content that specializes them to be used for blown or cast film manufacturing, extrusion coating and lamination, masterbatches, or compounding applications. Grades made for film manufacturing offer good antiblocking properties and either a low or high coefficient of friction, depending on end-use application. They also provide flexibility and elasticity in low-temperature and freezing environments. Additionally, many grades that are characterized by a high degree of softness and pliability are manufactured without plasticizers. Grades made for extrusion coating and lamination and tie layers, which are typically ethylene methyl acrylate polymers, maximize flexibility, improve polymer compatibility and material adhesion, and provide low heat-sealing temperatures. Grades normally meant for use in masterbatch and compounding applications offer minimal viscosity, have high filler acceptance, and are compatible with other ingredients and polymers. Some grades meant for compounding also function as impact modifiers for plastics such as PET. All grades are noncorrosive in nature, making them ideal choices for compounding.

While all EMAC® and EBAC® grades offer good performance in low-temperature environments, Westlake also offers EMAC+® and EBAC+® polymers, which contain acrylate functionality that improves performance in terms of high-temperature stability and adhesion. For more information on individual EMAC® and EBAC® grades, read on below.

Incompatibility or poor adhesion to materials such as papers, polyolefins, polyesters, ionomers, and PVC
Inadequate performance or flexibility at low temperatures
Poor filler load acceptance
Low impact resistance of PET