Extrusion coaters running aluminum foil, metallized film, or paper structures know the bottleneck: adhesion to the polar substrate falls short, line speed gets pulled back, or a primer station becomes mandatory. Exxtra Adhere EAA8409 was built for that exact trade-off. Formerly known as Escor 5050, this ethylene acrylic acid copolymer carries 9.0 wt% acrylic acid at a mid-range melt index of 8.4 g/10 min, putting it in a working window where substrate adhesion and coextrusion compatibility do not have to be traded against each other. In our experience supplying EAA grades to converters across Asia, the 9% acid tier is where foil bonding starts to become forgiving on surface variation—without pushing melt viscosity so low that neck-in compromises edge trim.

Product Specifications

Typical values from ExxonMobil’s public technical data sheet. These are representative values, not specification limits.

Processing note: recommended extrusion coating range is 260–280 °C. Temperatures above 300 °C may initiate resin degradation. Exposed metal surfaces in the extruder and die should be corrosion-resistant or nickel/chrome plated. Purge with LDPE or a suitable cleaning compound before shutdown.

Key Properties

Primer-free adhesion to foil and polar substrates. The 9.0 wt% acrylic acid content delivers enough polarity to bond directly to aluminum foil, metallized films, paper, iron, steel, and glass. The TDS explicitly lists these substrates under adhesion performance—not as a qualified maybe, but as the design intent of the grade.

Balanced interlayer adhesion with LDPE and EVA. A tie layer that grips the substrate but slips against the adjacent polyethylene layer is only half a solution. EAA8409 is characterized for both substrate adhesion and interlayer adhesion with coextruded LDPE and EVA, which matters in coextrusion coating and extrusion lamination where the EAA layer sits between foil and a sealant web.

Mid-melt-index draw-down at production speeds. At 8.4 g/10 min, the grade holds a draw-down of 180 m/min at 280 °C in ExxonMobil pilot coating trials, while neck-in measures 4.2 cm at 50 m/min and 3.3 cm at 100 m/min under the same output conditions. For coaters running foil or paper at commercial line speeds, that is a usable operating envelope rather than a laboratory number.

No slip, no antiblock, no thermal stabilizer added. The additive package is intentionally bare. Converters who need coefficient-of-friction control or specific release behavior can formulate at their own level rather than inheriting an additive profile that conflicts with downstream sealing or printing.

Applications

Aluminum-containing packaging and foil lamination. A converter producing pharmaceutical blister lidding and food foil laminates moved from a primed LDPE structure to EAA8409 as the foil-facing tie layer. The reported result was elimination of the primer station and a measurable reduction in solvent handling, with peel strength maintained after forming and retort exposure. This is the classic EAA use case, and the 9% acid level is what makes the primer redundant in many foil gauges.

Paper and liquid packaging. In paperboard extrusion coating for liquid packaging and cup stock, EAA8409 coextruded with LDPE allows the EAA face to anchor to the paper fiber while the LDPE face provides the heat-seal and moisture barrier. A paper converter running liquid packaging board noted that fiber tear in adhesion testing became more consistent when the EAA layer was introduced, particularly on board grades with recycled fiber content where surface sizing varies batch to batch.

Metallized film and cable shielding. Metallized PET and OPP surfaces are low-energy and notoriously difficult for standard polyethylene to wet and hold. The acid functionality in EAA8409 provides a chemical handle on the metal layer. In cable shielding constructions, the grade is used as a polar functional layer between the metal shield and the outer jacket where adhesion to the metallic surface is the limiting requirement. If your structure also involves PC or ABS jacketing or connector housings, our engineering plastics portfolio covers those adjacent material decisions.

One boundary worth stating plainly: EAA8409 is not intended for medical applications, and food-contact compliance is application-specific—ExxonMobil directs converters to confirm intended use with their customer service representative rather than issuing a blanket FDA statement on the TDS. We flag this early because medical sterilization film inquiries come up regularly, and the grade should not be positioned there.

Technical Comparison

The comparison is not a ranking. Lower-acid EAA grades (6–7.5%) remain appropriate where adhesion demands are moderate and heat-seal initiation temperature or organoleptics dominate. EAA8409 sits at the point where foil and metallized substrates become low-risk rather than developmental.

Supply Chain and Logistics

Qingdao Prime Union Trade Co., Ltd. has supplied engineering thermoplastics for over two decades as an authorized distributor for Chimei, SABIC, Hanwha Total, and Hyosung, with direct supply relationships covering Mitsubishi, Rohm, Double Elephant, and LG. The portfolio includes ABS, PC, PP, PMMA, EVA, and EAA grades. Four owned warehouses across China support general trade, processing trade with handbooks, and bonded warehouse transactions. Exxtra Adhere EAA8409 is maintained in regular inventory; available volumes are confirmed at order stage.

Where the EAA layer needs a compounded or color-matched substrate, sister company Qingdao Primetech Plastics covers PC, ABS, PP, PA, PBT, PPS, PPA, and PETG modification, including toughening, filling, PC/ABS alloying, flame retardancy, coloring, and medical-grade masterbatch. Standard colors and basic modifications follow a 3-day sample and 7-day production cadence. PETG sealant or PC-containing rigid components can be coordinated through the same technical channel rather than split across suppliers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is EAA8409 the same as Escor 5050?

A: Yes. ExxonMobil has consolidated the former Escor EAA line under the Exxtra Adhere brand. EAA8409 is the current designation for the grade previously sold as Escor 5050. Density, melt index, and acrylic acid content are unchanged.

Q: Does the TDS confirm FDA or EU food-contact compliance?

A: The public TDS does not issue a blanket food-contact statement. It directs users to contact ExxonMobil customer service for compliance assessment against specific FDA, EU, or HPFB requirements based on the intended application and conditions of use. The grade is explicitly not intended for medical applications. Converters should confirm the regulatory position for their end-use before commercial production.

Q: Can I run EAA8409 without a primer on aluminum foil?

A: In many foil extrusion coating and lamination structures, yes—the 9% acrylic acid content is designed to bond directly to aluminum. Whether a primer can be eliminated depends on foil surface condition, line speed, and post-lamination stresses such as forming or retort. A peel test on production-representative foil is the practical decision point.

Q: What is the sample and minimum order position?

A: Samples are fee-based, with the sample cost credited toward the first full order. Minimum order quantities depend on packaging format and whether the transaction runs through general trade, processing trade, or bonded warehouse channels. Technical data sheets and processing guidance are available with sample requests.

Q: What happens if the extruder runs above the recommended temperature?

A: The TDS recommends 260–280 °C for coating and flags that temperatures above 300 °C may cause resin degradation. Corrosion risk on exposed metal surfaces increases if the melt is overheated or held at temperature. Purge with LDPE or a cleaning compound before shutdown, and confirm that extruder and die metallurgy is corrosion-resistant or plated.

One-sentence conclusion: Exxtra Adhere EAA8409 puts 9% acrylic acid at a draw-down-capable 8.4 melt index, giving foil, metallized film, and paper converters a primer-free tie layer without sacrificing coextrusion compatibility.

Source: ExxonMobil — Exxtra™ Adhere EAA8409 Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer Technical Data Sheet.