Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)
0.75-4 usd/kgPolymerising polyethylene with vinyl acetate (EVA) produces a very tough, rubber-like, semi-opaque thermoplastic with a relatively low upper working temperature. The vinyl acetate content is adjusted, according to the application, and as a result a range of properties can be achieved. EVA is utilised in moulding, extrusion, films, coatings, adhesives and foams.
Its inherent flexibility and toughness, combined with plasticiser-free chemistry, means it presents an attractive alternative to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane resin (PUR), in some cases.
As a thermoplastic, it is relatively easy to recycle with melt-processing techniques, such as compounding and extrusion. The difficulty with EVA is that it is often combined with other materials, and used as an adhesive interlayer, which makes it challenging, if not impossible, to recycle.