Barex^® resins are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for direct food contact and certain non-carbonated, aseptic-filled beverages. Barex^® is also classified by US Pharmacopeia as a Class VI plastic for medical/ pharmaceutical packaging and is listed under FDA Drug Master File No. 2343. In addition, Barex^® is approved in the European Union for direct food contact, beverage use, and liquor packaging (up to 50% alcohol content). 

The chemistry behind Barex^® makes it readily convertible into film, sheet and bottles on standard equipment using extrusion, injection and molding techniques. Whether used in thermoforming sheet, stretching bottles or engineering applications, products made with Barex^® offer uniform thickness top to bottom. It all adds up to a practical solution with exceptional value. 

Most plastics panels buckle or weaken from contact with acids, bases and other corrosive compounds. Barex^® has the chemical resistance to withstand many of the world’s most aggressive chemicals and the ability to resist permeation, absorption and attack by aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, chlorinated solvents, monomers, chemical blowing agents, salt solutions, acids and bases. Barex^® is extremely inert.

Barex^® provides an exceptional barrier to oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. In fact, it has the lowest oxygen permeability of any single layer packaging system. As the chart below demonstrates, Barex^® possesses an oxygen barrier that is typically 8-10 times more effective than polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Additionally, the oxygen performance of Barex^® is independent of humidity - unlike, for example, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH). It offers consistent barrier protection in a wide range of conditions. 

Barex’s chemical resistance is another attractive feature; this allows it to package a wide range of chemicals and solvents. The chart below highlights just a few of the many chemical compounds that can safely be packaged with Barex^® without adverse chemical interaction.

Popular Chemical Compounds:

In addition to its chemical properties, Barex^® also demonstrates excellent compatibility with (inertness to) a wide range of foods, edible oils, industrial, automotive and household products and cosmetics. For illustrative purposes, the chart below compares the chemical resistance of Barex^® and several competing barrier resins to two different ingredients: methyl salicylate (an active ingredient found in mouthwash and food flavouring) and d-Limonene, a natural flavor found in fruit juices and household products (terpene derivative and a soy methyl ester competitor). The figures show the amount of the active ingredient absorbed by the different barrier resins at various points over a specified time period (30 days). As these charts demonstrate, Barex^® significantly outperforms other contact layer resins. 

*Packaging consisted of a multi-layer sachet with an internal contact layer consisting of either Barex, EVA, LDPE, or an Ionomer.

*Packaging consisted of a multi-layer sachet with an internal contact layer consisting of either Barex, EVA, LDPE, or an Ionomer.

Barex^® is an impact-modified acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymers with excellent gas barrier and a wide range of chemical resistance properties. INEOS Barex produces 6 different grades of Barex^® based on end processing:

GRADE	MFR (g/10 min)	DENSITY	TECH DATA SHEET	SDS	TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
Barex 210 Extrusion Grade	3 (200°C/27.5 lbs)	1.15			Barex 210 Extrusion Grade resin can easily be used in sheet extrusion, thermoforming, and extrusion blow molding, to produce high barrier packaging containers.
Barex 210 Film Grade	3 (200°C/27.5 lbs)	1.15			Barex Film Grade resin can easily be used for producing high barrier film and laminate structures. It is specifically designed to run on demanding film manufacturing equipment to produce a high quality film.
Barex 210 Injection Grade	12 (200°C/27.5 lbs)	1.15			Barex Injection Grade resin can easily be used in injection molding, injection blow molding, and injection stretch blow molding of high barrier containers and chemically resistant parts.
Barex 214 Calender Grade	3 (200°C/27.5 lbs)	1.13			Barex Calender Grade resin is specifically formulated for calendering lines, and can easily be manufactured into film and sheet for high barrier packaging.
Barex 218 Extrusion Grade	3 (200°C/27.5 lbs)				Barex 218 Extrusion Grade resin has increased flexibility and higher impact resistance than the standard Barex 210 resins. It can be used for the same uses as 210 EN to produce larger bottles and ultra-deep-draw thermoformed trays for high barrier packaging applications.

Because of its excellent strength, Barex^® can also match the stiffness of other resins at reduced thickness; allowing for source reduction as well as lighter packaging, which can translate into substantial cost savings to the end-user.

Barex^® is a practical solution with exceptional value.