Mdo barrier film, package laminates containing the same, and methods of making the same

A machine directional oriented (MDO) 9-layer film, produced by process comprising the steps of:

• 1) providing 5 sublayers comprising, in sequence from outside to inside, a first polyethylene (PE) layer, a first tie layer, an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) layer, a second tie layer, and a second PE layer;
• 2) coextruding the 5 sublayers into a multi-layer film and blowing the film up into a bubble;
• 3) collapsing the bubble through nip rolls to flatten the bubble to make the second PE layer inside the bubble in direct contact to form a collapsed film;
• and
• 4) stretching the collapsed film in machine direction to form the MDO 9-layer film.