Expandable polystyrene density

Fig. 3. Effect of density on compressive modulus of rigid cellular polymers. A, extmded polystyrene (131) B, expanded polystyrene (150) C-1, C-2, polyether polyurethane (151) D, phenol—formaldehyde (150) E, ebonite (150) E, urea—formaldehyde (150) G, poly(vinylchloride) (152). To convert...

Economics. Rigid foam systems are typically in the range of 32 kg/m (2 Ibs/fT) and, in 1992, had a foam price of about 3.63/kg ( 1.65 per lb) with hquid foam systems at about 2.75/kg. Unit prices for pour-ia-place polyurethane packaging systems fall between the competitive expandable polystyrene bead foam at 3.30/kg and low density polyethylene foams at 5.80/kg. 

There are five basic types of polystyrene foams produced in a wide range of densities and employed in a wide variety of apphcations (/) extmded polystyrene board (2) extmded polystyrene sheet (2) expanded bead mol ding (4) injection molded stmctural foam and (5) expanded polystyrene loose-fiU packaging. 

Polystyrene is now available in certain forms in which the properties of the product are distinctly different from those of the parent polymer. Of these by far the most important is expanded polystyrene, an extremely valuable insulating material now available in densities as low as 1 Ib/ft (16kg/m ). A number of processes have been described in the literature for the manufacture of the cellular product of which four are of particular interest in the manufacture of large slabs. 

Except where the foam is surrounded by a skin of relatively impermeable material, it would be expected that the blowing gas would diffuse out and be replaced by air and that the thermal conductivities of the foams would increase until they approached that of expanded polystyrene of similar density. Whilst this... 

The most important use of polystyrene is in packaging. Molded polystyrene is used in items such as automobile interior parts, furniture, and home appliances. Packaging uses plus specialized food uses such as containers for carryout food are growth areas. Expanded polystyrene foams, which are produced by polymerizing styrene with a volatile solvent such as pentane, have low densities. They are used extensively in insulation and flotation (lifejackets). 

Brick/expanded polystyrene board in cavity/low-density 0.5 block/inside face plastered... 

Addition of rubber particles of 30% to 100% by weight to cement with a grain size of approximately 40 to 60 mesh (0.4 to 0.25 mm) will produce a lightweight cement. The addition of rubber particles also creates a low permeability. The compositions are advantageous for cementing zones subjected to extreme dynamic stresses such as perforation zones and the junctions of branches in a multi-sidetrack well. Recycled, expanded polystyrene lowers the density of a hydraulic cement formulation and is an environmentally friendly solution for downcycling waste materials. 

This equation is plotted in Fig. 11, showing that for relatively dense support particles, biofilm growth can reduce the settling velocity if the biofilm density is less than that of the biofilm-free particle. As such bioparticles gain biomass, they will rise to the top of the bed and may even elutriate from the reactor (Sreekrishnan et al., 1991 Myska and Svec, 1994), reducing achievable conversion rates. This situation could be resolved by using lower density particles, such as expanded polystyrene or... 

Figure 4.35 Thermal conductivity of expanded polystyrene beads as a function of density. Reprinted, by permission, from The Dow Chemical Company. Copyright 1966.

The absorption of butane into polystyrene proceeds more rapidly than pentane or hexane. Thus, the addition of the required amount (7% ), plus an excess only for air-purging, to polystyrene (or to rubber-modified polystyrene) particles in a sealed container provides useful expandable polystyrene after agitation for 24 hours at room temperature (27). If the butane is mixed with a noncombustible gas of lower density, the explosion hazard is avoided (50). 

Polymerization of Styrene Solutions of Volatile Hydrocarbons. Addition of Hydrocarbon before Polymerization. Bulk Polymerization. Expandable polystyrene was prepared inadvertently in 1945 in an attempt to bulk copolymerize 10% isobutylene with styrene. The product formed a low density foam when heated (96). An early method (1950) for rendering polystyrene expandable by petroleum ether was to dissolve 6 parts of petroleum ether in a 40% solution of polystyrene in benzoyl peroxide-catalyzed styrene and to hold the mass for 28 days at 32 °C. (124). In a recent version of this process, the monomer (chlorostyrene) and blowing agent (trichlorofluoromethane) in a poly (vinyl fluoride) bag were irradiated with y-rays (105). 

Low-density polystyrene foam sheet was first produced by the extrusion of expandable polystyrene beads or pellets containing pentane as blowing agent [81,82]. Currently, polystyrene foam is extruded in a single-screw tandem line or in a twin-screw extruder. 

Polystyrene-Epoxy Syntactic Foam. Hollow polystyrene microspheres are produced by heating expandable polystyrene (in other words gas-filled spheres, e.g., propane or butane-filled polystyrene) of microscopic size. The expandable polystyrene microspheres may be added to the epoxy-resin formulation, and the exothermic heat (or the heat during oven cure) can be employed for the expansion. In this manner, foams having densities as low as 80 kg/m (5 Ib/ft ) may be developed. 

Expandable Polystyrene (EPS) for Molded Foam Expandable polystyrene is produced in the form of free-flowing beads, symmetrical shapes, and strands containing an integral blowing agent, such as pentane. When exposed to heat without restraint against expansion these particles "puff" from a bulk density of about 35 lb/ft3 to as low as 0.25 Ib/ft. In... 

In unconfined pre-expansion the translucent beads grow larger and become white in color. Confined and subjected to heat, the preexpanded beads can produce a smooth-skinned closed-cell foam of controlled density, registering every detail of an intricate mold. To minimize formation of a density gradient and to ensure uniform expansion throughout the molded piece, expandable-polystyrene beads are preexpanded to the approximate required density by control of time and temperature, since the process of molding does not increase the density (6). 

Major applications for styrene plastics are summarized in Table III (23). The packaging and serviceware (disposables) markets predominate, and account for approximately 50% of the total. One of the most rapidly growing portions of these markets is in low-density (usually 1-10 Ib/ft ) polystyrene foams, either in the form of extruded foam sheet or expanded polystyrene beads (EPS). Projections indicate that production of these foams will be greater than 2000 metric tons (24). 

EPS Expanded polystyrene LLDPE Linear low density poly-... 

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