Table of Contents
- 1 What are some physical properties of Styrofoam?
- 2 What is Styrofoam mainly used for?
- 3 What are the physical and chemical properties of Styrofoam?
- 4 Why is styrofoam bad for the environment?
- 5 Is styrofoam a good packaging?
- 6 What are the properties and uses of polystyrene?
- 7 Why is Styrofoam a good insulator?
- 8 What are the types of Styrofoam?
What are some physical properties of Styrofoam?
Polystyrene homopolymer, known as “crystal” polystyrene in the trade, is an amorphous, colorless, and transparent commodity thermoplastic. It is rigid, brittle, relatively hard and has excellent gamma radiation resistance, good electrical properties but has poor chemical and UV resistance.
What are 3 physical properties of Styrofoam?
| Physical Properties | ||
|---|---|---|
| Property | Unit | Value |
| Specific Gravity | g/cm3 | 1.03 to 1.06 |
| Apparent Density | g/cm3 | 0.60 to 0.65 |
| Water Absorption | % | 0.03 to 0.10 |
What is Styrofoam mainly used for?
Styrofoam is a trademarked brand of closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), commonly called “Blue Board”, manufactured as foam continuous building insulation board used in walls, roofs, and foundations as thermal insulation and water barrier.
What are the benefits of Styrofoam?
The benefits of polystyrene packaging are numerous:
- Superior insulation which protects produce from temperature changes.
- Dimensional stability and recovery.
- Light weight and easy to stack.
- Water resistant.
- Ideal for hydro cooling.
- Excellent shock absorption qualities.
- Resistant to bacterial growth.
What are the physical and chemical properties of Styrofoam?
Polystyrene
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | (C8H8)n |
| Density | 0.96–1.05 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | ~ 240 °C (464 °F; 513 K) For Isotactic Polystyrene |
| Boiling point | 430 °C (806 °F; 703 K) and depolymerizes |
What kind of material is Styrofoam?
expanded polystyrene foam
The foam that you formerly knew as styrofoam is actually expanded polystyrene foam or EPS. This material is made from polystyrene, a plastic that’s often used to make clear products like food packaging or lab equipment.
Why is styrofoam bad for the environment?
Styrofoam contains Styrene with leaches into foods and drinks served in Styrofoam containers causing contamination. When the same container is exposed to sunlight, it creates harmful air pollutants that contaminate landfills and deplete the ozone layer.
What are the different types of styrofoam?
Three major types of polystyrene include polystyrene foam, regular polystyrene plastic, and polystyrene film. Amongst the different types of foam are expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS). EPS includes the most well-known and common types of polystyrene to include styrofoam and packing peanuts.
Is styrofoam a good packaging?
Polystyrene is the material of choice for packaging because it’s nice and light. It’s easy to snap in half or crumble but, crucially, it’s strong in compression and therefore protects delicate objects if dropped or crushed. Polystyrene is also a very good insulator, meaning that it quickly accrues electrical charge.
Why is styrofoam bad for you?
Styrofoam Health Risks Exposure to styrene can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, upper respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Overexposure can cause more severe effects such as depression, headaches, fatigue, weakness, hearing loss, and disrupted kidney function.
What are the properties and uses of polystyrene?
Polystyrene Characteristics The range of properties available along with the ease of processing make polystyrene a good choice for many applications. Unmodified polystyrene is clear, rigid, brittle and moderately strong. Its electrical properties are good, though it has relatively low heat resistance.
Is Styrofoam cancerous?
In the case of polystyrene, tiny amounts of styrene may remain following manufacture and it’s this substance that may migrate. In 2014, the National Research Council in the US reviewed the evidence and concluded that styrene is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen”.
Why is Styrofoam a good insulator?
Styrofoam is a good insulator because the plastic foam contains billions of trapped gas bubbles. Gases hinder heat conduction because their molecules are very far apart making it difficult for other molecules to collide with them.
What are the characteristics of Styrofoam?
Physical characteristics. Styrofoam is blue and is normally smooth on both sides, with the exception of Perimate DI-A and Roofmate LG-A products. It is made from extruded foamed polystyrene and its structure consists of small, closed cells.
What are the types of Styrofoam?
Different types of foams are commonly called “styrofoam”, including EPS foam (expanded polystyrene), rigid insulation board foams of different foam types, foam insulation, and a wide variety of packaging foams.
Is Styrofoam the same thing as polystyrene?
Styrofoam is a form of polystyrene . The key difference between polystyrene and Styrofoam is that the polystyrene is a form of synthetic aromatic hydrocarbon polymer whereas the Styrofoam is a commercial brand of polystyrene. 1. “Polystyrene.”