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ABSTRACT
Molded or extruded expandable polystyrene (EPS) is primarily used for the thermal insulation of buildings as well as the packaging of industrial or food products. With its low orders of magnitude and high thermal insulating power, this rigid and low density cellular material possess remarkable mechanical, electrical and chemical properties, whilst also exhibiting excellent forming abilities. Large scale styrene production and the ease of monomer polymerization have resulted in a particularly favorable cost price for the two major markets of expanded polystyrene. Recycling and waste conversion are the subject of rapid growth in industrial and commercial EPS sectors.
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Daniel WYART: Former Marketing Director - BASF Coatings SAS
INTRODUCTION
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a rigid, low-density alveolar material, mainly used for thermal insulation in buildings and for packaging industrial and food products.
There are two types of expanded polystyrene:
molded expanded polystyrene (PSE-M) ;
extruded polystyrene foam (PSE-E) or XPS (Extruded polystyrene foam).
EPS-M is obtained from crystal polystyrene to which a blowing agent (pentane, C 5 H 12 ) has been added during polymerization.
EPS-E is obtained during extrusion by injecting an expansion gas (pentane) under pressure into the molten crystal polymer.
The most outstanding properties of expanded polystyrene are :
its low density;
thermal insulation ;
excellent mechanical properties (compressive strength, shock absorption);
its insensitivity to water;
its ease of shaping (molding, cutting);
recyclability.
Last but not least, the large-scale production of styrene and the ease with which this monomer can be polymerized make it a particularly attractive property/price compromise for the two main markets for expanded polystyrene.
The discovery of polystyrene dates back to 1839, but it was first used industrially in Germany and the USA in 1933. The first process used (aqueous suspension) was discontinuous.
By the 1940s, both continuous and discontinuous "bulk" polymerization processes were appearing. The "continuous mass" process triumphed in the 1960s, thanks to technological advances enabling the heat produced by polymerization (∼ 710 kJ/kg) to be dissipated.
Expanded polystyrene was invented in 1944 by Ray Mc Intire (1919-1996) while working for Dow Chemical. Discovered by chance, this polystyrene was marketed under the name "Styrofoam". A rigid, low-density material, it was first used as thermal insulation in the building industry.
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Expanded polystyrene or EPS
Manufacturing expandable polystyrene beads
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Syndicat National des Plastiques Alvéolaires – SNPA [email protected]http://www.snpa.fr
...Economic data
The global EPS market totalled 3.75 million tonnes in 2004, of which 46% was used in packaging.
The breakdown of the insulation and packaging markets varies from one continent to another. These are entirely representative of building traditions (whether or not to insulate) and the importance of industries using EPS packaging. In Japan, for example, a leader in the electronics sector and the world's...
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