Eps is recyclable at many stages of its life cycle. Building product safety alert use of acp and eps as external wall cladding rendered eps eps is a lightweight plastic material commonly used in packaging as well as in the building and construction industry. Foam polystyrene can be more than 95 percent air and is widely used to make home and appliance insulation, lightweight protective packaging, surfboards, foodservice and. Abstract expanded polystyrene eps is one of the building material. Properties, performance and design fundamentals of. Designed primarily for building insulation, the specification does not cover cryogenic applications. Suite 201 crofton, md 21114 8006073772 1298 cronson blvd. Expanded polystyrene market size eps industry report, 2027.
The great importance of eps recovery is related to the materials short service life and the high volume of eps. It has good thermal insulation properties with stiffness and compression strength comparable to medium clay. Expanded polystyrene has a flame spread index of 20 and a smoke developed index of 150300 when tested in accordance with astm e84ul 723 for densities from 0. It is also used extensively in low temperature warehouses, food. An environmentallyfriendly product, it can be recycled easily, and is 100% nontoxic. This page shows summary ranges across both of them. Eps is a closed cell, lightweight foam plastic insulation that is compatible with all commercial roofing systems. Generalpurpose polystyrene gpps highimpact polystyrene. Comparison of some engineering properties of expanded. It is manufactured in large block form in a variety of strengths and cut to order based on the project specifications. Pdf inspection of properties of expanded polystyrene eps. Expanded polystyrene is designated by plastic resin identification code 6.
When compared to brick veneer, theres no doubt that expanded polystyrene has superior thermal properties. Properties, performance and design fundamentals of expanded polystyrene packaging expanded polystyrene expanded polystyrene eps is a generic term for polystyrene and styrene copolymers that are expanded into a variety of useful products. The global expanded polystyrene market size was estimated at usd 9. Foam polystyrene can be more than 95 percent air and is widely used to make home and appliance insulation, lightweight protective packaging. Properties, performance and design fundamentals of expanded polystyrene packaging. The properties of ps include two common variations. Polystyrene literally translated is polymerised styrene. Properties, performance and design fundamentals of expanded. Background on european experience with eps in road constmction over the pa t 20 years is provided. Applications of expanded polystyrene expanded polystyrene eps is used for the production of a number of applications such as. Epp has successfully been utilized in a variety of industries and applications where it is well suited to solve a number of common and difficult design, application and manufacturing problems.
Expanded polystyrene is 100% recyclable and is designated by plastic resin identification. Expanded polystyrene eps roofing solutions for more than 35 years, expanded polystyrene eps roof insulation has been an exceptional building solution for a new or remodeling construction project. The material has been modified by the addition of flame retardant additives. Expanded polystyrene foam insulation eps is made with small foam beads that are placed in a mold. It was also found that densification strain of high.
Eps expanded polystyrene is an excellent material for packaging and for construction as it is a light yet rigid foam with good thermal insulation and high impact resistance. A systematic investigation was performed based on a statistical. In this study, processingstructuremechanical properties relationships in expanded wood fiber polystyrene composites epsc made with a physical blowing agent were investigated. Cushion curve properties of expanded polystyrene packaging.
Expanded polystyrene eps is widespread in the environment owing to its many uses, however, limited research has been conducted on eps foams. The expanded version of polystyrene is about forty times the volume of the original polystyrene granule. Utilization of expanded polypropylene epp in component or product designs. Expanded polystyrene eps materials sold for construction use have a fire retardant modifier, but are considered combustible, as are all organic materials. Static and dynamic mechanical properties of expanded. Polystyrene, a hard, stiff, brilliantly transparent synthetic resin produced by the polymerization of styrene. The national construction code allows the use of expanded polystyrene on townhouses and houses class 1 buildings. Expanded polystyrene eps geofoam is a lightweight material that has been used in engineering applications since at least the 1950s. Characteristics of expanded polystyrene eps and its impact on.
For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. Among all the previous studies, the most comprehensive test on eps compressive properties was carried out by ouellet et al. Also, this article attempts to describe the properties of eps in terms of fire. Expanded polystyrene eps is a generic term for polystyrene and styrene copolymers that are expanded into a variety of useful products. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare ps to.
This method of manufacture can result in interconnected voids between the beads which potentially can provide pathways for. This study focuses on developing an efficient method for the preparation of microsized eps foams for research purposes and compares it with previous microplastics preparation methods reported in 68. This publication aims to provide balanced information based on the manufacture, use and recovery from waste of eps in the packaging and construction sectors. The noncompliant use of expanded polystyrene as external wall cladding presents an increased risk of. According to epsia icf organization, the typical density of eps used for insulated concrete forms expanded polystyrene concrete is 1. Uses of polystyrene polystyrene foams are used for a variety of applications because of its excellent set of properties including good thermal insulation, good damping properties and being extremely light weight. Highimpact polystyrene hips styrene butadienblock copolymer sbs 2. Polystyrene also is made into a foam material, called expanded polystyrene eps or extruded polystyrene xps, which is valued for its insulating and cushioning properties. Application of expanded polystyrene eps in buildings and. In linings where expanded polystyrene material is attached to a rigid substrate and is provided with a protective exterior facing, the risk of flame spread is also affected by the physical thermal properties of the surface on to which the expanded polystyrene.
It is designed for use in foundation, wall and roof insulation applications in new commercial or residential buildings. Trueboard type i expanded polystyrene insulation trueboard type 1 does not contain hfcs, cfcs or hcfcs. Properties of eps eps has been a material of choice for over half a century because of its technical versatility, performance and cost effectiveness. Pdf insulated concrete form icf is an emerging construction technology using the interlocking of expanded polystyrene eps sheet with.
Expanded polystyrene eps is a commonly used polymer in the packaging industry. Physical properties of expanded polystyrene astm c578 property type xi type i type viii type ii type ix type xiv type xv nominal density lbft. Eps specs physical properties of eps building code. Eps is supplied to molders in the form of a polystyrene bead. Eps blocks or boards used in building construction are commonly cut using hot wires. Expanded polystyrene insulation permatherm s eps products were tested by underwriters laboratories, inc. Eps insulation is composed of organic elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and does not contain chlorofluorocarbons cfcs or hydrochlorofluorocarbons hcfcs. Pdf recycling of expanded polystyrene from packaging. Styroboard xps extruded polystyrene sheets are strong and durable, making it an ideal product for use across a range of construction and building applications both residential and commercial. These beads are exposed to steam while in the mold which causes the beads to expand and stick together. Expanded polystyrene physical properties expanded polystyrene has a flame spread index of 20 and a smoke developed index of 150300 when tested in accordance with astm e84ul 723 for densities from 0.
In solution or modified bulk polymerization, the reaction takes place as the monomer is dissolved in a small amount of solvent, such as ethylbenzene. Datasheet for typical physical properties of expanded polystyrene eps or styrofoam from universal foam products. Expanded polystyrene eps is commonly used for insulation and packaging materials due some advantages as versatility, dimensional stability and low cost. To compare the old gsa specs with the new, please refer to tables 1 and 2. Pdf download for dependence of thermal properties of expandable.
Properties of expanded polystyrene packaging the fundamental objectives of transport packaging materials are to preserve and protect a product from damage through the manufacturing process to delivery at its final destination. It is widely used in many everyday applications where its light weight, strength, durability, thermal insulation and shock absorption characteristics provide economic, high performance products. Rapid rise of the packaging industry in emerging markets including brazil, china, and india, as a result of increasing manufacturing output on a domestic level is expected to drive the growth. Icf is a composite of concrete and expanded polystyrene eps, which enhances the insulation and other mechanical properties to the building. An objective comparison of rigid polystyrene insulations. A resilient and robust construction material boasting a high compressive strength and a superior thermal performance, styroboard xps is the number one. Properties of expanded polystyrene with those of soils d. This is quantified through the rvalue of the two materials, or thermal resistance, which is an approximate measurement of how much the material impedes the transfer of heat. Recycled expanded polystyrene as lightweight aggregate. This is either type ii or type ix eps according to astm c578. Physical properties of eps, according to as 66, part 3 1992.
Xps extruded polystyrene is also plastic foam based on polystyrene. In the latter study, based on the shpb tests of eps with density 112 kgm 3 and 61 kgm 3, ouellet et al. Dependence of thermal properties of expandable polystyrene. A high rvalue retained even after prolonged exposure in high moisture environments.
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