Extruded Polystyrene Foam-plastic Board
Oliverio Gallman
FANFOLD foam residing board is a thin perforated, extruded polystyrene foam board faced on one side with a plastic film facer and combines proven XPS foam technology with a unique design to enhance the application of new or replacement siding. FANFOLD foam residing board is generally intended for application as a backer board for residing applications where it provides a flat uniform surface for the application of new siding products during remodeling for use in residential and commercial exterior wall construction.
\nExtruded polystyrene foam board, commonly known as XPS foam board, is a versatile and robust insulation material widely utilized in various construction applications. This material is renowned for its excellent thermal resistance, moisture resistance, and durability, making it an ideal choice for insulation needs.\n
\nThere are several types of extruded polystyrene to choose from, each serving different applications. From foamular 250 for heavy-duty requirements to foamular 150 for standard insulation, the product's adaptability makes it suitable for use in cavity walls, cool rooms, and beneath concrete slabs. Its application extends to both residential and commercial buildings, providing an energy-efficient solution for external walls and roofing systems.\n
\nThe XPS insulation board boasts a unique structure that provides a tight seal against air leaks, enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings. Its high compressive strength means it can withstand heavy loads, making it suitable for a variety of structural applications. Additionally, the extruded polystyrene foam offers sound insulation properties, reducing noise transmission and contributing to a quieter indoor environment.\n
\nExtruded polystyrene insulation is made from a blend of materials that contribute to its long lifespan and resistance to corrosion. The sustainability of XPS foam is evident in its eco-friendly nature, as it helps reduce the consumption of natural resources by minimizing energy waste. Products like foamular NGX represent the latest advancements in environmentally conscious materials within this category.\n
\nWhile XPS board comes in standard sizes, customization is readily available to meet specific project requirements. This flexibility ensures that the extruded polystyrene foam blocks can be tailored to various applications without compromising on performance. The boards are designed to resist moisture absorption, preventing mold and mildew, and maintaining their insulative properties over time.\n
\nAlibaba.com is a platform that connects buyers with a network of trusted suppliers offering a wide array of XPS insulation foam options. Without endorsing any particular brand, the platform facilitates the selection of the right XPS sheet or XPS foam sheets based on the buyer's unique requirements, ensuring a match with products that meet high standards of efficiency and sustainability.\n
Expanded polystyrene (EPS), is produced from small beads of polystyrene that are fed into a mold. Heat or steam is then applied to the mould which expands the polystyrene beads and fuses them together. The expansion process causes the expanded foam to fuse together in irregular patterns that leave tiny spaces or irregular gaps in-between the foam cells.
XPS foam is considered to have a closed-cell structure wherein the cells are packed together tightly and have no voids or spacing between them. The tightly packed cells of XPS foam help prevent air & water ingress and make it more ideal for moist environments.
UltraBoard sheets are manufactured with an XPS foam core because of its rigidity and durability; as well as its resistance to moisture. When combining an XPS foam core with a plastic facer like our UltraBoard Classic product, you get an all-plastic board that is ideal for many interior environments and has a durability rating of 10 years.
Polystyrene (PS) /ˌpɒliˈstaɪriːn/ is a synthetic polymer made from monomers of the aromatic hydrocarbon styrene.[5] Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a poor barrier to air and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point.[6] Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics, with the scale of its production being several million tonnes per year.[7] Polystyrene is naturally transparent, but can be colored with colorants. Uses include protective packaging (such as packing peanuts and in the jewel cases used for storage of optical discs such as CDs and occasionally DVDs), containers, lids, bottles, trays, tumblers, disposable cutlery,[6] in the making of models, and as an alternative material for phonograph records.[8]
As a thermoplastic polymer, polystyrene is in a solid (glassy) state at room temperature but flows if heated above about 100 C, its glass transition temperature. It becomes rigid again when cooled. This temperature behaviour is exploited for extrusion (as in Styrofoam) and also for molding and vacuum forming, since it can be cast into molds with fine detail. The temperatures behavior can be controlled by photocrosslinking.[9]
Under ASTM standards, polystyrene is regarded as not biodegradable. It is accumulating as a form of litter in the outside environment, particularly along shores and waterways, especially in its foam form, and in the Pacific Ocean.[10]
The company I. G. Farben began manufacturing polystyrene in Ludwigshafen, about 1931, hoping it would be a suitable replacement for die-cast zinc in many applications. Success was achieved when they developed a reactor vessel that extruded polystyrene through a heated tube and cutter, producing polystyrene in pellet form.[15]
In 1954, the Koppers Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, developed expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam under the trade name Dylite.[21] In 1960, Dart Container, the largest manufacturer of foam cups, shipped their first order.[22]
In chemical terms, polystyrene is a long chain hydrocarbon wherein alternating carbon centers are attached to phenyl groups (a derivative of benzene). Polystyrene's chemical formula is (C
8H
8)
n; it contains the chemical elements carbon and hydrogen.[citation needed]
The material's properties are determined by short-range van der Waals attractions between polymer chains. Since the molecules consist of thousands of atoms, the cumulative attractive force between the molecules is large. When heated (or deformed at a rapid rate, due to a combination of viscoelastic and thermal insulation properties), the chains can take on a higher degree of confirmation and slide past each other. This intermolecular weakness (versus the high intramolecular strength due to the hydrocarbon backbone) confers flexibility and elasticity. The ability of the system to be readily deformed above its glass transition temperature allows polystyrene (and thermoplastic polymers in general) to be readily softened and molded upon heating. Extruded polystyrene is about as strong as an unalloyed aluminium but much more flexible and much less dense (1.05 g/cm3 for polystyrene vs. 2.70 g/cm3 for aluminium).[23]
Each carbon of the backbone has tetrahedral geometry, and those carbons that have a phenyl group (benzene ring) attached are stereogenic. If the backbone were to be laid as a flat elongated zig-zag chain, each phenyl group would be tilted forward or backward compared to the plane of the chain.[citation needed]
In polystyrene, tacticity describes the extent to which the phenyl group is uniformly aligned (arranged at one side) in the polymer chain. Tacticity has a strong effect on the properties of the plastic. Standard polystyrene is atactic. The diastereomer where all of the phenyl groups are on the same side is called isotactic polystyrene, which is not produced commercially.[citation needed]
Polystyrene is relatively chemically inert. While it is waterproof and resistant to breakdown by many acids and bases, it is easily attacked by many organic solvents (e.g. it dissolves quickly when exposed to acetone), chlorinated solvents, and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents. Because of its resilience and inertness, it is used for fabricating many objects of commerce. Like other organic compounds, polystyrene burns to give carbon dioxide and water vapor, in addition to other thermal degradation by-products. Polystyrene, being an aromatic hydrocarbon, typically combusts incompletely as indicated by the sooty flame.[citation needed]
The process of depolymerizing polystyrene into its monomer, styrene, is called pyrolysis. This involves using high heat and pressure to break down the chemical bonds between each styrene compound. Pyrolysis usually goes up to 430 C.[26] The high energy cost of doing this has made commercial recycling of polystyrene back into styrene monomer difficult.[citation needed]
In 2015, researchers discovered that mealworms, the larvae form of the darkling beetle Tenebrio molitor, could digest and subsist healthily on a diet of EPS.[28][29] About 100 mealworms could consume between 34 and 39 milligrams of this white foam in a day. The droppings of mealworm were found to be safe for use as soil for crops.[28]
In 2016, it was also reported that superworms (Zophobas morio) may eat expanded polystyrene (EPS).[30] A group of high school students in Ateneo de Manila University found that compared to Tenebrio molitor larvae, Zophobas morio larvae may consume greater amounts of EPS over longer periods of time.[31]
In 2022 scientists identified several bacterial genera, including Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and Corynebacterium, in the gut of superworms that contain encoded enzymes associated with the degradation of polystyrene and the breakdown product styrene.[32]
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