eps raw material
2008-04-30
Polystyrene is a lightweight cellular plastic foam material composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
How is EPS Made?
EPS is produced in a three stage process:
Pre-expansion
Upon contact with steam the pre-foaming agent found within the polystyrene beads (usually a hydrocarbon such as pentane) starts to boil and the beads are expanded to between 40 to 50 times their original volume.
Conditioning
After expansion the beads undergo a maturing period in order to reach an equilibrium temperature and pressure.
Moulding
The beads are placed within a mould and again reheated with steam. The pre-foamed beads expand further, completely fill the mould cavity and fuse together. The beads are moulded to form boards, blocks or customised products.
There are two moulding processes for EPS.
- Block moulding produces large blocks of EPS which can then be cut into shapes or sheets for use in both packaging and construction applications.
Shape Moulding produces parts which have custom designed specifications. Electronic product packaging in particular is where shape moulded EPS is used extensively. When moulded, nearly all the volume of the EPS (~98%) is air.
Uses of EPS
Packaging
EPS is used widely as a packaging medium for a variety of products. Its exceptional shock absorbing characteristics make it ideal for the storage and transport of fragile and expensive items such as electronic equipment, chemicals and wines. The thermally insulative and moisture resistant properties of EPS enables freshness extension of perishable products such a produce and seafood. Moreover, its compression resistance means that EPS is ideal for stackable packaging goods. The majority of EPS packaging manufactured in Australia is used in the transport of fruit, vegetables and seafood. EPS packaging is used extensively for both the domestic and export market.
Building and Construction
Considerable quantities of EPS are also used in the building and construction industry. EPS is an inert material that does not rot and is not susceptible to attack by pests such as rats or termites. Its strength and durability makes it a versatile building product however its primary use is as custom insulation in building applications ranging from walls, roofs and floors. It is also used as a void-forming fill material in civil engineering projects, as a lightweight fill in road and railway construction, and as floatation material in the construction of floating pontoons and yachting marinas.
Other
When safety is paramount, EPS comes into its own. It is used in the manufacture of children's car seats and cycling helmets, where its protective qualities such as strength and shock-absorbency are vital. EPS also has applications in horticulture as seedling trays. Granulated EPS can also be added as a soil conditioner to promote aeration of the soil.
Polystyrene is a polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is commercially manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry. At room temperature, polystyrene is normally a solid thermoplastic, but can be melted at higher temperature for molding or extrusion, then resolidified. Styrene is an aromatic monomer, and polystyrene is an aromatic polymer.
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