【Popular Science Tips on Polymers and Materials】--027 White Foam Board Material + People Watching the Sea
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Foam plastics have advantages such as light weight, thermal insulation, sound insulation, cushioning properties, high specific strength, and low cost; therefore, they are widely used in industries such as packaging, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, as well as in various daily-use products. Comparison of various foams: PUR (polyurethane) uses isocyanate residues that are harmful to human health during the foaming process, and the product cannot be recycled. During the foaming process of PS (polystyrene), chlorofluorocarbons or butane are used, which have an adverse impact on the environment. The products are difficult to degrade and can cause white pollution; they also possess low strength and low elasticity, being prone to breaking. PE (polyethylene) cross-linked polyethylene foam has low stiffness, with a maximum operating temperature of 80°C. EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) does not use Freon as a foaming agent in its production, and it does not release any toxic or harmful gases when burned; it is therefore a highly environmentally friendly material. It can withstand high temperatures of up to 130°C, and possesses high strength and toughness. Polystyrene foam boards – also known as foam panels or EPS panels – are white materials formed by heating expandable polystyrene beads containing volatile liquid foaming agents after pre-expansion; they feature a structure with fine closed cells. They are widely used in building walls, roof insulation, insulation for composite panels, as well as for insulation in cold storage facilities, air conditioners, vehicles, and ships. They are also employed in underfloor heating and for decorative carving purposes. EPP foam boards can accelerate the setting of concrete by reducing heat and moisture loss. Thanks to its low thermal conductivity, EPP foam can be used as a roofing insulation material in ordinary buildings; EPP foam insulation helps to reduce sound transmission in multi-story buildings. Application areas of EPP: base shock absorption layer in football fields, base drainage layer for green spaces (such as golf courses and park lawns), drainage layer for roof greening, base layer of soundproof walls, wall insulation layer, core material filling layer, etc. The demand for foam plastics in the U.S. market is growing at a rate of 4.2% per year. Since the 1990s, the development of foam plastics in our country has also been rapid. The main types include polyurethane (PUR) soft and rigid foam plastics, polystyrene (PS), and extruded polyethylene (PE) foam. EPP, also known as polypropylene foam resin, is a type of foam plastic. Unlike PUR, PS, and PE, it is a high-performance, environmentally friendly foam material with excellent properties such as high strength, high resilience, impact resistance, corrosion resistance, and durability. It is widely used as lining material in car bumpers, car door panels, toolboxes, and car seats, as well as in various fields such as packaging, construction, and landscaping.
Features of EPS foam boards: 1. When EPS foam boards are used in external wall insulation systems, their apparent density must meet the requirements specified in the standard JG149-2003 \"External Wall Insulation Systems Using Expanded Polystyrene Boards with Thin Plaster\", that is, the apparent density should be between 18 and 22 kg/m3. 2. Maintain the layout of the main structure of the building to extend its lifespan. Since external insulation involves placing the insulating layer on the outside of the structure, it reduces the effects caused by temperature changes. 1. When EPS foam boards are used in external wall insulation systems, their apparent density must meet the requirements specified in the standard JG149-2003 \"Thin-plaster external wall insulation system using expanded polystyrene boards\", that is, the apparent density should be between 18 and 22 kg/m3. 2. Maintain the layout of the main structure of the building to extend its lifespan. Since external insulation places the insulation layer on the outside of the structure, it reduces the stress caused by structural deformation due to temperature changes, and also minimizes the damage to the structure caused by harmful substances in the air and ultraviolet rays. 3. It helps to maintain a stable room temperature; exterior wall insulation is preferred, as the heat storage capacity of the walls allows for larger insulation layers to be placed on the inner side of the walls, which contributes to keeping the room temperature stable. 4. Polystyrene materials are widely used in the construction and packaging industries due to their advantages such as light weight, shock resistance, drop resistance, thermal insulation, sound absorption, heat retention, self-extinguishing properties, environmental friendliness and resistance to aging, low cost, and ease of installation. 5. When foamy EPS beads are heated to above 90°C, they soften, and the vaporization of the blowing agent causes the EPS beads to expand by 40–80 times.
Foamed polypropylene is not used very often. What is the main purpose of foaming? To reduce the apparent density?
EPS is the traditional white foam board – the kind that breaks when folded. EPP is a polypropylene foam that has been widely used in recent years; it may have lower toxicity and is used as a filling material, packaging material, and insulation material
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