Expanded polystyrene is a polymer gas-filled material that can be obtained by foaming polystyrene and other components. The structure of the presented material is closed. It is 98% gas, so it can provide good heat and sound insulation properties.
Varieties of material
So, expanded polystyrene is a building material that can be classified as follows:
- Pressless. Its structure consists of a large number of pore-granules, which have a heterogeneous structure. Their size varies between 5-10 mm. The peculiarity of this type of product is that it has the highest level of water absorption.
- Pressed. This material has the lowest heat transfer coefficient as its granules are hermetically sealed.
- Extruded polystyrene foam. This is the most common type of product, which is most often used for the insulation of buildings and structures. The pores in this material are also closed, however, they are smaller in size than in the previous case. This ensuresgood thermal insulation properties.
In addition, there is also autoclave and autoclave-extrusion polystyrene foam.
Product benefits
So, polystyrene foam is a very common material that has the following advantages:
- Versatility. It is used in many areas of human life, even in the production of children's toys.
- Excellent qualities for wind and noise protection of the premises.
- Durability.
- Excellent thermal insulation properties.
- Neutrality to chemicals, resistance to aggressive agents.
- Good fire resistance (subject to good flame retardant treatment).
- Ability to perform its functions in a wide temperature range.
- Resistant to microbiological factors: rodents, insects, fungi, mold, decay.
- Maintain original dimensions even under the influence of external factors.
- Relatively environmentally friendly.
- Low cost.
- Wide availability.
- Easy to install and easy to use.
- Long term storage.
Product flaws
Despite all the positive aspects, polystyrene foam, the materials for the production of which are not natural, has some negative qualities:
- Increased brittleness when misused.
- The product does not allow steam to pass through, which does not allow a room insulated with such material"breathe".
- Styrofoam is almost non-flammable, but it melts strongly, releasing toxic fumes.
Material specifications
If there is a need to use expanded polystyrene, the dimensions and other characteristics of this product must be known in advance. So, the presented material has the following technical characteristics:
- Service life. Basically, manufacturers claim that with proper use, expanded polystyrene can last at least 50 years. Otherwise, its "life" will be significantly reduced.
- Suitable climatic regions: I – V.
- Thermal conductivity. This figure is very low, so the material is often used to insulate buildings and structures. The thermal conductivity coefficient is 0.037-0.043 W/mK.
- Moisture absorption. This figure is also very low. That is, polystyrene foam absorbs liquid very poorly. Its water permeability does not exceed 2-3% of the total volume. In addition, when in contact with liquid substances, the material is able to retain its shape and functionality well. This means that it can be used in areas where there is a high level of humidity, as well as for the treatment of surfaces that come into contact with water.
- Density and strength. If you need to choose expanded polystyrene, density is the parameter on which the effectiveness of insulation depends. This indicator varies within 0.015-0.05 kg/m3. Despite these small numbers,the compressive strength of the product is quite high.
- Noise reduction. In this regard, expanded polystyrene has high functionality. It is often used to build noise barriers on freeways.
- Flammability and temperature range. The burning period of the product does not exceed 4 seconds. In this case, the molten substance burns well. Therefore, when buying, you need to pay attention to the quality of the flame retardant treatment, which is mentioned on the packaging. It is practically not afraid of frost, therefore, it is possible to insulate with such material not only internal, but also external walls. Expanded polystyrene performs its functions well at a temperature of -60 - +80 degrees.
If it is necessary to insulate the house and expanded polystyrene is used for this, its dimensions can be as follows: width - 1-1.2 m, length - 0.8-1.4 m, thickness - 1-2 cm. For insulation a private house does not need too large slabs, as there will be many small scraps. The most popular is polystyrene foam 100 mm long.
Application areas
The presented material is used quite well due to its properties. Expanded polystyrene, the density and other parameters of which are already known, can be used in the following areas of life:
- Military industry. Here the product is used as a filler for helmets, shock-absorbing pads for knee and elbow pads.
- Food industry. It is used to make isometric packages that store frozen food well.
- Construction. In this case, expanded polystyrene is used to insulate internal and external walls, basement floors, foundations and soil of underground structures from freezing. And from it, a fixed formwork for pouring the base is successfully built.
- Production of household appliances. Here the material is used only as an insulator for the walls of the refrigerator, although it is gradually being replaced by polyurethane foam.
- Interior decoration. From the presented material it is possible to produce furniture elements, as well as suspended ceilings, wall panels.
- Decorative design. A lot of beautiful elements are made from expanded polystyrene, which will make it possible to transform the interior.
- Manufacture of toys. In this case, the material is used as a filler, although it is not allowed in all countries.
Most often it is used as a thermal insulator. There are many reasons for this:
- Spending on construction and installation work is being reduced.
- Energy that goes into space heating is saved.
- Reducing the cost of heating equipment.
- The size of the usable area increases as the structural thickness of the walls decreases.
- Improve thermal comfort in the home.
Production Features
Production of expanded polystyrene consists of several stages, the sequence and technology of which must not be violated. Otherwise, the quality of the product and its ability to effectivelycarry out their functions.
In order for polystyrene molecules to increase in size, they must be filled with a special gas. This happens by dissolving them in the melt of raw materials. During heating and boiling of the granular mixture, it swells. This process takes place in a special closed hopper, in the bottom of which there are holes. Through them, water vapor enters the bunker. To make the process faster, the granules can be stirred using a mechanical activator.
Further, through the opening for unloading, enlarged granules fall into an intermediate container, from which they are transferred to a special bunker for aging and drying. These processes are necessary to eliminate excess moisture from molecules, strengthen the outer walls of raw materials, and restore normal internal pressure. It is at this stage that the material already acquires the necessary parameters of compressive resistance.
Drying the granules does not last long - only 5 minutes. The aging time can vary from 6 hours to a day. In this case, it is necessary to observe the required temperature - 22-28 degrees. Otherwise, the material may lose its properties.
Finished blocks are obtained with the help of special block-forms into which prepared raw materials are poured. Naturally, the form must be preheated to the required temperature. Further, it is hermetically sealed. The baking process must be stopped on time, otherwise the finished material will turn out to be defective. The last step is cooling the plates. It lasts 12-72 hours. Next, onproduction, the boards are cut and trimmed.
Famous Manufacturers
If you need to buy polystyrene foam, Leroy is a chain of stores that has a wide selection of products. However, you need to decide on the manufacturer. The most popular brands are:
- "Penoplex". This material has an orange color and a rich variety of edges. It can be equipped with a tongue and groove, which facilitate the connection process, or be straight. Most often, this type of product is used for insulation of underground structures, as well as above-ground buildings. Often, various communications are insulated with such material. Such expanded polystyrene can be used at temperatures from -50 to +80 degrees.
- "Stirex". It is used to make sandwich panels. It is also used to protect the roadway from soil buckling.
- Expanded polystyrene "Technoplex". This insulation is resistant to biological factors. It is widely used not only in private, but also in industrial construction. The plates are very durable, so they can be used to process any part of the structure.
- "Primaplex". It is very popular, as it is quite cheap, and also has all the necessary characteristics. The product has a blue color, it is very easy to process. In addition, the material is not susceptible to the negative effects of water or negative temperatures, so it can be used for both internal and externalinsulation.
- URSA. This material is environmentally friendly, good sound and thermal insulator. In addition, the product has good durability and low water absorption.
Is the material hazardous to he alth?
So, for more than one year, buyers have been arguing whether polystyrene foam can be used to insulate residential premises. The fact is that the presented product is synthetic, and is made from styrene. It, in turn, is not considered completely safe for human life and he alth.
But… Styrofoam ("Leroy Merlin" is the store where you can choose the option you need), does not irritate the skin or mucous membranes. Therefore, it can be operated without special protective equipment, which makes it very convenient to use.
Unlike other materials, expanded polystyrene is produced without the use of binders, which can eventually be released into the air, poisoning it. All granules in the product are glued together using conventional water vapor. The material does not contain any fibers in its composition, so it does not absorb dust.
Another advantage of the presented product is that it does not interact with living organisms. That is, mold and fungi that release dangerous spores do not multiply on it. That is, air quality is not deteriorating.
The product does not dissolve in water and does not pollute it with synthetic additives that are used in the manufacture of other materials. Naturally, when burningeven the best polystyrene foam is capable of emitting gases. However, their toxicity is an order of magnitude less than that of PVC, wool and even wood.
As for the combustion itself, when heated, the material turns into a liquid mass, which simply flows down the wall. However, even when heated, it will not even set fire to paper.
That is, expanded polystyrene can be considered an absolutely safe product that will provide comfort and coziness in the house, protecting from cold and unwanted sounds.
Features of using the product
So, the insulation of the house with polystyrene foam has some features. For example, when insulating walls inside a room, it is necessary to pay attention to places behind heating radiators. Here the baffle may be somewhat thinner.
To fix the material, special glue or mastic, cement mortar, as well as special devices are used. The method of fixation can be combined. If the material will be used for external insulation, then it will have to be protected with a non-combustible cladding.
If you want to insulate a balcony or loggia with polystyrene foam, then you will have to equip a special frame in which the sheets will be placed. After fixing the material, it is sheathed with plywood. Only then can the surface finish be finished.
Window slopes can also be insulated with such a product. However, it is better to do this if the walls of the room are made of wood inside and brick outside. From the outside, the slopes are insulated only if during the construction of the building an external brick step was not provided.
Allthe process of warming involves several stages:
- Preparing the surface to be treated.
- Glue sheets of material.
- Linking the expanded polystyrene and its additional fixing with mechanical devices.
- Reinforcement of sheets with a special film.
- Finishing lining of insulated base.
Features of using polystyrene foam for the floor
Very often presented material is used to insulate the base before laying the flooring. Expanded polystyrene for the floor can be of two types:
- Foil plate. They are more often stacked if installation of a warm floor system is foreseen. Therefore, special markings are applied to the surface of the plates even during their manufacture.
- Profile sheets. On their surface you can see low bosses. This greatly facilitates the installation of pipes. In addition, this material is equipped with a vapor barrier.
If the floor will be insulated with expanded polystyrene, then it is better to take into account some of the nuances:
- It is better to give preference to the extruded type of product.
- During laying, one should not forget about the presence of ventilation gaps between the slabs and walls.
- If laminate or parquet will be used to finish the floor, it is better to build a crate on the surface of the base after insulation. When using carpet, it is better to level the surface with plywood.
- You need to lay the sheets back to back, as close as possible to each other.
- Waterproofing of the base must be presentrequired.
That's all the features of expanded polystyrene foam. Good luck!
