What is the base material of styrofoam?

What is the base material of styrofoam?

Styrofoam is made out of styrene which is a petroleum-based product. How is styrofoam made? Through polymerization, styrene is refined into polystyrene and then a hydrofluorocarbon agent is added. This combination is then extruded and allowed to expand under pressure until it forms a foam board.

How is Styrofoam made chemistry?

Polystyrene is made by stringing together, or polymerizing, styrene, a building-block chemical used in the manufacture of many products. Styrene also occurs naturally in foods such as strawberries, cinnamon, coffee and beef.

What is the characteristic of Styrofoam?

It is flexible, lightweight, can absorb and disperse through the external impact force. Styrofoam has a series of excellent use insulation, moisture, heat insulation, sound insulation, anti-friction, anti-aging, corrosion resistance. The white material, has significant anti-static properties.

What happens when you put Styrofoam in water?

Styrofoam cups are made of beads from a type of plastic called polystyrene, and the beads are puffed up with air. “The Styrofoam cup shrinks uniformly as it is lowered into the ocean and the air bubbles are pressed out of it.”

Is foam liquid in gas?

Foams, which can act like solids, are part gas and part liquid.

Is styrofoam a compound?

Styrofoam is a trademark named for a chemical compound called polystyrene. Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic made from styrene monomers.

What natural resources are used to make Styrofoam?

The raw materials from which it is made are hydrocarbons (ethylene and benzene) that come from petroleum and natural gas. Polystyrene is a plastic — meaning that when it is heated, it takes a liquid form that can be molded, shaped or extruded.

Is Styrofoam porous or non porous?

Styrofoam is an example of a material that is very porous, but lacks porosity. Thus styrofoam, though spongy, does not absorb or transmit water.

Can hot coffee go in a Styrofoam cup?

Insulated Foam Cups – Not only do foam cups keep beverages at their proper serving temperature on the inside, they keep hands comfortable on the outside, no need to use a separate cardboard sleeve. These white foam cups are ideal for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or any other hot or cold beverages.

Why is Styrofoam bad in landfills?

Styrofoam contains Styrene with leaches into foods and drinks served in Styrofoam containers causing contamination. When the same container is exposed to sunlight, it creates harmful air pollutants that contaminate landfills and deplete the ozone layer.

What kind of acid is used to dissolve styrofoam?

It can be be made by dissolving pieces of Styrofoam in gasoline or diesel fuel to form a flammable jelly-like substance. Military-grade napalm was initially made using thickening agents, nap hthenic acid and palm itic acid, hence the name. A modern version, napalm-B, is now thickened using styrene derivatives.

What kind of things are made of Styrofoam?

Things like computers, toothbrushes, hairdryers, TVs, and kitchen appliances are made of polystyrene. Model cars and airplanes are made from polystyrene, as well as many other toys. Also, Styrofoam is used for packaging and insulation, and a lot of parts the inside of your car, like the knobs, keys, and so on.

What happens when you put Styrofoam in hot water?

Does Styrofoam dissolve in water? Depends on the temperature. When hot water is used the molecules of Styrofoam dissolve in water – hence it is harmful to drink hot beverages in plastic cups. Later on, the plastic molecules are accumulated in our body organs.

What happens when you put acetone in styrofoam?

It is more about a physical rather than a chemical reaction. The air in the foam evaporates, and because Styrofoam consists mainly of air, it completely loses its structure. The acetone breaks up the long chain of molecules, and the air goes away, hence the volume shrinks radically.