Regarding the types of polystyrene foam, we must say that polystyrene foam is a type of white material that is produced from a chemical substance called monomer styrene. This foam was first discovered in 1839. Polystyrene foam is one of the petrochemical products and is composed of small crystals. There are four types of polystyrene foam, known as General Purpose, Expanded, Extruded, and High Impact foam.
In 1943, Dow extracted styrene from petroleum products and then polymerized it. types of polystyrene foam have many advantages such as recyclability and very high impact resistance. These types of foams are antibacterial and non-toxic.
Other features include lightweight and very high strength. Polystyrene foams have received a great deal of attention since the 1950s because of these advantages, which have led to their development. In addition to their advantages, these foams also have disadvantages, such as lack of resistance to cutting and fire. Join us to learn more about different types of polystyrene foams.
Introducing different types of polystyrene foam
Familiarity with different types of polystyrene foam
General Purpose Polystyrene Foam (GPPS):
One type of polystyrene foam, abbreviated GPPS, is used for general purposes. This type of polystyrene foam is a suitable option for electrical applications because of its dielectric properties and high strength. In the Iranian market, this product is known as Crystal.
High impact polystyrene foam (HIPS):
Another example of a type of polystyrene foam is known as high impact polystyrene. One of the most important features of this type of foam is its high impact resistance. In the commercial market of our country, this foam is known as HIGH IMPACT!
This type of foam is mostly used in the field of manufacturing sports equipment, toys, as cold insulation in the body of refrigerators, freezers, and making disposable tableware, home appliances.
Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS):
This type of foam is offered as another type of polystyrene foam in the form of a white polymer that is reinforced by the foaming agent. This material is usually known in Iran as “Ionolite”. The closed cellular structures in polystyrene foam blocks have made them significantly resistant to bacterial growth and water uptake. Therefore, the degree of corruption in them will be greatly reduced.
Blocks made of expanded polystyrene foam are enclosed by a fireproof coating that can withstand fires for up to 20 minutes in the event of a fire. Expanded polystyrene foams act as a stronger sound insulator and absorber than concrete.
These foams have attracted a lot of attention from mass manufacturers due to their simple transportation, simplicity, and speed of installation. Other features of ionolites are high resistance to pressure and impact. This type of polystyrene foam is usually used as roof foams, which can function as thermal and sound insulation.
Other applications include the use of disposable tableware, refrigerators, thermoses, etc. This type of foam is a great option for the packaging and insulation of industrial refrigerators and thermoses.
Ionolithic foam
Other features include lightweight and high earthquake resistance along with the high speed of execution, which reduces costs.
Extruded polystyrene foam (XPS):
Another type of extruded polystyrene foam is composed of solid polystyrene crystals. This type of foam is used in building insulation due to its high resistance to pressure and heat.
This type of foam has a compact texture and no cavities, which has caused a very low percentage of water absorption. This has made it extremely resistant to moisture penetration. This type of foam is usually used for floor insulation of different types of buildings.
Extruded polystyrene foam is a good option for insulating the roof and walls of residential buildings. Another application for extruded foam is for thermal insulation of sheds and poultry roofs.