0000001311 00000 n Standard-sized EPS foam insulation is available in multiple sizes up to 36-inches thick and 16-feet long or larger. road construction, bridge abutments, slope stabilization, building foundations, retaining walls, stadium and theatre seating, fill for underground utilities and landscaping and insulation for both above- and below-grade applications.
EPS geofoam is free from dyes, formaldehyde, chloroflure carbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFCs).
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Resistance to moisture absorption is important because water is an excellent conductor of heat. 0000001737 00000 n The outstanding shock absorbency of expanded polystyrene packaging guarantees the protection of products. EPS geofoam is 98% to 99% air by volume.
0000004153 00000 n Since EPS geofoam is a thermoplastic material, it will not rot or decompose over time.
Since it will not appeal to any pests, it can be used easily in the construction industry.
Originally discovered by Eduard Simon in 1839 in Germany by accident, EPS foam is more than 95% air and only about 5% plastic. In 2016, more than 118.7 million pounds of EPS geofoam was recycled in the U.S. You’ll find recycled EPS geofoam in everything from insulated cups to outdoor furniture. The long-term performance advantages of EPS insulation correlate directly to increased energy efficiency and reduced energy costs over the life of the building. In the next phase, the prepuffs are poured into molds to obtain the size of material specified. Steam is injected into the molds through tiny slots, to begin the fusion process.
Since EPS geofoam is a thermoplastic material, it will not rot or decompose over time. EPS is completely recyclable as it will become polystyrene plastic when recycled. The distinctive white pre-expanded beads are very recognizable, and display the resin identification code number. And, it isn’t attractive to rats and other vermin as a source of food. Moreover, a study commissioned by the EPS Molders Association found that the R-value of EPS geofoam does not decrease with age, even under freeze-thaw conditions, whereas other insulation materials can lose R-value over time.
0000025594 00000 n Therefore, it is considered to be a fairly chemically inert material. R-value is a measure of a material’s resistance to heat transfer.
EPS geofoam’s strength is even more amazing considering it is so lightweight. After 15 years, both EPS and XPS were removed and tested using the ASTM C1512 test (Standard Test Method for Characterizing the Effect of Exposure to Environmental Cycling on Thermal Performance of Insulation Products).
The maximum dimensional change of EPS foam should be less than 2%, which makes EPS foam in compliance with ASTM Test Method D2126.
0000004671 00000 n At about $0.31 per square foot for a one-inch thick panel, EPS geofoam costs less per square foot than any other rigid foam board insulation product. EPS geofoam is water resistant and can inhibit the growth of these organisms.
EPS geofoam is manufactured from polystyrene resin beads via a process called polymerization. EPS geofoam is resistant to most acids, bases and aqueous solutions of salts and alkalis. 0000005521 00000 n During this phase, recycled EPS material is mixed with the prepuffs and is also fused into the material. Cannot be used in combination with MPVC hydro-insulation foils, Previously, EPS was made from Chlorofluorocarbons which damaged the ozone layer, Health concerns with styrene chemicals seeping into hot beverages or food placed in EPS cups. The perm rating for EPS insulation is 5.0, making it a Class III permeable vapor retarder.
It uses no harmful greenhouse gases in the manufacturing process — pentane, a hydrocarbon solvent which doesn’t affect the ozone layer — is most often used as the blowing agent. Up to 10% of recycled EPS geofoam can be used in the manufacturing process. In fact, many surfboards now use EPS as the foam core. Todd Johnson has worked on the development, commercialization, and sales sides of the composites industry since 2004. EPS exhibits a higher R-value over moist-dry cycles, most often seen in below-grade applications, outperforming XPS insulation and providing a long-term R-value to the project. After a drying time of 30 days, the moisture level of the EPS insulation dropped to 0.7% versus 15.7% for the XPS insulation. EPS is supplied to molders in the form of a polystyrene bead; EPS beads 0000015378 00000 n Uses of Polystyrene Polystyrene foams are used for a variety of applications because of its excellent set of properties including good thermal insulation, good damping properties and being extremely light weight. 0000034867 00000 n 20 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 22 /H [ 1042 290 ] /L 93646 /E 48008 /N 4 /T 93128 >> endobj xref 20 32 0000000016 00000 n
Because a molding process is used to produce EPS foam, there are more sizes available to select from, compared to XPS foam board which comes in limited sheet sizes.