Polystyrene Foam : All You Need To Know About It’s Versatility
Can you remember the first time you held something that was made from Polystyrene Foam? It felt odd because of it’s almost non existent weight and yet smooth to the touch. It also made a nice squeaky noise when manipulated.
In 1839 a bright chemist started experimenting with storax, a substance or resin which is from the Turkish sweet gum tree. He finally managed to distill some which looked and felt almost jelly like. This transformed due to oxidation. He was very excited as all sorts of uses could be made of such a material.
In those years of trial and error and experiments abound, a Germany company also tried their hand at developing a substitution for die-cast zinc. They managed to produce the substance in pellet form. Subsequently, they found out that using blowing agents on the material, they could produce expanded foam.
This foam is an excellent thermal insulator which is often used in the construction industry as insulation panels. They are also used in ornamental pillars as a non-weight-bearing architectural structure.
Expanded foam is mainly white, compacted together to form a smooth surface. The uses are also mainly for industry like packaging materials for those fragile items we need to contain and ship. They are most commonly are prepared in sheets of four by eight or two by eight square feet and are called bead boards.
It is so prolific in our lives but unfortunately the researches have not yet come up with a total solution on how to recycle it. It has a low scrap value as well and many municipalities will not do roadside collection unless specifically by law and has a number 6 at the moment for recycle programs.
Whether it’s polystyrene foam or a solid form you need for disposable cutlery or DVD cases, or just plain old drinking cups, the industry has it all. We just need to be responsible and try not to pollute our environment until the scientists have found a way for us to recycle with care.
If you want to purchase polystyrene foam or similar foam products in Perth Australia, make sure to visit FoamSales.com.au as they carry the widest range of foam products including outdoor cushions and foam mats.