The National Science Fair

Research Institute

The foam has special properties which have found wide use as a material that provides the necessary heat and sound insulation characteristics of the construction and / or renovated buildings and facilities. In composition of EPS – 98% air. And the air is known to be – the best of the natural heat insulator. On the degree of heat plate foam polystyrene 10 cm thick is comparable to the 350 cm concrete, brick of 170 cm masonry, 75cm keramsit or 45 cm tree. That is, the use of foam pozvoliet significantly reduce the cost of building materials during construction. The foam is resistant to alcohols, alkali and acids. Expanded polystyrene is also not enter into chemical reactions with inorganic building materials – concrete, cement, sand, lime, etc. The application range of foam to a greater extent by the fact that polystyrene having low density, has the ability to withstand relatively high mechanical load.

Meanwhile, in modern manufacturing under the guise of modifying additives to improve strength and elastic properties foams are a variety of polymers (for example, ethylcellulose (foam stamps FETS), polymethylmethacrylate (MTF), polyvinyl chloride (PC), a copolymer of vinyl chloride with vinylidene – soviden (PS), polystyrene, natural and nitrile rubbers (FC) and other polymers). It is noted that the best indicators of resilience in foams containing polymer modifiers – acrylonitrile rubbers. But the increase in rubber content will reduce heat resistance and rigidity of the foam, so the increase in these parameters produce foams FC introduction of fine fillers – carbide and silicon dioxide, aluminum powder, titanium dioxide and others. The foam, as well as corrugated roof, used by both internal insulation in the manufacture of sandwich panels for large building with concrete construction in the brick wall. Also expanded polystyrene used for the insulation of walls, floors, basements, roofs.

It should be noted that the use of styrofoam plates in the reconstruction of old buildings, thanks to low-density foam, actually increases load on the foundation and supporting structures. The foam is safe when working with him, and in its subsequent use. The foam has no smell and does not emit toxic substances, and the evaporation of styrene are so small that no impact on human health. In processing the foam does not generate dust. Worldwide foam, polystyrene foam is used not only in construction but also in the guise of packaging material to food. Moscow Research Institute for Building Physics (MNIISF) were conducted studying the foam using special techniques to the temperature variations from -40 to +400 C and immersion in water. During the short time intervals polystyrene stand t = 110 C. That is, the foam may be little time to communicate, for example, with hot bitumen. With constant exposure to the foam rather high temperatures is not recommended to exceed 80 C, so as not to there was shrinkage and deformation. With the success of aged expanded polystyrene temperature-humidity test of 80 cycles showed that the minimum lifetime Styrofoam – 80 years with the amplitude of temperature impacts + 40 C.