The products of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) can be used in Insulation, Construction, Decoration and Packaging. Their structure is just EPS foam, which consists of closed cells containing air. The volume of the final product is 98% air and this is the reason why EPS has excellent thermal insulation properties. It does not contain CFC' s or HCFC' s and never did throughout its production process.
Eps
Expandable Polystyrene
Expandable Polystyrene
EPS (Expandable Polystyrene)
EPS is the common term that is used for Expanded Polystyrene.
The raw material is produced by the polymerization of styrene and the addition of pentane (5%).
EPS producers use steam to expand EPS. In this expansion process pentane acts as expanding gas. The expanded raw material has 50 times bigger volume than before and has the form of beads.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is not a common thermal insulating material, but an innovative material that can be adapted to suit every need for Construction, Decoration, Insulation and Packaging. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is definitely the most flexible and cost efficient material in the market, with the best price – performance ratio.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is a hard foam plastic that has a closed cell structure. EPS was invented by the German multinational chemical industry BASF in 1950. The first use of the Expanded Polystyrene was in the construction sector as an insulating material, in form of boards, because of its exceptional thermal insulating properties. In 1958, it began to be used for the first time in the packaging sector and since then it offers many protective packaging solutions in many industries in the world. It does not pollute the environment during his production and its use.
The raw material of EPS is called Expandable Polystyrene. Naphtha is produced by crude oil, and from it the benzene, the ethylene and the pentane. From the chemical reaction between benzene and ethylene, styrene is produced, which with the addition of pentane (as an expanding gas) and water, it is polymerized and gives the Expandable Polystyrene. Consequently, Expanded Polystyrene is produced from oil, but from the total oil production in the world only 0,1% is used for its production. It is important to mention that every kilo of oil that is used for the production of EPS insulating boards, leads to an energy saving of 150 kilos of oil that would be used for the heating of residences and office buildings over a period of fifty years.
The styrene and the pentane that is used for the production of EPS are not considered as dangerous substances from the European Union. Recent studies on the exposure of workers in styrene for a period of 45 years, showed that it is not carcinogenic and does not constitute a danger for their health. The pentane that is used as an expanding agent, does not contain chlorine and does not harm the ozone layer.
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