Polystyrene board is a foam material made from polystyrene beads, used as insulation and in various industries. Two types are expanded and extruded polystyrene, with similar properties. It can be cut with a laser, hot wire or razor. However, it is not environmentally friendly and takes hundreds of years to degrade.
Polystyrene board is a rigid foam material made from polystyrene beads. Styrene, a byproduct of petroleum, is the main component of polystyrene. It is available in various densities and has multiple applications in the domestic, commercial and industrial markets. It is commonly used as an insulator. Polystyrene boards are also called foam board or beadboard.
The two main types of polystyrene are expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS). The EPS process involves mixing unexpanded polystyrene beads with a liquid binder. The mixture is poured into a mold and heated to expand the polystyrene beads. Pressure is applied to the mold to compress the expanding beads and remove much of the binding agent. The boards harden as the Styrofoam cools.
The XPS process uses liquefied polystyrene beads. A gas is injected into the liquefied pearls to create a foamy mixture. The mixture is then poured into a mold and allowed to dry for a while. The hardened polystyrene is then cut into planks. EPS and XPS boards sometimes have a paper or foil backing applied to the finished board to prevent water absorption.
Both EPS and XPS boards have similar properties. Thick polystyrene board is light enough to be easy to handle yet strong enough to withstand being walked on. It is easily cut, carved and sanded. The boards can be painted or laminated. Polystyrene panels hold their shapes and maintain integrity, even when cut into intricate designs.
The high insulation value and ease of installation make polystyrene board a popular insulation material. Polystyrene boards are also used to make airplanes and surfboards. Craftsmen use Styrofoam to create architectural models and model shapes. Backboards are commonly made from thin polystyrene boards. Some commercial signs use letters cut from Styrofoam panels.
Depending on its thickness, the board can be cut with a laser, hot wire or razor. Programmable laser machines are used to cut commercial signage letters and intricate designs. Hot wire cutting involves sending an electric current through a wire or strip of metal until it is hot. The wire or metal tape is then passed through the polystyrene panel, making the cut by melting the material. The thin Styrofoam panels can be cut with razor knives.
Polystyrene panels are not environmentally friendly, although efforts are being made to improve their long-term impact. Boards are only somewhat biodegradable and could take hundreds of years to fully degrade. It takes almost as much energy to recycle polystyrene panels as to make them. Some polystyrene is efficiently recycled into hard plastics, such as disposable cups and cutlery.
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