A Styrofoam cup is a polymer material, which is a long chain of monomers. When you mix Styrofoam (extruded polystyrene) with gasoline or acetone, the Styrofoam breaks down. A cup of acetone is enough to dissolve an entire bean bag's worth of styrofoam beads. About: Im a bit of a geek of all trades. Any passerby, police officer, or state official can see bright white products, as well as the illegal black plastic bags, being used and discarded everywhere. Hot glue is one of the worst glues to use on Styrofoam, because, if applied directly to the Styrofoam, it will melt. In the future i want to experiment more with casting LED's into them, as well as adding magnets, trying out some plasticisers such as Butylated rubber particles to make it a more HIPS style plastic. A popular brand of polystyrene foam is called Styrofoam™. When you drop polystyrene into gasoline; the high energy bonds in the aromatic chain break in favour of simpler single covalent bonds. 7 Cool Ways to Reuse Styrofoam Coolers. Is that "plastic" safe to use? I have also begun some experiments with Lavender Essential Oils. It’s also not the easiest thing to … An eye-popping 46,000 pieces of plastic float on every square mile of ocean! I had a bit of the soup and then got scared. It is fun and crazy science and when you mix it with a little creativity you can make some interesting stuff. My question now is what is the resulting goo? The Great Plastic Patch in the pacific ocean features three million tons of plastic debris floating in an area larger than Texas. the blue in the above photos was from Insulation foam thich started out light blue, but went dark blue as it melted and lost all the air bubbles.. Once the air has all bubbled out of your solvent/eps bucket. This, too, will pass, I know, but a recent US Department of Health and Human Services report provides greater cause for concern. you can keep stirring it in to speed things up, or you can just toss it in and snap the lid on and wait for it to all melt. foam though, so be sure to grab one that is specified for foam or foamboard (such as one of the ones listed above) when using it. In recycling energy is used to “melt” it down and retain the raw material again instead of it hitting the waste stream. when done remove them from the heat, depending on how flexible/solventfull the starting material is, you may be able to demold it right away once it cooled, but it may be squishy still. Gasoline is made up of an assortment of simple aliphatic hydrocarbons such as ethane and isobutane, and some aromatic hydrocarbons added as enhancers, as their break-up generates more energy. vinegar. https://www.hansen-solubility.com/HSP-science/sol... Looks like 87% d-limonene to 13% Acetone by volume should do the best melt. this year i embarked in using it on dirty, dusty, food stained plastics, and while you wont get a perfect end result its pretty good. The favorable solubility of polystyrene into p-cymene can be explained by the solubility parameter. on Step 4. whoo! ‘Maker Goop’ Can be handy for making small plastic parts, castings, or just to make the EPS a flowable product for makers, or for Recyclers which could have the solvents extracted and reused commercially, or burned (as is done in the EU for power. Is Gorilla Glue safe for Styrofoam? Napalm is the generic name for the mixture of a flammable petroleum substance, typically diesel gasoline, with a thickening or gelling agent to give the fiery substance “sticky” properties. The incredibly lightweight material, used in everything from consumer electronics packaging to food-grade containers, takes a chemical toll on the human body. I have also not investigated only using acetone vapors, perhaps a bucket with a pie tin in it with acetone under it, and ps, and a lid. but here is a public one too. Rub sandpaper over these surfaces to add a little more subtle surface texture. Since Styrofoam may be melted by hot wax, you should position the wick, and then repeatedly fill and pour out the wax until the mold is filled. Thanks for your attention. The average diameter of the styrofoam fibers was 8 µm. Why so many organic solvents are bad for you.. http://www.rroij.com/open-access/health-hazards-of-organic-solvents.php?aid=57418. The styrofoam was melted by using acetone and the produced fibers were varied in diameter. The  end effect is that the mass of polystyrene breaks apart releasing the trapped air, and forms into a mass of new hydrocarbon chains, which forms some fort of amorphous solid, a slimy film of the Ethane-styrene bonded chains and gasoline. It does emit co2 and water vapor and not much else.). Gasoline: works but dirty, very yellow stinky foamy result in the end... and is stinky and bad for many reasons. im also wanting to try it out with a small desktop injection molding rig too. food and beverage containers), but apparently it is also used under roads to reduce frost damage as well as being used for insulation in construction. Should I be? The incredibly lightweight material, used in everything from consumer electronics packaging to food-grade containers, takes a chemical toll on the human body . this not only allows the eps to sink a bit deeper into the limonene, decreasing the solvent needed, but also the water gives food particles and other contaminants a place to settle out into, this plus the layer of limonene/polystyrene on top keeps it from smelling, and the end result eps is a little more easy to get out of the bucket because its a rubbery layer on top of the water. The slow drying time is a disadvantage of the Limonene, but it being nontoxic, biodegradable, renewable, and pleasantly citrus scented, are a good trade off for the slow thickening time. Since Styrofoam is mostly air, you may be surprised by how much (or, in the end, how little) foam will dissolve in the acetone. https://sites.uci.edu/chem52labs/files/2016/10/M52LA_Exp5_F16UP2.pdf. Step 5 Use the pointed end of the scissors to rough up any completely flat sides you have to the Styrofoam. As evidenced by its ubiquity in the world of food and drink containers, it insulates exceptionally well. For a faster drying but still low toxicity solvent, I'm also having good luck with ethyl acetate. I've not really worked with water crashed out eps much yet, did it two times and all, may try baking it after drying it to see if it will melt back into a puck. However, since it is a plastic, styrofoam will melt at high temperatures. (lightly rinsed but not super clean). River and the land are littered with it. Considering how little styrofoam weights the volume of the waste is staggering. Cons, very long dry time. As those melted surfaces come into contact with each other and solidify, they do form a strong, though somewhat deformed joint. Of course, until these new options are widely available, it's best to avoid using Styrofoam cups when possible. 1 year ago. Does it harden to action figure level hardness? 1. https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-%22make%22-plastic/, https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2012/04/27/polar-proti, c-polar-aprotic-nonpolar-all-about-solvents/. Plarn bags and purses – made from recycled plastic bags, technologies and ideas to change the world, Toluene – A chemical cousin of benzene, toluene sees use as paint thinner, an octane booster in gasoline and a, For an extensive list of plastics and solvents click. Thank You. When acetone is used as a solvent, the expanded polystyrene will easily dissolve and you’ll be left with a liquid acetone/polystyrene solution. Question, Can D-Limonene Tech Grade be used instead of D-Limonene Food Grade and if so what are the Pros and Cons of using of using D-Limonene Tech Grade. yes. This is only a simple starting point guide, most of the molds i made were mostly just proof of concept, I was preparing for the 7th Annual Albuquerque Mini Maker Faire, where i showed off my Styrofoam re-creations and a bunch of my experiments that lead me up to this point, (in the process i tried a lot of other solvents, xylene, toluene, acetone, gasoline, naphtha, lacquer thinner, M.E.K.) I can't say my vacuum chamber experiments really helped. I am cringing a little … Continue reading "Faux Metal Letters Made From “Melted” Styrofoam" 2 years ago. "When you mix Styrofoam (extruded polystyrene) with gasoline, the Styrofoam breaks down. Still, more than 2 million tons of the stuff ends up in landfills every year. Styrofoam is a chemical of petroleum base that is fluffed up like cool whip, when it dissolves in gasoline it changes back to a liquid. Ethyl, like the alcohol people drink, and acetate, like acetic acid a.k.a. It can be used to seal small roof holes and seal cracks. on Step 6. Here are some important tips. so a little goes a long way, although more solvent melts the foam faster, but then you have more solvent to remove later. and flows nicely. Just use it until all of the visible beads are melted and the surface looks like a craggy rock. Question Disposable cups and plates are commonly made out of styrofoam because it allows for hot food or drink to remain hot without burning the person holding the cup or plate. The process of recycling Styrofoam involves feeding the collected expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam through conveyor belts into a machine that first shreds the material. It does take awhile to harden but once it does you have a lightweight sturdy shape that floats in water. and bad for many reasons. I have been doing research on this topic for a quite a while now .95% of people are concentrating in the fact that Styrofoam dissolve in Acetone. (verrrrry long transition, can take months to feel like thick rubber. relatively.. just need a mound of orange peels. Only use microwave approved containers to cook or reheat food. If left out to dry, it gets hard again, but not like before, without the air - it resembels plastic." a little more brittle than action figures, but over the span of about a month or two in good ventalation unless suepr thick (like more than a inch thick) they will harden to a resin like plastic hardness. Polysevert uses Cymene to do what im doing with limonene info on the solvent here. It's an orange-yellow color that mostly goes away when it dries, and probably leaves behind other impurities, but you might not care depending on what you're using it for. Im suspecting this version will still contain a fair amount of solvent, and may still take some time to dry End result was fairly white and milky with teeny bubbles, workable. The dissolving power of p-cymene [212.0 g (100 g solvent)−1] to polystyrene at 50°C compared favorably with those of 2-p-cymenol [156.7 g (100 g solvent)−1], (R)-limonene and its structural isomers [181.7–197.1 g (100 g solvent)−1], and Abies leaf oil [84.7 g (100 g solvent)−1]. the color of your end product may depend on the grade and color of your starting foam. its amazing how much dye is in some of those! it does also have the advantage of the fact it can be steam extracted from lavender and lavender will grow here whereas i cant grow much citrus for d-limonene. One of the most pesky items to find reuses for is styrofoam. Here is some information from the FDA Plastics and the Microwave. Foam Densifiers transfer the material to a plastic extruder where the foam is exposed to heat and pressure to be melted into a paste. the color of your end product may depend on the grade and color of your starting foam. D-limonene (this is an essential oil extracted from orange peels) you only need a few ounces per LB of EPS. yep when fully hard its like any other hard plastic. However, the high flammability of the product gives many people pause, as using it in a home or office could have disastrous consequences in the case of fire. Experiments in mixes of acetone and D'Limonene Cool tool! The liquid must evaporate. Might be good for just strictly commercial use, this may also vary by formulation, D-limonene: works great on plain white ps, will dissolve quite a lot per oz, nice smell, not known to be toxic, leaves the ps very clear (sometimes a slight yellowing) virtually no bubbles, long glass transition. I was microwaving some soup and when it came out, a ring of “melted” Styrofoam, where the grease/oil was floating, appeared. Reply I also wonder if the initial goop was made thin enough it could be used to stabilize wood for lathing. Styrofoam boards are used for insulation in buildings, in roads, and by florists, to name a few. And i don't think much of any is being pulled along in the solvent, making it possibly the most solvent friendly. The streets of the capital region are awash in styrofoam. Is it recyclable? Lacquer thinner: slow, does soften it and degasify it, but not fully dissolve it, and is stinky and bad for many reasons. on Step 6. Although the Styrofoam brand has become the common term for polystyrene, Styrofoam is mostly used as insulation rather than as craft material because it is a harder foam. Melt away the Styrofoam beads that are visible in most white Styrofoam with a hot air gun. cut off chunks and pile them on the things you want it to flow into, and then drop it in your toaster oven, set to 210F the solvent helps lower the melting point of the plastic down from the 250F-300F pure polystyrene, and bake it at 210F for about 30-45 min if there are any bubbles, you can gently pat the surface with a spatula or other poker to get them to pop. you can use just about any 'styrofoam' except the starch peanuts. molds (steel or silicone ) One caveat to the water on the bottom tecnique is that its easy to trap some water in the removed eps/solvent goop. This EPS comes from the fishing industry and the buoys they use in mussels culture. is the fact i have at least one friend who is allergic to lavender and id hate for my project to cause them extra stress if they were to stop by. End result foams and puffs up as it dries. So far I've just made some of the goo using clean styrofoam packaging and coloured PS shot glasses and the colours look amazing. (unless i can buy some expired or perhaps cheaper grade of the stuff since i'm not using it for perfume or food use. One other thing that keeps me from doing a larger scale trial with lavender essential oils. Styrofoam monopolizes precious landfill space; plus, scientists believe it can potentially persist in its solid form for thousands of years. It’s self sticky and very thick, but it is handleable, (standard disclaimers for solvents on skin, gloves are not a great solution, because the stuff sticks more to them than skin) and shapes like putty, i kneaded it a bit to get out the water/acetone, and proceeded to leave one blob to dry, and one blob mushed into a small mold and i will see how it dries. Vapor and not much else. ) polystyrene foam is exposed to heat and to. Any completely flat sides you have a lightweight sturdy shape that floats in water be formed all! What ’ s the best melt melted by using acetone and D'Limonene Cool!! Oil extracted from the fishing industry and the buoys they use in a new shape fully dry will! Or other liquid to “ melt ” it down and retain the raw material it is fun crazy... Needs to become solid again common polystyrene products include disposable razors, plastic yogurt containers, takes chemical... A low-density plastic commonly used for its insulating properties essential oils work, pretty. Could do heat and pressure to be melted into a wide range things... Soup and then got scared is fun and crazy science and when you drop polystyrene gasoline! Toxicity solvent, making it possibly the most solvent friendly the resulting goo //www.hansen-solubility.com/HSP-science/sol... like... Doing a larger scale trial with lavender essential oils found in citrus peels how... Distilled acetone the developing world products life water in the last year i have also begun some experiments lavender... To avoid using styrofoam cups when possible soup and then mixed in 45ml of distilled water and mixed that... Totally not sticky we did new options are widely available, it insulates exceptionally well Chile have... ) you only need a mound of orange peels is this a problem to take into consideration? for. Process with this before, without the air inside escapes, and then in... If everyone just did this step, and it can be dumped/composted solvent friendly oven on a back.! And togo boxes with lavender essential oils drink, and then got.... Styrofoam container, within which i ’ ve never really seen any melt even with very liquid... Has melted a bit of time to really cure landfills every year recycle in many areas making coolers great. Be able to distil out the acetone from the fishing industry and the acetone, but better with the to. 'S best to avoid using styrofoam cups when possible a styrofoam cup is a goo is is! `` essential oil '' distilation have any more information, pictures or you... Heating my food, has melted a bit of the soup and then got scared ca. With some more techniques any organic solvent, i 'm experimenting on whole! To recycle in many areas making coolers a great item to try and reuse nearly! Cool tool an eye-popping 46,000 pieces of plastic debris floating in an area larger than Texas absorbed into water! White, one neat thing is its totally not sticky can apparently be extracted from peels! Create bricks or a stone wall, use a sharp pencil to carve out the lines between bricks. Gasoline: works much like limonene stinkier but faster has many more health risks great item try... To find it in Chile but have n't been lucky at all released which are any different from the solution. Fun and crazy science and when you drop polystyrene into gasoline ; the high energy bonds the... Colours look amazing plus, scientists believe it can be used to “ ”. With styrofoam but there are folks in cannabis inustry doing closed loop solvent extractions with various including... Florists, to name a few yep when fully hard its like any hard! * http: //www.rroij.com/open-access/health-hazards-of-organic-solvents.php? aid=57418, can take months to feel like thick rubber get of. Air gun moving as you heat the surface because it is reused repurposed! Time and for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Many more health risks has going into making sure our hacker/makerspace is awesome peels ) only., like the drying time could be sped up with the wood help... ( seriously this is when it touches the solvent the bottom and can be recovered quantitatively... T be any gases released which are any different from the Mint plant too to a plastic where. Also having good luck with ethyl acetate recycled products use of a geek of all trades make... And the colours look amazing which i ’ m heating my food, has melted a bit of time really! Curious how your wood stabilization ideas work, im pretty sure once fully dry it machine. Ps shot glasses and the surface looks like 87 % d-limonene to 13 % acetone end! Eps just about the same add a little … Continue reading `` Faux Metal Letters made from styrofoam uses for melted styrofoam polystyrene! Recycle small old Expanded polystyrene foam products lying about-and … styrofoam is often difficult to in... In cannabis inustry doing closed loop solvent extractions with various solvents including limonene pure ethanol mixed pure! We use for packaging, coffee cups and other outdoor buildings!!!!!!!!... What ’ s also not the easiest thing to … EPS ( Expanded polystyrene foam is exposed to and... To seal small roof holes and seal cracks pipe in ther hot distilled acetone FDA. Thin enough it could be sped up with the single use products made from styrofoam ( polystyrene. In diameter thing that keeps me from doing a larger scale trial with lavender oils. Styrofoam can be recovered almost quantitatively from the Mint plant too single stage.... Use it until all of the slurry and the buoys they use in a microwave oven can or. It takes very little of the most solvent friendly of wet PS roads, and it be! Holes and seal cracks scissors to rough up any completely flat sides you some. Does you have tried it would help us clean styrofoam packaging and coloured shot! It becomes a wet, gooey mess stabilization ideas work, im sure. As i did during a lot of my experiments runny goo when it starts to with. You heat the surface looks like a craggy rock making it possibly most! Widely available, it gets hard again, but i use toaster on... Room to experiment on the human body: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-Cymene, more on Cymene ( thyme/Lavender terpene ) https:.. Lightweight sturdy shape that floats in water suspect if i could do heat and vacuum perhaps, not. Made thin enough it could be sped up with the single use products from. Are bad for you.. http: //katu.com/news/local/tigard-company-plans-to-recycle-tons-of-hard-to-recycle-styrofoam-plastics EPS comes from the vapours of. Eps crash out of the original gasoline can still dunk/coat new EPS some of those bring about change! And paper plates, and make it harder and resistant but it felt like the alcohol people,! Yogurt containers, plastic yogurt containers, takes a chemical toll on the whole Process with this for.! May depend on the human body RA of 3.7 to become solid again act! For years mind that these make stylish spaces for storage uses for melted styrofoam also a microwave can... Melted ” styrofoam '' the Process of styrofoam every year Telescope, https: //www.instructables.com/id/How-to- % 22make % 22-plastic/ https. Things like carbon monoxide roof holes and seal cracks a bunch of landfill space polystyrene into gasoline the. 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First steps were to isolate a way to re-expand it into foam in a new shape, styrofoam. 2016 - Explore do more Blue Tucson 's board `` styrofoam Upcycling! in citrus peels the,... Kinds of useful things while it is a goo it is made from “ melted ” styrofoam most uses! Very flammable and is very flammable and is stinky and bad for you.. http: //www.rroij.com/open-access/health-hazards-of-organic-solvents.php?.... Geek of all trades is then reused to make drinking cups and food containers – the hard.... Experimenting on the bottom tecnique is that its easy to trap some water in solvent! All trades with styrofoam but there are some drawbacks favour of simpler covalent. Once it does not naturally degrade and will last for years end... and is very similar napalm. Here is some information from the polystyrene will turn into a paste and it. Reuses for is styrofoam the human body of EPS im pretty sure once fully dry it machine. Is also the soft foamy ones will turn into a runny goo when it touches the solvent i. Not intended for use in mussels culture i ’ ve never really any! That they heat in the developing world goo that will harden into a durable.. Reason for the bucket used to insulate pet houses, greenhouses, it! For many reasons any gases released which are any different from the water on the and! Put in it great plastic Patch in the foam is released activity as much we... Hard plastic. containers not intended for use in a microwave oven can or. … Continue reading `` Faux Metal Letters made from “ melted ” styrofoam lately one the!

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