Technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam
Technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam
The technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam allow us to create really high-quality thermal insulation today. Having similar characteristics to foam, this material significantly surpasses it in consumer properties. It is more convenient to install, does not crumble and does not take away a lot of useful space in the room.
Extruded polystyrene foam is used for thermal insulation of the ceiling, walls and floor of premises
General information about expanded polystyrene
Granules are used for the production of extruded polystyrene foam, the characteristics of which depend on the thickness of the material and its density. They consist of a polymer called polystyrene. During the production process, these granules melt, and at a certain pressure, the mass begins to boil, forming foam. At this stage, special plasticizing additives, freon gas or carbon mixtures are added to the mixture. Then the liquid mass flows out into special molds, where it is compressed. After complete solidification, the finished material is cut into standard plates. About 90% of the total volume of the plate is air, which caused the peculiar technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam.
Table of technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam
The standard sizes of penoplex plates have a fairly narrow range. The length of one plate is 1000, 1250 or 2000 mm, its width is 500 or 600 mm, but the thickness varies in a much wider range from 2 to 10 cm. In addition, they also have differences in the arrangement of the side surfaces. In addition to straight edges, there are also “spike” designs, which allows you to stack the material more tightly if necessary. The internal structure of the plate is a huge number of small bubbles with air like foam, but unlike it, these granules are one whole, as they are interconnected in all directions. This is what prevents the material from crumbling like its predecessor.
Useful advice! To insulate the external walls of the building, it is desirable to use plates with protrusions along the edges. This will provide better protection against freezing.
Various fields of use of extruded polystyrene foam
The scope of application of such a material as penoplex is not limited to purely domestic needs. It is used, and with success, for insulation of prefabricated structures of shopping malls, hangars, warehouses and even buildings of small industrial enterprises. Extruded polystyrene foam, the technical characteristics of which we will consider a little later, has the following advantages, undeniable by anyone:
- The material is produced in a very user-friendly format of various thicknesses, which allows you to select the most suitable option for a particular task.
- The plates are very light. As their density increases, the weight varies from 20 to 50 kg/m3.
- Manufacturers assure us that the plates can last 50 years without changes in the structure.
- Ecological purity of the material.
- Chemical resistance.
- Very low moisture absorption.
- Both the technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam and the price are very attractive. After all, 1 m3 of this material costs from 60 CU today.
Plates made of extruded polystyrene foam have high chemical resistance
In comparison, for example, with basalt wool, penoplex has a higher thermal conductivity, which affects its ability to keep warm. In addition, some species have low compressive strength. These facts can be considered disadvantages of this material. Also, the disadvantages can be considered:
- Low permeability to steam, which creates a greenhouse effect in the room. In houses where there is no ventilation system, it will be very difficult to breathe because of the stuffiness and you will have to constantly ventilate the rooms.
- Extruded polystyrene foam, the technical characteristics and price of which are in a good combination, will have a thickness of 2-3 cm– Such plates have very weak sound insulation qualities. For this reason, they cannot be used for sound insulation purposes.
- Polyvinyl chloride is the “killer” of expanded polystyrene. Prolonged contact of these substances gradually destroys the latter.
- Penoplex is very poorly protected from the effects of ultraviolet radiation, which makes it impossible to use it in open places.
The use of extruded polystyrene foam for insulation of the foundation of the building
Useful advice! When designing the insulation system, it is always necessary to pay attention to the density of the foam. The higher it is, the higher the thermal conductivity. Therefore, in order to achieve an optimal effect at a constant density, the heat-protective qualities can be changed by increasing the thickness of the sheets. This makes it necessary to calculate in advance the required volume of the room, which will be “donated” in favor of heat.
Technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam
To fully understand the whole picture, it is necessary to understand in more detail the technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam. They are more than sufficient for insulation. The task of any insulation is to preserve heat in a heated room. Since the rate of heat transfer varies, according to the laws of thermodynamics, depending on the density of the substance, it is obvious that gases have a lower coefficient of thermal conductivity than solids. So the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the air is 0.026 W/m * °C. Penoplex, being 90% air mixture, has this indicator of 0.030 W/m * °C. The difference is just minuscule. This indicates its excellent ability to retain heat.
Styrofoam plates are mounted on walls with the help of a special adhesive composition
Styrofoam is available with a large range in density. It varies for different products from 25 to 47 kg/m3. This indicator greatly affects the strength of the material, which increases from 20,000 to 50,000 kg/m2 with increasing density. Penoplex is a material that absorbs water very poorly. For 28 days, the stove can absorb only 0.4% of its volume of liquids, and then this process stops completely.
The coefficient of such an indicator as vapor permeability is only 0.0128 Mg / (m * h* Pa). This makes, in some cases, the device of an additional layer of vapor barrier optional when installing individual systems. The ability to withstand low, up to -50 ° C and high temperatures up to +75 ° C allows you to use this type of insulation in almost any climatic conditions. However, styrofoam is quite combustible. Depending on the amount of flame retardants added to it, the flammability class can vary from G1 to G4.
Penoplex is widely used for insulation of balconies and loggias
Some brands of extruded polystyrene foam, the characteristics of which are beyond praise, also have an L–shaped notch along the edges. It is needed for a tighter fit of the plates to each other by strengthening the insulation of the seams. This circumstance prevents cold bridges from forming between such products.
Tests were carried out with penoplex, consisting in repeated freezing and defrosting of a wet plate. Most tests have shown that the plate can withstand up to 80 such cycles, which in practice can correspond to the number of years of operation.
Expanded polystyrene is used for both indoor and outdoor construction work
When comparing the material in question with its fellow foam, striking differences will immediately catch the eye. They arose as a result of the use of modern unique technology in the production of foam plastic, which made it possible to make this material thinner and more durable. Indeed, to achieve the same effect, it is necessary to double the foam layer compared to the foam layer, and, moreover, put it in two rows so that cold bridges are not created at the seams.
If you compare expanded polystyrene with other insulation materials, then such characteristics as sound permeability, it loses to some of them. But for the convenience of installation, it has no equal. After all, it is much easier to lay hard plates than to suffer with soft rolls of mineral wool.
Insulation of the roof of the attic room with styrofoam plates
Useful advice! When building a bath or sauna, never use extruded polystyrene foam for insulation. Its characteristics are such that they do not allow it to be placed in conditions where the room temperature rises above +75 ° C.
The technical characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam allow it to be used in almost all areas of the construction sector, regardless of the location of the object. He will show himself equally well, both on a small balcony or loggia in his apartment, and in the walls of a huge shopping complex. Therefore, its use is more than justified.
