How to Make Styrofoam

Make packing peanuts

Although most Americans know what Styrofoam is, not all Americans may know what polystyrene is. Styrofoam is a polystyrene foam trademarked by the Dow Chemical company in 1941. In the United States, however, Styrofoam has become the generic term for polystyrene foam, like Kleenex has become a generic term for facial tissues. Styrofoam is used in the making of cups, packing material and insulated coolers.

Things You'll Need

• Ethylene
• Benzene
• Chemical heating unit
• Suspension agent
• Polymerization initiator
• Aluminum chloride
• Polystyrene heating vessel
• Storage silo

Instructions

1. The manufacturing of polystyrene foam should be done in a supervised chemical lab or polystyrene factory with supervision. First, you will need raw liquid ethylene and benzene to start the chemical process.

2. In a chemical heating unit, heat the ethylene and benzene with aluminum chloride to 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit. When the liquids dehydrogenate, it becomes styrene.

3. Add tiny drops of styrene to water and a suspension agent. Polystyrene will form around the drops of styrene.

4. Add a polymerization initiator to the droplets. The droplets will mold together, forming chain-like links of polystyrene balls.

5. Heat the polystyrene beads in a heating vessel up to 200 degrees to expand the beads. After cooling, the beads are placed in a storage silo for 24 hours.

6. Feed the beads into a desired shape, either packing peanuts, cups or other polystyrene shapes.

7. Inject steam into the beads so they will keep their shape, then allow the beads to cool one hour.

8. The beads will stay in position and can now be cut, bonded and coated. The cutting tools can be woodworking tools but must be sharp to cut through the polystyrene smoothly. Non-flammable coatings must be applied because polystyrene is flammable.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not attempt to make Styrofoam unless you have the proper tools and supervision.

References

• EHow.com: How Does Styrofoam Get Made?
• StyroMelt.com: How is Polystyrene Made?

Resources

• ThomasNet.com: Polystyrene Plastic Materials