Homemade Styrofoam

Styrofoam making produces chlorofluorocarbons which break down the ozone layer

Styrofoam requires the chemicals ethylene, aluminum chloride and benzene. The process is dangerous and should not be done without the proper equipment. A chemical heating unit is required and safety precautions taken to avoid accidents. Manufacturing of styrofoam should only be completed in a supervised controlled setting. Note that Styrofoam is actually polystyrene foam. It was invented and patented by the Dow Chemical Company in 1941. The word styrofoam is now used generically to encompass all items made with polystyrene foam. A generic description of how polystyrene is made contains the chemicals but not the exact proportions.

Things You'll Need

• Chemical Heating Unit
• Ethylene
• Benzene
• Aluminum chloride
• Suspension agent
• Terminating agent
• Water

Instructions

1. Use a chemical heating unit and place ethylene and benzine into the catalyst aluminum chloride. Heat the ingredients to 1,112 to 1,202 degrees Fahrenheit. The heating dehydrogenates the chemicals to form styrene.

2. Use a suspension agent and drop tiny droplets of styrene into the solution.

3. Add a polymerization initiator to the suspension agent. Heat the mixture in a chemical heating until to 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Add a terminating agent to the chemical mixture.

5. Let the mixture cool. Rinse off the polystyrene beads or styrofoam beads.

Tips & Warnings

• The styrofoam beads are then processed into the desired shape using a polystyrene heating mold. Steam is forced into the mold causing the beads to expand into the desired shape.

• Do not attempt to make styrofoam, also known as polystyrene, at home. The process is very dangerous. The process makes chlorofluorocarbons which break down the ozone layer.

References

• Dow Building Solutions: Invention of STYROFOAM
• How Products are Made: Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPF)