Water foamed polystyrene new process

Nova Chemicals and Teubert Maschineubau Plastics and Additives recently partnered to successfully develop a new process for the production of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) using water without the use of blowing agents. The new process uses modified starch and EPS particles. With the compounding, the starch can absorb the tiny water droplets present in the particle shell, thereby foaming to obtain the foamed material or the product. The characteristics of the new process: No need to use foaming agent to solve the problem of slow release of polluted environment during the storage and use of residual pentane in the conventional EPS production process, so as to meet strict regulatory requirements for the release of volatile organic compounds (UCC). In addition, it can also increase the production efficiency of foam moldings and improve the safety in the production process. It is said that Nova has planned to start this new process first in the United States with industrial production capacity of 200kt/a.