Polystyrene is one of the most prolific products churned out by the chemical industry. It is in fact too popular to the point that the industry releases a record of billions and billions of kilograms of polystyrene annually, many of which going to coffee shops as coffee cups, cd cases, razor blades, plastic closets, etc. Two of the major types of foam-like polystyrene are the expanded polystyrene and the extruded polystyrene. Expanded polystyrene is the one used commonly as food packaging in fast food chains, as coffee cups, yogurt cups, ice cream cups, etc. It is also used for parties and convenience stores as a handier and cleaner alternative to plastic cups. Extruded polystyrene is thicker than expanded polystyrene, and it also goes by the patented moniker of Styrofoam. Yes, Styrofoam is different from the one which is used on many of the commodities in cafes and food chains.
Styrofoam, as was said, is thicker and more durable than expanded polystyrene. It has more of the characteristics of foam than expanded polystyrene due to its crunchiness and its “messier” destroyed look. It can also be seen as sporting white “foam-balls” when cut. It also has a characteristic sound while being rubbed together, similar to fingernails on a chalkboard. Despite of these mundanely annoying qualities, Styrofoam has a more diverse set of uses than expanded polystyrene. The extruded polymerization of Styrofoam provides greater insulation for many set of appliances which uses its natural buoyant protection. Speaking of buoyancy, it is also used as a device to prevent drowning.
Styrofoam also possesses the benefits inherent to the chemical nature of polystyrene. It is also produced as a styrene polymer, possessing a long chain of aromatic monomers of polystyrene. Its aromatic nature gives it unique qualities like stability. It possesses a cyclic chain of carbons, characteristic of most unstable chemicals. That is the reason why polystyrene products like extruded polystyrene generally possess great stability and longevity.
