Thermal conductivity and conditioning of grey expanded polystyrene foams

Simpson, A ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4489-7254, Rattigan, IG, Kalavsky, E ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5899-8294 and Parr, GP 2020, 'Thermal conductivity and conditioning of grey expanded polystyrene foams' , Cellular Polymers, 39 (6) , pp. 238-262.

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Abstract

This article focuses on the thermal conductivity of 50 mm thick silver grey (infrared absorbing) expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam boards blown with pentane. The effect of short-term ageing from the point of production, by ambient conditioning at 23°C/50% RH, is compared to conditioning at an elevated temperature of 70°C. The declared thermal properties of the product and CE certification are fulfilled by the requirements of the European EPS product standard and SG19 Guidance. Measured thermal conductivity levels within 1% of the final value are acceptable and considered representative throughout the economic life of the product. Levels within the criteria were determined for 50 mm silver EPS after conditioning for 5 days at an elevated temperature of 70°C, whereas for conditioning at 23°C/50% RH the time taken was 23 days. The latter time is in good accord with retesting retained grey EPS boards of similar density and up to 9 years old, after initial testing 22 days from production, and conditioning at 23°C/50% RH. Elevated temperature conditioning increases the rate of diffusion of the blowing agent, but there has been concern about EPS beads softening above 60°C. Although there is little evidence from scanning electron microscopy of significant increase in perforation of the cell membranes at elevated temperatures, there is some indication of a small increase in wrinkling of the walls and intercell skeletal strands at 60°C and 70°C. It takes longer to eliminate the pentane gas by conditioning at 23°C/50% RH but there is no risk of material change from heat conditioning.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	** From Crossref via Jisc Publications Router **Journal IDs: pissn 0262-4893; eissn 1478-2421 **History: issued 26-06-2020; published_online 26-06-2020
Schools:	Schools > School of Computing, Science and Engineering
Journal or Publication Title:	Cellular Polymers
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	0262-4893
Related URLs:	Publication
SWORD Depositor:	Publications Router
Depositing User:	Publications Router
Date Deposited:	08 Jul 2020 10:38
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2022 05:03
URI:	https://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/57526

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