Polystyrene Waste Covert into Adhesives as a Sustainable Waste Management Solution

Amarasinghe Ampc, Kumara Mvasn, Wijesekara Erjmddp, S Abeysinghe and Kumar Bc
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Amarasinghe Ampc: Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
Kumara Mvasn: Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
Wijesekara Erjmddp: Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
S Abeysinghe: Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
Kumar Bc: Shanxi Agricultural University, China.

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science, 2025, vol. 10, issue 7, 1441-1448

Abstract: Adhesives, made from both natural and synthetic polymeric materials, can permanently join surfaces through mechanical force or work. This research project aims to address environmental problems caused by polystyrene waste by converting it into environmentally friendly adhesive materials. In this study, the best solvent is determined by using three types of solvents: toluene, kerosene, and a mixture of toluene and kerosene. A mixture consisting of 30 ml of toluene, 30 ml of kerosene, and 30 ml of the toluene-kerosene mixture (with proportions of 15 ml toluene and 15 ml kerosene) are prepared. 10g of Styrofoam is utilized in the process. About 3ml of adhesive, prepared using the above methods, this is applied to bond two cardboard pieces size of 10cm*5cm. Three such samples are created, and the strength is measured. The adhesive strength obtained with toluene is measured at 0.1 MPa, with kerosene at 0.4 MPa, and with the mixture at 2.9 MPa. From the data, it can be inferred that the best solvent for producing adhesive is the toluene-kerosene mixture. 3ml of the prepared adhesive (the toluene-kerosene mixture) is used to bond the cardboard, plastic, and aluminum pieces, and the samples are left for a day to measure the strength. The measured strengths are 2.0 MPa for cardboard, 1.8 MPa for plastic, and 68.2 MPa for aluminum. Based on the data, aluminum demonstrates the highest strength. Due to the extended drying time required for aluminum, cardboard is utilized to quickly measure the material with the highest strength. 3ml of adhesive is applied to bond two 10cm*5cm cardboard pieces, creating two samples. The strength of one sample is measured after one hour, while the other sample’s strength is measured after two hours. It is observed that the strength measures 2.0 MPa after one hour and increases to 2.4 MPa after two hours, indicating that strength increases with time.

Date: 2025
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