Change in the Properties of Expanded Polystyrene Exposed to Solar Radiation in Real Aging Conditions

Artur Nowoświat, Artur Miros and Paweł Krause ()
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Artur Nowoświat: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Artur Miros: ŁUKASIEWICZ Research Network-Warsaw Institute of Technology, 3 Duchnicka Street, 01-796 Warszawa, Poland
Paweł Krause: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-11

Abstract: Although polystyrene materials with added graphite are actively used for the thermal insulation of buildings, there are serious problems with the detachment and warping of these materials under the influence of solar radiation. However, no systematic studies have yet been carried out on the aging of polystyrene under exposure to solar radiation. The article presents research aimed at determining changes in the thermal conductivity, compressive stress, tensile strength, and water absorption of expanded polystyrene with the addition of graphite, exposed to direct solar radiation under in situ conditions. For this purpose, expanded polystyrene (EPS) with the addition of graphite (gray EPS) and expanded polystyrene made of composite panels (gray EPS and white EPS) were exposed to direct solar radiation under in situ conditions. A third sample (reference), which was entirely white polystyrene (without the addition of graphite), was included in the tests. The results showed that expanded polystyrene with the addition of graphite degraded under the influence of direct solar radiation but improved its strength properties. Expanded polystyrene made of composite improved its compressive strength properties by nearly 11 kPa (18%), and expanded polystyrene with the addition of graphite improved its compressive strength properties by 0.4 kPa (0.5%). And the tensile strength for composite-made expanded polystyrene increased by 7 kPa (9%), and that for expanded polystyrene with the addition of graphite increased by 26 kPa (37%). At the same time, water absorption for expanded polystyrene made of composite also increased by 0.06 kg/m 2 (60%), and that for expanded polystyrene with the addition of graphite increased by 0.04 kg/m 2 (44%).

Keywords: expanded polystyrene (EPS); gray polystyrene; sun; strain; strength; absorption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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