The acetone breaks up the long chain of molecules, and the air goes away, hence the volume shrinks radically. "Delicate fabrics and items that are painted are particularly prone to damage when stored in the attic," and plastic decorations, like ornaments, may melt or warp in the heat. Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic. WHAT IS STYROFOAM? The cup seems to have disappeared. 'Styrofoam' is actually a polymer of styrene (vinyl benzene --- C6H5-CH=CH2). A Styrofoam cup is placed in a Petri dish of acetone. Stir the solution well, and pour it in a sprayer. If any plastic melts/hardens onto the glass it usually can not be removed because it bonds to the glass. Watch the video for an explanation. Most people know it under the name Styrofoam, which is actually the trade name of a polystyrene foam product used for housing insulation. First: Pour ½ cup of acetone into the bowl. Polystyrene is a very inert, nonreactive substance -- one of the properties that make it so useful for packaging. Some chemicals, however, can dissolve or eat through styrofoam, and a few of these are … When choosing a fish oil product, its ability to dissolve Styrofoam … Now Follow These Steps: WARNING: Please follow the manufacturer's warnings on the container of acetone. Styrofoam cups. Your holidays might just be a lot less merry this year if you've been storing your decorations in the attic. There is now a thin layer of hard plastic bumps on part of the burner. The air in the foam evaporates, and because Styrofoam consists mainly of air, it completely loses its structure. How does that work? Acetone is a chemical that dissolves Styrofoam. Fire melts Styrofoam, also known as polyurethane. Spray the solution on snow to melt it. I accidentally placed a styrofoam food container onto a still-warm electric burner. It doesn't dissolve at all in water or alcohols either. However, you can add more vinegar in the solution if the snow is thick or taking a lot of time to melt. It's possible to scrape off most of the melted styrofoam. Shutterstock/ID-Art. Some types of spray paint, as well as gasoline, will also dissolve Styrofoam. Polyurethane foam, a common material used in car seats, wall insulation, mattresses and chairs, comes in a foam form that you can apply with a spray can, but it's very hard to remove. "Holiday decorations can be damaged by the extreme heat in attics," says Santoro. The DOW is trying to eliminate the use of styrene as it is because it smells so bad and is very toxic hence the company is trying to resort to co-polymerization (adding other monomers along with styrene in the polymerization process). The ethyl ester form of fish oil (dissolves Styrofoam faster), can be more concentrated than the triglyceride form. Most petroleum based solvents will dissolve polystyrene foam (styrofoam), including rubbing alcohol (isopropyl), acetone (the main ingredient in nail polish remover), gasoline, lacquer thinner, paint thinner, MEK, and mineral spirits. The solvent is very flammable and can be harmful if inhaled, so use safety when conducting this experiment! This means that it will take a larger dose of triglyceride fish oil, to get the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Mostly extreme heat can melt any foam or plastic-like object. Metal bowl or pot. You will need tools to scrap, saw, dissolve and pry it. White Vinegar + Water. Polystyrene is a light-weight material, about 95% air, with very good insulation properties and is used in all types of products from cups Add 1 part of white vinegar and mix it with 1 part of water. 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