How Can I Turn Styrofoam into Glue?

Babette

November 30, 20100 found this helpful

brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/20016.aspx

Recycle Styrofoam: Make Your Own Glue
In the last article on Styrofoam (polystyrene), we looked at various ways in which people were recycling the polystyrene at home. Here we are going to go over a process in which you can turn your polystyrene into a super glue at home through a discovery that comes from a Japanese researcher at Sony.

Tsutomu Noguchi of the Sony Research Center found that the oil from orange peels would dissolve polystyrene. By using a product called Limoene, that contains .5% of the orange peel oil Noguchi found that the polystyrene would break down into a liquid form that created a very strong glue and can be used to create styrene pellets that go back into the production of more polystyrene. Currently, the Sony Corporation is the only major company to mass recycle polystyrene in this way through a full system that they call The Orange Network System. You can learn more about this process at: www.Sony.net

In order to make a polystyrene or styrofoam glue at home you will need some items to get the job done properly. So, first gather the following:

Two or Three Styrofoam (polystyrene) food containers
Limonene/Orange Oil *can be purchased at Citrus Depot
Large Metal Pot
Clean Jar or Jars with lids

Once you have your items together, the first thing you'll want to do is get set up in a well ventilated area or go outside. The Limonene has a powerful orange scent and the polystyrene can be odorous while breaking down.

Tear up or cut your polystyrene into small pieces
Place your polystyrene into the metal pot
Start off with pouring 4oz of Limonene onto the polystyrene
The polystyrene will then break down into a thin liquid form. Take the resulting liquid, which will amount to about 9oz and pour into a jar. Label it well as "Glue" before you put it away, so you and your household will know what it is later.

Chose to use your glue wisely, as it can also act as a type of sealant. Once you use it, just like some of the better super glues it is there to stay and is very hard to get off.

nightcry

December 2, 20100 found this helpful

In order to make a polystyrene or styrofoam glue at home you will need some items to get the job done properly. So, first gather the following:

Two or Three Styrofoam (polystyrene) food containers
Limonene/Orange Oil *can be purchased at Citrus Depot
Large Metal Pot
Clean Jar or Jars with lids
Once you have your items together, the first thing you'll want to do is get set up in a well ventilated area or go outside. The Limonene has a powerful orange scent and the polystyrene can be odorous while breaking down.

Tear up or cut your polystyrene into small pieces
Place your polystyrene into the metal pot
Start off with pouring 4oz of Limonene onto the polystyrene

The polystyrene will then break down into a thin liquid form. Take the resulting liquid, which will amount to about 9oz and pour into a jar. Label it well as "Glue" before you put it away, so you and your household will know what it is later.

Chose to use your glue wisely, as it can also act as a type of sealant. Once you use it, just like some of the better super glues it is there to stay and is very hard to get off.

I got this from Green Living.

Maryeileen
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December 5, 20100 found this helpful

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