Just got my hands on a few blocks of 2-lb. EPS. I detect a sweet odor. Is this some sort of blowing agent or perhaps the adhesive bonding the cells together? Is it hazardous?
not sure about the dangers, but i just ordered a block and they said they are going to blow it this afternoon and i could pick it up tomorrow afternoon. They said to let it sit at least a week before cutting it, i am in hawaii and it is warm so i would figuere longer if it is cold where your at.
That sweet smell is n-pentane (CH3(CH2)3CH3). It’s a hydrocarbon so it’s not so good. The exhaust levels of EPS blanks it is not too hazardous. The better foams for surfboards (EDRO; Insulfoam, etc.) emit less pentane than “normal” EPS.
If you work in a factory of EPS you’re probably not allowed to smoke.
Greg?
Hmmm, so not so good, not so bad. I did not expect the blocks to come bearing bad gifts in the form of bad vapors and am antsy about it because my wife is pregnant. I have the blocks in a small room of my house and the two small vents are closed and blocked off. There is no trace of odor anywhere else in the house. Unfortunately I literally have no where else to put them, so if I have to move them from the house it will be a lost investment. I’ve been venting the room by opening the windows periodically (its not really that strong of an odor, but I’m being anal about it).
stuff smells …screw it…dont eat or smoke the stuff or anything like that!..a little smell …the old lady pregnant?..f-it that smell is nothing …at least she dosent smoke it…and if she did then youd probally never see a difference…damn…damn…just forget that smell
hacky, it’s really not bad for you at this point. I drove two blanks inside my van with the kids from Fla. to New England. About 24 hours.
You need to read the MSDS on the compound AND then read about the small amount used in expanding the EPS and then how little is left in the cells/foam and how little escapes after the expanded foam has cooled.
I suspect that pentane smell is the epoxy equivalent to poly resin. Nothing but good associations.
Very good Rob. Most EPS today is 2.5% pentane BEFORE it’s pre-expanded. 95% of that is lost during pre-expansion and 95% of what’s left is lost during the molding, so there isn’t much. When hot wiring, work in a well ventilated area. We use fans blowing down the length of the block to cool the exposed wire and the blow the fumes out the door. As for fumes coming off the block, they do use the stuff in houses for insulation. Pentane is similar in structure to butane, methane, octane, propane, etc. all of which are common in modern living. I wouldn’t have you wife sitting around sniffing the block all day though. Just use common sense.
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I suspect that pentane smell is the epoxy equivalent to poly resin. Nothing but good associations.
I LOVE that sweat scent when glassing an EPS board. Always thought it was the epoxy tho…
regards,
Håvard