What does the foam dissolve in? Do-it-yourself concrete marble floor in the garage. What kind of foam is needed - features of the preparation of glue

Modern adhesives, of which there are many in hardware stores, with all the variety of names and brands, differ little from each other. All of them are united by high price and average quality of gluing. Most often, a universal construction adhesive is a polyurethane or polystyrene viscous mass in an organic solvent. Expanded polystyrene, aka polystyrene and solvent, can be found in almost every home. Following the same logic, you can quite simply make foam glue with your own hands based on a simple recipe.

Materials for making foam glue

It will cost literally a penny to make a homemade glue mass, but on one condition - you need to know what materials to use, and most importantly - to understand how to make foam glue safely for your own health.

For the manufacture of glue based on expanded polystyrene, the following materials and equipment will be required:

• A container for preparing glue, for large quantities it is best to use a clean metal canister. A test portion of the glue can be prepared even in a half-liter jar;
• Styrofoam, you can use the remnants of packaging from new household appliances, sheet insulation, or even the remnants of thermal insulation from an old refrigerator. Ten years ago, foam was widely used for all kinds of disposable cups, plates and trays, today the best option would be EPS trimming or foam chips;
• Solvent. In addition, gloves and a regular household fan are required. Gloves to protect your hands, and a fan will help you avoid firing if you have to dissolve large amounts of Styrofoam.

For your information! The best solvent for foam is benzene or toluene. But due to the high toxicity of aromatic hydrocarbons, the foam glue will turn out to be poisonous.

Do not use both of these hydrocarbons for any adhesives or paints. The pleasant smell is often confusing, but working with benzene and foam glue for half an hour indoors, and mild poisoning will be ensured.

How to dissolve foam

Any solvent can be used. The best thinner for nitro paints, P646, acetone or pure gasoline, for example, "Galosha" or ordinary automobile A-95.

Gasoline is chosen without fuel additives; it is best to buy clean material for cleaning and washing brushes in a construction salon. Do not use leaded grades or biogasolines with a high fuel alcohol content. Not only is water and kerosene poured into such gasolines, inhalation of additives during the preparation of the glue will obviously not add health.

If you find the so-called Vietnamese gasoline - take it, you will not regret it. Today it is one of the most successful and safe solvents for the preparation of glue. It is not very suitable for cars, since it consists half of straight-run gasoline and acetone, and just right for dissolving foam.

Dichloroethane and acetone are in second place in terms of foam solubility. The first is poisonous, the glue based on it is able to glue almost any plastic. The acetone and foam glue is slightly softer, but the glue mixture is much more fluid and easy to work with.

Which foam is better

To prepare the glue, a significant amount of foam is required, since 95% of the volume of the foamed polymer is gas.

Requirements for the foam used as raw material for the preparation of the adhesive mass:

• The material must be absolutely clean, without contamination from paint, soil or building materials;
• Insulation materials for underground utilities, with fire-fighting additives or a specific smell, must not be used for the preparation of glue.

Freons are used for the manufacture of foamed polymer. Some brands of polystyrene are saturated with salts of heavy metals, which reduce the flammability of polystyrene foam.

For your information! Gases, including freon and styrene, remain conserved in the bubbles of the foam mass, and during the preparation of the glue they are actively released to the surface. This does not affect the quality of the glue, but it is better not to inhale such mixtures.

For foam based glue, you can use any polystyrene parts, but you will need to grind them to a powder state and dissolve in a small amount of acetone. Styrofoam and gasoline are added last.

A practical guide to making glue

The technology for preparing glue from foam and gasoline is reduced to performing the following procedures:

• We prepare a container for glue, it must be washed and thoroughly dried in the sun;
• A small amount of solvent or gasoline is poured into the bottom of the can, approximately 1/10 of the planned proportion;
• The first portion is filled with foam crushed into granules, about three times more than the amount of solvent poured;
• The mixture of glue, foam and solvent is vigorously stirred to remove the evolved gases;
• Then you can add the foam in pieces, sinking it in the glue mass. If necessary, add a mixture of gasoline and acetone in small portions.

The result should be a viscous and stretching mass, with a consistency similar to shoe glue or a very thick jelly. As soon as the glue has stopped emitting gas bubbles, you can start gluing the surfaces.

The second recipe for foam glue

This method practically does not differ from the previous one, with the only difference that nitro lacquer diluted with a small amount of acetone is used as a base.

As in the previous case, the foam is loaded into the lacquer-acetone mixture in small portions and thoroughly mixed to get rid of bubbles and achieve complete dissolution of the expanded polystyrene.

If the first recipe was used as a conventional glue that can be used to glue wood and paper, then the second mixture is used mainly as waterproofing. With glue, diluted to the state of liquid sour cream, it is very convenient to process the floor, steps, handrails of the country porch, you can seal holes in the roofing material with glue and even stick the roofing on the boards of the sheathing.

Sometimes, instead of pure varnish, nitro paint is used to dissolve the foam. The result is a fairly viscous adhesive that does not adhere very well to conventional materials. Due to the lumpiness and a large amount of ballast filler, the strength of the adhesive mass is obtained at the level of the putty, it also crumbles and cracks after the final setting of the material. A mixture of nitro paint and foam glue can be successfully used as a protective coating for painting metal and wood fences.

Two ways to use homemade glue

The foam based adhesive is not superglue. With all the simplicity of preparation and fairly cheap and affordable components, foam glue has several significant disadvantages:

• Limited shelf life of freshly made glue;
• Reduced strength of the glue line. Foam glue turns out to be weaker than polyurethane or even rubber branded materials, so the amount of glue mass when gluing materials is increased by 2-3 times;
• The glue dries long enough. Due to the thick glue seam, the place where the parts are glued dries for at least a day.

The most inconvenient to work with is that the foam glue must be prepared only before direct use. It is known from practice that if you dissolve the foam in gasoline and leave the finished mass for 10-20 minutes, then the quality of adhesion of the glue to the surface drops sharply.

The finished mixture very quickly absorbs water vapor, and even the naked eye can see how a film is formed. Therefore, when gluing metal and plastic with a smooth surface, the place for applying the glue is wiped with acetone and the parts are joined as quickly as possible.

Porous materials, wood, paper, brick, slate can be joined without any rush, the glue penetrates deeply into the pores, and the quality of the seam is at an acceptable level.

The second method of gluing involves the use of fine foam powder. Crushed foam is poured over the bonding area and covered with a synthetic cloth. Using a brush or swab, a solvent is applied to the fabric - gasoline or acetone and carefully rolled with a rubber roller.

Under the action of a solvent, the powdered foam dissolves in a few seconds, and the roller provides maximum pressure on the surfaces to be glued. The fabric used as a backing remains in place.

Conclusion

Foam and acetone glue is suitable for gluing wooden strips, it can be used as a substitute for expensive casein or carpentry. You can glue cardboard, packaging, glue fiberboard joints, repair plywood defects and even creaky plank floorboards.

Gasoline-based adhesive mass is used for outdoor repair work. A thin layer of polystyrene will provide good waterproofing of the basement line of the walls, you can glue rolled roofing materials, a hole in the pediment or fill in holes in the country sewage system.

With the help of foam glue, you can effortlessly repair shingles and asbestos-cement slate roofs. The place where the crack has formed is glued from the inner and outer surfaces, and a cloth plaster is glued over the repair line. The service life of such a patch is at least one and a half years.

Acetone quickly destroys foam

Polyfoam is a composite material that consists of a solid
organic polymer and gas bubbles. Most of the volume of the material
takes up gas, so the foam is actually
hardened foam. Due to this structure, the foam has a very
low density and good thermal insulation,
soundproof and shockproof properties. Styrofoam is very
easy to process, unlike wood, it is resistant to action
bacteria and algae. Polyfoam is widely used as insulation in
construction and as packaging material.

Foams can be obtained from almost all common
polymers that are used for the production of plastics. V
an example is polyurethane foams,
polyvinyl chloride foams, phenol-formaldehyde and
urea-formaldehyde foams. However, the most common
received polystyrene foam. In everyday life, under the word "foam" more often
of all they mean exactly expanded polystyrene. In particular polystyrene
Styrofoam is placed inside cardboard packages with household appliances so that
protect products from impacts during transportation.

Expanded polystyrene was patented in 1920-30 and gradually
received application for external thermal insulation of buildings. Later from
They began to make ready-made blocks of expanded polystyrene, into which concrete was poured.

In addition to the undeniable advantages, polystyrene foam also has
a number of disadvantages. Like most common synthetic
polymers, expanded polystyrene has limited durability and
fire hazardous. Polystyrene foam can easily catch fire even from
matches, the material burns with the release of a significant amount of heat and
the formation of thick black smoke. Moreover: polystyrene is used in
some modern varieties of napalm. These unpleasant properties
foam must be considered during construction.

Another disadvantage of expanded polystyrene is its instability.
to the action of many organic solvents. Let's do an experiment.

In previous experience ()
we got acquainted with how hexane destroys polystyrene. Now let's carry out
a similar experiment with acetone. It turns out that acetone "corrodes" the foam
much faster than hexane. Polyfoam begins to collapse literally from
hitting the first drops of acetone. In both cases, the essence of the experience is very
is simple: an organic liquid dissolves polystyrene, and contained in
the foam, the gas is released to the outside.

You can also dip small pieces of Styrofoam into a cup of
acetone. The foam will dissolve quickly and the liquid will thicken. At
This actively releases gas, which was enclosed in the foam. Earlier
in this way it was recommended to make homemade glue. Glue,
however, it turned out not very good, besides, in our time, acetone
is a difficult to obtain reagent.

It is not difficult to assume that the action of one or another solvent
on polystyrene depends on its ability to dissolve polystyrene.
We invite readers to experiment with others on their own.
organic and inorganic solvents. Note also that
polystyrene is destroyed not only by organic solvents, but also by their
in pairs.

It is important that these binders can be cured at room temperature, as well as when dried at a temperature not exceeding 180-200 ºC. This was shown by the developments described below by the Physico-Technological Institute of Metals and Alloys of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kiev), as a result of which these binders were created - solutions of polystyrene (initially - expanded polystyrene) in an organic solvent. The research consisted of a reasonable choice of a solvent, optimization of compositions, performance properties of binders and sand mixtures.

It is known that expanded polystyrene easily dissolves in many solvents, in particular, in benzene, toluene, xylene, solvent, however, they have a very low limit of permissible concentrations (MPC, mg / m 3) in the atmosphere of work premises (workshops, sections), and this sharply worsens working conditions when using them. Thus, MPC for benzene is only 5 mg / m3, for toluene, xylene, and solvent - 50 mg / m3 each. The high volatility of these solvents also complicates their application in production. There is another group of solvents with a higher MAC, which reaches 100-200 mg / m 3. These are acetone, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, tetralin, etc. However, they have very high volatility, with the exception of expensive and scarce tetralin. So, the volatility of acetone with respect to sulfuric ether is only 2.1, the volatility of ethyl acetate is 2.9. The use of these solvents for the preparation of solutions of expanded polystyrene for the purpose of their use in the open atmosphere of working rooms from the point of view of worsening working conditions is very problematic and is not used in practice. Obviously, to obtain solutions from expanded polystyrene waste, including as binders for sand molding and core sands for foundry, solvents with a higher MPC and low volatility are required - a prerequisite for creating low-toxic mixtures.

The set problem was solved by us by establishing the fact that gum turpentine can be a solvent for expanded polystyrene waste, for which the Institute of Patent of Ukraine received it. Gum turpentine is a vegetable hydrocarbon (GOST 1571-82). It is obtained from sap (resin of coniferous trees), which is distilled with steam and divided into a volatile fraction - turpentine and a non-volatile sediment - rosin. Turpentine contains the bicyclic monoterpenoid pinene. Gum turpentine is a transparent colorless or slightly colored liquid with a density of 0.855-0.863 g / cm 3. Before the appearance of white spirit, turpentine was the main solvent for varnishes and paints; it is also used in pharmacology, since it has bactericidal properties. The annual production of turpentine gum in the world is about 300,000 tons.

Gum turpentine has a maximum permissible concentration of 300 mg / m 3, that is, significantly higher than the above-mentioned group of solvents with a maximum permissible concentration of not more than 200 mg / m 3. It dissolves foam polystyrene waste well and has low volatility: under comparable conditions, if we take the evaporation rate of gum turpentine per unit, then acetone evaporates 15.1 times faster, gasoline "Kalosha" - 9.87 times, ethyl acetate - 7.66 times, white spirit - 2.28 times.

Investigating the dissolving capacity of gum turpentine in relation to styrofoam waste, scientists have developed a technology for obtaining solutions from styrofoam waste in gum turpentine of almost any concentration, up to 50%. The laboratory obtained solutions with a concentration of 25%, 30%, 40% and 50%.

The preparation of solutions of expanded polystyrene in organic solvents is due to a multiple decrease in its initial volume and an increase in the volume of the solution in comparison with the volume of the solvent. The preparation of solutions of expanded polystyrene is a convenient way of compacting it - these wastes, due to their low density (about 25 kg / m 3), occupy a significant (more precisely, huge) volume in the environment. According to our technology, to increase the volume of the solution by one unit, it is required to dissolve many tens of units of volumes of expanded polystyrene.

The developed technology for recycling expanded polystyrene from its waste allows it to be transferred into a solution, and then, for example, to produce modern low-toxic binders for the production of sandy molding and core sands, as well as coatings for casting molds, which makes it possible to improve and develop new, more efficient and economical processes. casting of metals. In addition, the use of expanded polystyrene waste is of great environmental importance, since we are talking about the reduction of this waste in the ecosphere surrounding humans.

The most technologically advanced compositions of sand foundry mixtures in a 40% solution contain 2% polystyrene in dry residue. These mixtures are perfectly molded and cured by short drying at temperatures up to 200 ºC. The Institute received a patent of Ukraine for an invention on the composition of these mixtures; at the same time, the composition of the mixture, which is cured at room temperature, is now being patented. In the development of the technology for recycling foam polystyrene waste by obtaining its solutions in gum turpentine and subsequent use as a binder in the foundry, a technological scheme of a pilot industrial process with a list of simple equipment is proposed, including a reactor in the form of a hermetically sealed vessel equipped with a stirrer for accelerated dissolution of expanded polystyrene and obtaining solution homogeneous in concentration.

Experimental studies have shown that in solutions of expanded polystyrene in gum turpentine, regardless of the concentration of the solution, sedimentation of small impurities brought in with the waste of expanded polystyrene is observed. After preparing a solution of a given concentration, a settling operation was performed to precipitate these contaminants and then remove them. In industrial recycling, this can be a convenient way to purify polystyrene solution.

The physical and mechanical properties of molding core sands based on polystyrene binders are superior or equal to those of cold-hardening mixtures based on water glass, phenol-formaldehyde, urea-furan resins. This circumstance made it possible to recommend polystyrene binders with gum turpentine to replace the aforementioned binders and, in particular, expensive resins (with a cost an order of magnitude higher than a polystyrene solution) in the production process of casting blanks from ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.

In the Physico-Technological Institute of Metals and Alloys, in addition to the creation of new binding sand mixtures, partners are being searched for participation in programs for the development of technology for the production of solid plastics and products from dissolved polystyrene, as well as its use as a raw material for the production of inexpensive high-strength adhesives and varnishes (obtained coatings of high hardness), construction and heat-insulating foams. The bactericidal properties of gum turpentine made from coniferous wood, together with the adhesive properties of the described solution, can be used for the production of adhesive tape, sealant, as well as in food and drug industries.

Foaming in the conditions of the institute, an increase of about 50 times.

Plates "Penoplex 35" with an average density of 35 kg / m 3, an increase of 100 times.

(Material for boards - penoplex - is obtained by mixing polystyrene granules at elevated temperature and pressure with the introduction of a foaming agent and subsequent extrusion from the extruder. A mixture of light freons with the addition of carbon dioxide (CO 2) is used as a blowing agent.)

Rods made from a mixture with a polystyrene binder

You can get acquainted with the analysis of the Russian market of expandable polystyrene in the report of the Academy of the conjuncture of industrial markets « Expandable polystyrene market in Russia ».

Not everyone is lucky in physics or chemistry lessons, especially if the teacher is a cracker and loves only theory. But nothing prevents you from independently conducting some safe experiments at home under the supervision of adults and other curious people. In this story we will show you 3 scientific experiments. In the video you can see how to get polystyrene at home and others.

Experiment with water staining.

For the first experiment, you need potato starch, 9% vinegar, 3% hydrogen peroxide, iodine, and vitamin C or, in other words, ascorbic acid. Pour warm water into a glass and dissolve a tablespoon of starch in water. Pour about the same amount of water into the second glass, crush three tablets of vitamin C and mix the ascobrin with water. And in the third glass we pour the same water, add a little iodine and two tablespoons of vinegar. Now pour the glass with vitamin C into the glass with iodine. A reaction occurs. Iodine loses its color and the water becomes almost transparent. Pour the dissolved starch into the same glass and add 5 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. We are waiting for a few seconds. An interesting reaction occurs - when white colors are mixed, black-blue color appears from somewhere. This experiment can be done as a trick. Many people know why the liquid changes color, if you also know, then write in the comments.

Dissolving polystyrene in acetone and obtaining polystyrene.

Let's take some container for the next experiment. If your hands are in the wrong place, be sure to wear gloves. Next, pour acetone into the container. We put foam plastic in acetone and the foam disappears somewhere. The foam disappears and the liquid begins to thicken. At the same time, gas is actively released, which was in the foam. It used to be a recipe for homemade glue. However, it was not very sticky. Many will say that this experiment is not surprising. In fact, the foam is 98% gas trapped in microscopic thin-walled polystyrene cells and acetone displaces this gas, but does not dissolve anything. At the end of the reaction we have a thick mass similar to glue and consisting of polystyrene.

What happens if you mix oil, water and iodine?

To do the next experiment, pour water into a glass and then oil. No matter how you stir, the oil will always separate from the water and float, since the density of the oil is less than the density of water.

Then we pour salt into the glass, an interesting reaction begins. Add a little iodine to the glass. Let's put it on a flashlight and add some effervescent tablet to the glass that you can buy at the pharmacy. Again, we get a funny and beautiful reaction.

The owner of a garage with concrete surfaces is familiar with one tricky nuance of revising or cleaning the garage space. This is an unpleasant moment. Few people want to talk about him. This is a concrete field. More precisely, about its properties. No matter how you sweep dirt and dust from it, it will accumulate the very next day. Of course, today's garages are equipped with cutting edge technology. They use doors with automatic opening, sensors for smooth regulation of temperature and humidity, energy-saving lighting. But the concrete coating, due to its strength and durability, remains an unchanged element of the garage. The author of the article had a chance to improve the situation by improving the concrete pavement with a layer that resembles a strong and elegant finish in characteristics. The naturalist hopes for the readers' leniency, calling his invention a marble floor.

Although the use of a protective layer over a concrete surface was invented a long time ago. But now is not about that. And the motive behind the search for coverage was simple. But only on one side. The annoying dust did not stand up to criticism. Especially after the renewal of the vehicle fleet. The new car clearly required comfortable conditions of detention. But there were more reasons for upgrading the garage:

• Long stay in the company with your favorite car. That is, the garage has become a second home.
• Warming the room. In particular, the ceiling.
• Installation of automatic doors. An addition was the automatic opening from the remote control.
• Replacement of electrical wiring. Lighting has also taken on new shades.
• Equipment of the premises with a mini-kitchen. This refers to the minimum equipment:
• Little table.
• Two chairs. For host and guest.
• Kettle.
• A cabinet for tea and other accessories.
• And even a small sofa.
• Desire to change the working style to an advanced modern design.

The garage gradually turned into a dream. But the floor remained pre-revolutionary.

Marble flooring technology

After some deliberation, the decision arose to cover the surface with a protective layer. The idea, like the technology, is not new. To implement it, you need:

1. Surface with a high degree of adhesion.

2. A composite material that, when applied in liquid form, will harden to a glossy, hard layer.

The first condition as a concrete screed meets the stated requirements. But with composite compositions, not everything is so simple. After all, there are ready-made epoxy mixtures for pouring floors. They are also called liquid floors. But it has one quality that is inferior to homemade liquid. It is expensive. Of course, the pettiness of the garage owner will manifest itself here. Or maybe practicality. Decide for those who dare to repeat. Fortunately, there are cheap and practically folk ways to pour marble floor in a garage with your own hands. The composition of the components is simple. But those who like to spend time in the garage are the kind of people who will spend time on the final result rather than preparing it. Therefore, a story about technology first precedes. It consists in applying a liquid polymer to clean concrete. Drying of the layer depends on the composition of the polymer prepared by hand. Therefore, the components are selected appropriate.

The choice fell on two materials:

1. Styrofoam.

2. Acetone.

However, xylene was added next. The experimenter has the right to choose a color scheme, more precisely, its color. Because a thick liquid is obtained, like a colorless varnish. If you are satisfied with the marble pouring technology, then you need to make an estimate of the production process.

What is needed to fill a marble floor

• Two liters of acetone for 250 rubles.
• A liter of xylene for 200 rubles.
• Black and blue colors for 40 rubles each. In principle, you can do without a color scheme. Here you need to think creatively.
• It is not necessary to buy polyfoam. After all, it, being a packing material, can be found in any motorist.
• Plastic container for dissolving foam. The main condition is resistance to chemical environment.
• Stirring tool. In a simple way, a small stick.
• Paint brush.

Steps for pouring a marble floor

The actions of mixing the components and applying the coating from experienced craftsmen take place without instructions. A matter of experience. But the proposed filling option does not sin with mistakes.

The first step is to prepare the concrete space. It must be freed from foreign objects and well swept away from dust. It is not necessary to additionally moisten with water or process the surface. Next, the preparation of the component composition follows:

1. Take a plastic container resistant to acetone. A 5 liter bottle is ideal.

2. Cut off the neck of the bottle for more convenient pouring of reagents.

3. Fill the container with 2 liters of acetone.

4. Dissolve the foam in the amount required to form a cloudy slurry.

5. Add a liter of xylene.

6. Add color.

7. Apply the resulting thick liquid to the concrete surface.

8. After 2 hours, re-coat the floor.

It is important to carry out work in a ventilated area regardless of the season. For convenience, it is better to open the garage door. Since the substances give off harmful vapors. Three coats can be applied. Nobody forbids experimenting with colors. The cost depends on the area of ​​the garage and the owner's design preferences. Although the average amount of 500 rubles is unlikely to become unprofitable. But it will save time on cleaning the premises.

Advantages of Acetone Foam Marble Floor

An alternative to the proposed composition is liquid glass. But it shows where the worst performance is. When marble fill of acetone and foam dissolved in it has a number of advantages:

• The surface is so hard that it cannot be scratched with a nail.
• A glossy sheen creates a volume of space.
• Almost any color scheme is available.
• Quality at the lowest cost.
• The protective layer lends itself easily to wet cleaning.

The ease of application of liquid foam is not a problem. After all, the consistency density allows you to work with a paint brush. The main thing is that foam, as a consumable, is available everywhere. Therefore, the matter remains with the design skills of the owner of the garage.