Utilize foam boxes to make heat and soundproof bricks and concrete

Talking about the reason for carrying out the project, Phong shared that PS (Polystyrene) waste foam boxes are often used once to store food or to prevent impact and then be discharged into the environment. This is plastic containing styrene and benzene. When it flows into the water, rivers, and seas, it will pollute the water environment and be harmful to living things. Two students thought of reusing PS foam.
Waste PS foam is collected from many different sources, washed before being put through a crusher to create uniform particle size. "There are many types of foam, each foam will have a different mixing ratio. The difficulty for the group is to find a compatible type of foam with the right ratio to create a durable, lightweight aggregate," Phong said.

PS foam is often used once to store food or prevent impact and then thrown away.

After selecting and grinding, PS foam becomes aggregate, mixed with cement as a binder. Lightweight concrete mixture is put into the mold to create the appropriate shape and size for the intended use.
"Current lightweight concrete production processes all use expanded PS virgin plastic granules, while the group's products take advantage of large quantities of waste PS foam at low prices," Huy said. Estimated cost for 1m3 of product is about 600 - 700 thousand VND with the ratio of 1 cement, 2 PS foam. The product will have a cheaper price than similar products already on the market.

Process for creating construction materials from waste PS foam

Student Vu Quang Huy is testing concrete products in the laboratory at Phenikaa University.

In the future, the team will continue to add friendly, widely used substances such as nanosilica particles to increase the bonding and waterproofing properties of the material. The two also researched materials of other sizes and shapes for application in construction.
The group also hopes this material can replace red bricks or be used to build flood-proof floating houses. "I hope to have support from businesses to put the product into practice," Huy said.
Dr. Dang Viet Quang, Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Phenikaa University, research instructor, said that producing lightweight concrete from PS is not new but taking advantage of plastic waste to make reinforcement. material is a very good idea. It will help both PS plastic and lightweight concrete production processes become greener. Lightweight concrete products have great potential for application in life, both saving money and contributing to environmental protection. "The challenge for the team is to further research the product's soundproofing, heat insulation, compression resistance, and waterproofing properties and develop a production process on an industrial scale," Dr. Quang said.