The Invention of Styrofoam 🥡

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Photo source: Science History Institute
The photo shows a woman holding a Styrofoam "log" 

 Styrofoam is something we use and see every day but don’t realize its negative presence. Styrofoam is created from benzene, along with several other chemicals, which is a petroleum product and a known carcinogen. Pentane, which is also used in the creation of Styrofoam, contributes to urban smog and global warming. Styrofoam does not break down but lasts virtually forever.

The Invention of Styrofoam

Ray McIntire, a Chemical Scientist invented Styrofoam. McIntire said his invention of foamed polystyrene was purely accidental. His invention came about as he was trying to find a flexible electrical insulator around the time of World War II.McIntire tried to make a new rubber-like polymer by combining styrene with a volatile liquid called isobutylene under pressure. The result was a foam polystyrene with bubble and was 30 times lighter than regular polystyrene. The Dow Chemical Company introduced Styrofoam products to the United State in 1954.

How is Styrofoam Made?

  • Foamed polystyrene starts as small spherical beads that contain an expanding agent called hydrocarbon.
  • The polystyrene beads are heated with steam. As the expanding agent boils, the beads soften and expand up to forty times their original size.
  • The expanded beads are left to cool down before being heated again. However, this time the beads are expanded within a mold.
  • The molds are designed in a variety of shapes depending on the desired end product. Examples are things such as styrofoam cups, cartons, wig stands and more.
  • The beads completely fill the mold and also fuse together.
  • Styrofoam is about 98% percent air.


Below is a short video on the invention of Styrofoam  



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