Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Mechanical Efficiency of Real Machines

Mechanical Efficiency of Real Machines

The mechanical efficiency of a machine is a fundamental concept that describes how effectively a machine can convert input work into output work. According to this concept, the efficiency of a machine is equal to the ratio of the output work to the input work. An ideal machine, meaning a machine that has no energy losses, has an efficiency of one. This implies that the input work and the output work are equal.
However, in reality, no machine can be truly ideal, and all of them experience some...

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a synthetic polymer widely utilized in the packaging industry, particularly for bottles and containers. Due to its chemical stability and durability, PET accumulates in the environment, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. It comprises repeating units of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, resulting in a semi-crystalline structure that is resistant to natural degradation processes.A notable breakthrough in plastic biodegradation came with the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The Effect of Crystalline Waterproofing Admixtures on the Self-Healing and Permeability of Concrete.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

Same author

Principal Component Thermography for Defect Detection in Concrete.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Extraction of Structural Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Aerobic Granular Sludge

Extraction of Structural Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Aerobic Granular Sludge

Published on: September 26, 2016

Performance Assessment of Mechanically Recycled EPS.

Domagoj Tkalčić¹, Jelena Vukadin¹, Bojan Milovanović¹

¹Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)

|October 16, 2025

Summary

Recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) composites maintain key mechanical and thermal properties for insulation, even with moderate recycled content. Density is the primary predictor of performance, aligning with industry standards.

Keywords:

density expanded polystyrene mechanical properties recycled EPS thermal properties virgin EPS

More Related Videos

The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties

The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties

Published on: June 7, 2020

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Fiber Composite Laminate Quality with the Wet Hand Lay-Up/Vacuum Bag Process

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Fiber Composite Laminate Quality with the Wet Hand Lay-Up/Vacuum Bag Process

Published on: June 30, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 11, 2026

Extraction of Structural Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Aerobic Granular Sludge

Extraction of Structural Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Aerobic Granular Sludge

Published on: September 26, 2016

The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties

The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties

Published on: June 7, 2020

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Fiber Composite Laminate Quality with the Wet Hand Lay-Up/Vacuum Bag Process

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Fiber Composite Laminate Quality with the Wet Hand Lay-Up/Vacuum Bag Process

Published on: June 30, 2023

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Sustainable Engineering
Polymer Science

Background:

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a common thermal insulation material.
Incorporating recycled EPS into new composites is crucial for sustainability and circular economy principles.
Understanding the impact of recycled content on EPS properties is essential for its effective reuse.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the mechanical and thermal performance of EPS composites containing varying percentages of mechanically recycled EPS.
To compare the effects of recycled EPS from construction and packaging waste.
To determine if existing industry standards (EN 13163) can predict the properties of recycled EPS composites.

Main Methods:

EPS composites were fabricated with 5%, 10%, 25%, and 50% recycled EPS from two sources.
Key properties including density, compressive strength, bending strength, and thermal conductivity were measured.
Results were analyzed against predictive models from EN 13163:2016.

Main Results:

Increasing recycled EPS content reduced composite density, especially above 10-25%.
Compressive strength correlated strongly with density, consistent with virgin EPS models.
Thermal conductivity showed minimal changes, with slight increases at 50% recycled content.
Bending strength decreased with higher recycled content, particularly for packaging EPS.

Conclusions:

EPS composites with moderate recycled content (up to 50%) can meet performance requirements for thermal insulation.
Density remains the primary factor for predicting mechanical and thermal properties, as per EN 13163.
Further research into microstructure is needed to understand property degradation at higher recycled levels.