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royalblue08 royalblue08
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11 years ago
How and why does acetone dissolve Styrofoam?
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11 years ago
The acetone does not actually "dissolve" the Styrofoam. In fact, when styrofoam is placed in acetone, the long polymer strands are dissolved, releasing the trapped air and causing the structure to disintegrate. However, the insoluble cross-linked parts of the polymer keep the polystyrene from dissolving entirely, in much the same way as buoys on nets keep the entire net from sinking to the bottom of a lake. Once the acetone evaporates, you are left with a hard cross-linked polystyrene residue.
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