I. Core advantages of XPS extruded plastic insulation pipe
1. Excellent thermal insulation performance
- Low thermal conductivity: XPS thermal conductivity of 0.028 ~ 0.030 W / (m-K), much lower than EPS (0.045 W / (m-K)) and cement perlite (0.12 W / (m-K)). For example, 20mm thick XPS insulation effect is equivalent to 50mm thick EPS or 120mm thick cement perlite.
- High closure rate: the closure rate reaches more than 99%, forming a vacuum layer, effectively preventing heat convection, long-lasting and stable thermal insulation performance. Foamed polyurethane has an occlusion rate of only 80%.
2. High compressive strength
- The range of compressive strength is 150~700 kPa (depending on the model and thickness), which can withstand the ground load and is suitable for high strength scenes such as highways and airport runways. In comparison, EPS compressive strength is only 110~140 kPa.
3. Excellent water repellency and moisture resistance
- The water absorption rate is lower than 0.3%, almost no water absorption, which solves the problem of EPS's reduced heat preservation performance after absorbing water, and low-temperature icing destroying the structure. Polystyrene molecular structure is stable, no gap, to avoid water seepage, frost and other problems.
4. Long-term stability and corrosion resistance
- Chemically stable, non-aging, non-decomposition, service life of up to 30-60 years (different process differences), high temperature environment still maintains the performance of the EPS is easy to absorb moisture degradation, weather resistance is poor.
5. Light weight and convenient construction
- The closed cell structure makes it lightweight and high strength, easy to cut, transport and install, and can be constructed in winter, while EPS requires more stringent construction conditions due to its low strength.
6. Environmental performance
- Adopting environmentally friendly raw materials (e.g. CO₂ blowing agent), non-toxic and harmless, no pollution in the production process, and passed the national test. Some EPS may contain Freon residue.
Second, XPS and other thermal insulation materials performance comparison table
Performance parameters
XPS extruded board
EPS polystyrene board
Polyurethane (PU)
Rock wool
Thermal conductivity (W/(m-K))
0.028-0.035
0.038-0.045
0.017-0.024
0.040-0.050
Closed pore rate
≥99%
~80%
≥90%
No closed pore structure
Compressive strength (kPa)
150-700
50-150
150-300
10-50 (easily deformed)
Water absorption (v/v%)
≤0.3
2-3
1-2
High (need surface treatment)
Service life (years)
30-60
20-30
25-40
20-30
Environmental friendliness
Environmentally friendly and non-toxic
Burning releases harmful gas
Some contain formaldehyde
Fibre releases pollution
Applicable scenes
High load, humid environment
Low load wall insulation
High-efficiency heat-insulating pipes
Fire prevention and sound insulation projects
Supplementary Notes
1. Economic trade-off: Although the unit price of XPS is higher than that of EPS, the comprehensive cost may be lower due to its thinner use thickness and longer life.
2. Special process application: such as the prefabricated sandwich thermal insulation external panel system of Yuanda Sumitomo, the XPS is prefabricated synchronously with the wall, so as to achieve the same life span of the thermal insulation and the building, and to avoid secondary construction.
3. fire performance: XPS combustion performance up to B1 (flame retardant), but need to pay attention to the process differences between different manufacturers.
The above comparison shows that the XPS extruded plastic insulation pipe in the insulation performance, strength, durability and other aspects of the comprehensive advantages are significant, especially for high load, high humidity, long life requirements of the scene.
