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Pentanes for insulation materials in the contruction industry

Driving superior insulation and energy savings with Pentanes.

The construction, renovation or refurbishment of houses today always goes hand in hand with the concepts of energy efficiency and good insulation. The insulation industry is thus an important pillar in saving heating costs and reducing CO2 emissions. Pentanes, which as blowing agents in the insulating materials are largely responsible for the insulating performance, play an essential role in this.

 

Broad Pentane portfolio
supports needs of the construction industry.

All three isomers - n-Pentane, iso-Pentane and Cyclopentane - are almost insoluble in water and have very good solubility or unlimited miscibility with many organic solvents.

 

Benefit from our
comprehensive service:

We implement our traditional values such as customer focus, individuality and future orientation in all of our business areas. Customer and supplier proximity is particularly important to us. Together we can develop the best possible solutions for all requirements in the paint, coating and adhesive industry.

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Would you like to learn more about our Pentanes?

Typical applications for Pentanes
in the construction industry:

Polyurethane foam (PU) systems

Pentanes are excellent blowing agents for the production of Polyurethane foam (PU foam). Depending on the application, these can be an iso-Pentane, n-Pentane, Cyclopentane or a blend of two or three of the isomers. Pentanes not only ensure a uniform, desired appearance of the surface pores, they also make a significant contribution to the insulating performance of the insulating foam. 

In the construction industry, they are used in a wide variety of applications. Pentanes are used for sealing and bonding, but are particularly suited for building insulation. They have good dimensional stability - ensuring they last for decades and are fully able to insulate buildings efficiently.

A very high insulating performance is achieved through the use of Cyclopentane as a blowing agent. Cyclopentane has the highest boiling point of all the Pentanes and part of it remains in the pores of the foam. As a cell gas, it conducts heat less effectively than air and insulates particularly well. This is of great interest for buildings such as historical buildings. In these cases, thick insulation cannot or must not always be applied. Polyurethane foams manufactured with Cyclopentane achieve high insulation efficiency even with thin insulation layers.

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Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)

Both insulation materials are made of Polystyrene. EPS is mainly known under the brand name Styropor®. The difference between the two is the manufacturing process. While the Polystyrene is inflated in the case of EPS, the material is injected into a mould at high pressure in the case of XPS. In contrast to EPS, it has a closed surface. 

This makes it possible to distinguish between the two materials purely visually. Extruded Polystyrene has a smooth surface and is not white, but often pastel coloured. With EPS, on the other hand, small beads can be seen in the material. Due to the homogeneous surface, XPS is more pressure-stable and insensitive to moisture. 

Both materials are foamed with Pentanes, using n-Pentane, iso-Pentane or a blend of both.

Our Pentane S is a versatile product formulation for both Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) for insulation in the construction industry.

For the production of EPS (XPS) we recommend: 

  • Pentane S (80/20)
  • Pentane 85 (85/15)
  • Pentane 75 (75/25)
  • n-Pentane 95
  • iso-Pentane 95 (XPS)
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Understanding why Pentanes are important blowing agents

The construction industry is facing major challenges - and opportunities. For example, buildings are currently responsible for a significant proportion of Europe's CO2 emissions due to their energy requirements. More than two thirds of the energy  in our buildings is used for heating. The European Green Deal has made energy-efficient buildings and the modernisation of building insulation a central requirement for action.

Insulation materials are crucial in the building industry and one of the most important pillars for high energy efficiency. A well-insulated building prevents heating energy from escaping unused. 

Efficient building insulation means: 

  • Heating costs savings
  • Reduction of CO2 emissions 
  • Environmental protection

 

Read more about this in our blog article:

How Pentanes revolutionise thermal insulation →

Due to the savings effect, energy refurbishment pays off, especially if energy continues to become more expensive in the coming years. 

As blowing agents in your building insulation materials, our Pentanes are therefore directly responsible for energy savings and convince with their excellent ecological profile with Zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP = 0) according to the Montreal Protocol and with a Low Global Warming Potential (GWP <1). In addition, they are an environmentally friendly alternative to CFCs, which are now largely banned and hazardous to the environment.

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