TRINITY UNIVERSITY OF ASIA

HIGH SCHOOL

In partial fulfilment of the requirements in

SCIENCE 2

Title:

STYROSENE ROOF SEALANT

Submitted by:

Mia Shannon B. Abayon

Jehiel Karsten H. Ong

Japheth de Guzman

Clarice Bangcoleng

Date:

Submitted to:

Mr. Wenceslao Cama

Chapter I – Introduction

Background of the study

• Nowadays, rain is considered a big deal in our lives. If we hear news that there is a major
weather disturbance or just a monsoon rain is coming, we somehow quickly turn to panic
mode. And who can blame us? A drizzle, slight rain or heavy rain can cause people to
experience different levels of inconvenience or worst tragedy. Rain can cause the metro
a great deal of traffic because of flooding. It can cause water to rise quickly that it
renders damage to our houses way up to the rooftop. It can even cause us to worry no
end or we lose sleep because when rain comes, water comes trickling down on us and
damages our furniture or equipment inside the house. What’s to blame? It is that hole on
the roof that we always forget to seal because we wait for a special sunny day or that hole
that seems to appear during rainy days and seems to never get sealed for whatever reason.

• In order to solve this problem, our group investigated about styrofoam as a substitute for
commercial sealant. We came up with the statement of the problem because of the
observation that many house owners who belong to the economic middle and lower class
encounter the perennial problem of holes on the roof. Our group felt the need to address
this issue because it is important that the roofs over our heads are free from holes and we
are kept dry inside our houses. We sincerely believe that many people will be informed
and will benefit from this study. One motivation why we chose to do a study on this
alternative sealant is because it is cheap. Instead of buying expensive commercial
sealant, people can make use of styrofoam as an economical alternative. We also believe
that this is also environment friendly because the material styrofoam, which can be
considered a pollutant, is recycled and put into good use.

• The procedure to make the sealant will involve the use of kerosene to dissolve the
styrofoam.

Statement of the problem

This project will try to determine the most suitable concentration to make a durable sealant.
Specifically this study will answer the following question:

What is the best consistency for Styrofoam-kerosene roof sealant?

Hypothesis

The higher amount of kerosene is the most substantial.

The lower amount of kerosene is the least substantial.

The higher amount of kerosene is the least substantial.

The lower amount of kerosene is the most substantial.

Significance of the study

• Homeowners, small to medium scale construction companies and their workers will
benefit from this study.

• The significance of this study is highlighted by the practical and economical use of the
alternative sealant and the friendly effect to the environment. This study can positively
impact the financial capacity of people by using this less expensive and more effective
alternative sealant. Instead of buying the expensive commercial sealant, people can opt
to make the sealant and this solves the problem on their roofs without shelling out a lot of
cash. This study can also help our community with the problem of pollution. By
choosing to recycle and not throwing the styrofoam just anywhere especially in our
waterways, we contribute to less pollution.

Scope and limitations

This study is limited to using the styrofoam because only styrofoam is capable of melting when
kerosene is added. We cannot just use any plastic material to replace styrofoam because all
plastic materials are not capable of melting when mixed with kerosene.

Other types of gases are not included in this study, but other experiments can be conducted using
gasoline and other types of petroleum.
Review or related literature

The word Styrofoam is usually used as a generic term for expanded polystyrene foam, like
disposable coffee cups, disposable coolers, packing materials, etc. This type of polystyrene is
largely not bio-degradable and can remain intact for thousands of years. The Styrofoam used for
crafts is sort of soluble in organic solvents.

http://www.chacha.com/topic/styrofoam

Styrofoam is a trademark name for polystyrene thermal insulation material, manufactured by

Dow Chemical Company.

In the early 1940s, Dow invented a process for extruding polystyrene to achieve a closed cell
foam that resists moisture. In recognition of its insulating properties, buoyancy and
"unsinkability," it was originally adopted in 1942 by the Coast Guard for use in a six-man life
raft. Styrofoam can be used for building materials including insulated sheathing, pipe insulation
and floral and craft products. Styrofoam insulation has been used in many notable buildings and
facilities in North America. The Dow product can be identified by its distinctive blue color.
Styrofoam can be used underneath roads and other structures to prevent soil disturbances due to
seasonal freeze-thaw cycles. The word styrofoam is sometimes misused by the general public in
the United States as a generic term to indicate polystyrene foam, such as coffee cups, cooler or
packaging material are typically white in color and are made of expanded polystyrene beads. The
Dow Chemical Company works to educate the public that styrofoam is a registered trademark
rather than a generic term for polystyrene foam.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styrofoam
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin
or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible
hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros (κηρός wax). The word "Kerosene"
was registered as a trademark by Abraham Gesner in 1854, and for several years, only the North
American Gas Light Company and the Downer Company (to which Gesner had granted the
right) were allowed to call their lamp oil "Kerosene". It eventually became a genericized
trademark.

In the United Kingdom, two grades of heating oil use this name - premium kerosene (more
commonly known in the UK as paraffin) BS2869 Class C1, the lightest grade, which is usually
used for lanterns, wick heaters, and combustion engines; and standard kerosene BS2869 Class
C2, a heavier distillate, which is used as domestic heating oil. Premium Kerosene is usually sold
in 5 or 20 liter containers from hardware, camping and garden stores and is often dyed purple.
Standard kerosene is usually dispensed in bulk by a tanker and is colorless.

Kerosene is usually called paraffin (sometimes paraffin oil) in Southeast Asia and South Africa
(not to be confused with the much more viscous paraffin oil used as a laxative, or the waxy solid
also called paraffin wax or just paraffin); variants of petroleum in parts of Central Europe (not
to be confused with crude oil to which it refers in English); the term "kerosene" is usual in much
of Canada, the United States, Australia (where it is usually referred to colloquially as "kero") and
New Zealand.

Kerosene is widely used to power jet-engined aircraft (jet fuel) and some rockets, but is also
commonly used as a heating fuel and for fire toys such as poi. In parts of Asia, where the price of
kerosene is subsidized, it fuels outboard motors rigged on small fishing craft.
Kerosene is typically (and in some jurisdictions legally required to be) stored in a blue container
to avoid its getting confused with the much more flammable gasoline, which is typically kept in
a red container. Diesel fuel is generally stored in yellow containers for the same reason.

Kerosene as medication:

It is common to many parts of Asia (India, China & Far East) to use kerosene as an ointment on
wounds and other afflicted and/or mutilated parts of the body. Sometimes, kerosene mixed with
salt will prove an effective pain remover or soother and more so with arthritis rheumatoid pain in
joints and on muscles.

Kerosene as anti-rust agent:

It is also common knowledge to have some kerosene spread on rusty bolts, nuts and other metal
pieces to loosen them and/or cure rust to some limit.

Kerosene is known as far back as the days of King Solomon (the Jewish King). In fact, the
Tanach (Hebrew Bible) talks about earthen lamps filled with kerosene (oil from the earth).

So, kerosene has been around always and has not been discovered by the modern world, which
has only found new marketing and industrial strategies with the advent of the postwar
technological development and streamlining of financial and industrial hub by the western world.
Kerosene is here to stay.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-kerosene.htm
ROOF SEALANT

To start with the definition of a sealant, it is known to be a viscous material

which turns solid after application and the purpose being, prevention from
dust, smoke, gas, air, water and other unwanted materials. There are many
types of sealants which are used to protect different kinds of surfaces like
drywalls and roofs from external damages. In this article we are going to
read more about roof sealants and how they are used to protect the roofing
system as well as the house from external damages done by weather,
drainage, etc. Since there are different types of roofs, made from various
materials, the respective sealants are also varied. A roof sealant is also used
for flat and sloping roofs, so that they too are protected for years. The forms
in which these sealants are found can be rubber, tar, paint, concrete, or any
other durable covering material that can withstand external pressure

Roof sealant is a very important for protecting the roof and the house from
extreme weather conditions

Roof Sealant for Homes

Stationary homes have both flat and sloping roofs and thus, they can be
applied with the respective roof sealants. Usually, when a house is built, the
contractors are the ones, who install these sealants as a part of home
improvement, but you too can apply it on your own whenever required. The
most predominant roof sealant available in the market are roof sealant
paints or other liquids, as they are easy to apply, dry faster and can be used
abundantly. For better results reapplications are the best options and so
using a liquid could be very convenient. We have some options for roof
sealants which can be used for these homes.

Concrete Roof Sealant

Concrete is a mixture of materials which are durable and can protect any
surface from any physical condition. To help protect homes, which have flat
roofs, concrete sealants are a great choice. They protect the roof from water
leaks and excess rainwater seepage, etc., and thus can be used efficiently as
roof sealant for leaks. However, the concrete sealants also require a
waterproof coating that prevents the materials present in it from dissolving
due to leaks and water.

Clear Roof Sealant

Another great option for roof sealants in homes are clear sealants like
polyurethane, acrylic urethane, silicone, butyl, lacquers, and varnishes,
which help protect many types of roofs. These can be for both flat and
sloping roofs. These are also available in the liquid form and due to the ease
of application, are the most widely used sealants. They are all waterproof
and can protect, tiles, metal, masonry and grout work which is often present
in homes.

Roof Sealant for Mobile Homes

In case of mobile homes, or recreational vehicles, it is extremely important

to apply roof sealants, so as to protect the vehicle from weather stress
(excess heat, wind and rain). Like the stationary homes, the manufacturers
of these caravans too apply the sealant, but for extra protection it is advised
that you can use one more coat, yourself. Because, these roofs are made
from metal and fiber, they are sensitive and can be damaged easily by water
and heat. Therefore, you can find a roof sealant in forms like rubber, paint
and other water resistant adhesives. Take a look at which of the roof sealant
for RV would you choose.

Rubber Roof Sealant

One of the most popular roof sealants for RV are made from liquid rubber.
These sealants have an instructional manual provided with them, so that
application is easy. Liquid rubber sealants are very useful for mobile homes,
because rubber is such a material that can keep any type of damage away
from the roof. They come in liquid forms which later solidify and then protect
the roof very efficiently.

Paint Roof Sealant

When we are talking about mobile homes, there are many reasons of
damage like the hot run, dust, direct contact with water drops, harsh winds,
etc. Therefore, one of the cheapest choices of roof sealants are paint based
sealants. White paint is the best roof sealant for these vans, as there is no
attraction of heat dust particles and thus, the roof doesn't crack. Waterproof
paints are preferred than normal automobile paints.

With these varieties of a roof sealant, hope you have found your choice of
sealants. It is very important to protect your homes with roof sealants, for a
better shelf life and a longer durability.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/roof-sealant.html