What is GPS insulation?

Graphite polystyrene insulation material (GPS) is a new thermal insulation building material developed and produced by BASF. It is made from Neopor beads, which are similar to expanded polystyrene (EPS) and can be formed into many different shapes during the manufacturing process. GPS insulation has a dark gray appearance, has a higher r-value than traditional EPS insulation products, and has become the main building insulation material in the European market.

What are the main characteristics of GPS insulation?

The main characteristic of GPS insulation is an r-value of 4.7 per inch, which is achieved by infusing high-purity graphite into the cell structure of the insulation. Traditional EPS saves energy because there are air bubbles in the insulation that slow down the flow of warm air as it moves toward cooler air. This is why it has energy-saving properties. And when radiant heat travels through GPS insulation, it reflects hundreds of times along the way due to the graphite particles, significantly slowing heat transfer and making the insulation more energy efficient.
 
In addition to providing greater energy efficiency, GPS insulation without a membrane topcoat has a penetration rating of up to 5.0 at the moderate density in which it is manufactured. Perm rating is a measure of a product's ability to let water vapor pass through. A good perm level can ensure the balance of humidity inside the building and create a better living environment.

GPS insulation is more expensive than EPS insulation due to its greater energy efficiency, but is generally slightly less expensive than XPS insulation. This is one of the reasons why it has become the most popular building insulation material on the market.

How is GPS insulation made?

GPS is manufactured essentially the same as EPS insulation. The main difference lies in the production process of the raw material-Neopor beads. The finished Neopor beads are fed into a mold and expanded with a blast of steam and pentane until they expand to many times their original size and completely fill the space in the mold. The process developed by BASF to inject graphite particles into the cell structure gives it a unique dark gray color and super reflective properties. Because Neopor beads have a natural gray-black color, no color additives are typically used during the production of GPS insulation.

The formed GPS insulation block will be cooled and then cut into the final required shape using hot wire. Some manufacturers will also adhere plastic films to the surface of GPS insulation panels to improve their rigidity and reflective properties.

How to pack GPS insulation bundles?

The GPS insulation blocks finally will be cut into different shapes but generally are into thin boards and sheets. For the final packaging, manufacturers usually choose to pack the products into bulk packages as the demand for each customer is huge. Stretch wrap machine can be a good choice for packing the bundles of GPS insulation panels. It's convenient to put the bundles onto the conveyor of orbital wrapper and let the machine bundle the products by wrapping with stretch film.

Besides stretch wrap machine, the sleeve type sealing shrink wrap machine is another solution for packing the GPS insulation products especially for short and narrow bundles of GPS insulation. The shrink wrapped bundles will get a very nice and tight package, to make a better sale in the market.
 

 

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