[xchcui]

Hi.

Polystyrene plastic can be melt in acetone.
I would like to understand:
1)If the melting polystyrene will take-out of the acetone
and becomes solid again(after all the acetone evaporates),
Will this solid polystyrene keep the same material properties as it was
before the melting process?
2)How can i speed-up the solidification of the melting plastic?

Thanks.

[AWK]

Melted or dissolved?

[xchcui]

Melted or dissolved?

Melted.It turns to an amorphous shape which you can knead like dough.
I will be more specific.If i melt a polystyrene item that is a food safe product(like plastic plate/spoon/cup etc.),Will it still be food safe after the acetone will evaporate and it will be solidified again?

[Borek]

Doesn't sound like you understand the difference between melting and dissolving, nor what is the process that you observe.

[xchcui]

Doesn't sound like you understand the difference between melting and dissolving, nor what is the process that you observe.

I read before those definitions:

1.Melting is also called fusion while dissolving is also called dissolution.
2.Melting involves a change of the physical state from a solid to a liquid without the use of a solute or solvent while dissolving involves the use of a solute and solvent to produce a solution.

In melting only one substance is involved and the liquid and solid are the same material. Heat is needed for melting to occur. Dissolving involves two materials; the resulting solution is a mixture of both. The dissolved substance is still present in the solution even though it can't be seen.

I should probably use the term dissolve,but since the PS item didn't actually dissolved completely and it looked like only the physical state had changed,i used the term melted.
But,okay,let say it dissolved,may we move on to the answer,please?

[AWK]

Polystyrene completely dissolves in large amounts of acetone. What is observed after a short contact of acetone with polystyrene is called surface etching and it is already permanently damaged. It is better not to continue using such items.

[xchcui]

Thanks for your reply,
but may you relate to the question i asked,please?

1)If the dissolved polystyrene will take-out of the acetone
and becomes solid again(after all the acetone evaporates),
Will this solid polystyrene keep the same material properties as it was
before the dissolving process?
2)How can i speed-up the solidification of the dissolved plastic?

[billnotgatez]

@xchcui
try GOOGLE

polystyrene and acetone reaction