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Addition of Pentane The chemical pentane is added to the mixture of three plastics and aluminum and then heated. The pentane boils when heated and the gasses react with the pentane. The pentane "bubbles" are trapped in the polystyrene on a molecular level.
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This is the largest variable expense of Ickenarker Recyclables. Ickenarker employees are constantly searching the market for the lowest-cost pentane to remain efficient. Pentane is lost when it is used because it remains in the final polystyrene product. Costs increase in direct proportion to the production of polystyrene, so costs are easily covered in the sale of polystyrene to outside manufacturers.