Re: Is is dangerous to dissolve styrofoam in acetone?

Any work with chemicals requires personal protective equipment. At 
minumum, wear safety glasses and gloves when working with chemicals.
The experiment is relatively safe. Acetone is flammable, use precautions 
when working with flammable materials.

A Styrofoam cup is made of polystyrene. The styrofoam is a polymer, and a 
polymer is a long chain of monomers. The long chain polymers are held 
together rather loosely by non-polar bond interactions between the 
chains. In addition, the polymer is made as a foam so there are lots of 
air spaces between groups of polymers. Styrofoam is a non-polar 
substance, which means it has no charge to it.

Avoid saying that the cup melts, because this is not true. The acetone 
and the Styrofoam share like properties, they are both non-polar. Likes 
dissolves likes.

See also: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/1999-10/939315973.Ch.q.html


There is plenty of information reguarding this experiment. Do your 
research and prepare.
Stay safe, Good Luck.