What happens to Styrofoam at high temperatures?

Styrofoam, which is a type of expanded polystyrene foam, has a significant thermal insulating property due to its structure that traps air. However, when subjected to high temperatures, the heat causes the material to undergo a physical change. Specifically, Styrofoam begins to melt as the polystyrene polymer chains lose their structural integrity due to the heat.

At high temperatures, the air that is trapped within the foam also expands, and eventually, the material becomes soft and loses its shape, leading to melting. This change hinders its effectiveness as an insulator, which relies on maintaining that trapped air. Thus, when Styrofoam is exposed to high temperatures, the correct outcome is that it melts, rendering it ineffective for thermal insulation purposes.