Polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point. Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics, the scale of its production being several million tonnes per year.
Polystyrene can be naturally transparent, but can be colored with colorants. Uses include packaging ( food packaging, electronics packaging, etc.), laboratory equipment, architectural moldings, and signage. It is also often used as a model material for purposes such as statuary and figurines.
What is Polystyrene?
Polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point. Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics, the scale of its production being several million tonnes per year.
Polystyrene can be naturally transparent, but can be colored with colorants. Uses include packaging ( food packaging, electronics packaging, etc.), laboratory equipment, architectural moldings, and signage. It is also often used as a model material for purposes such as statuary and figurines.
A Brief History of Polystyrene
Polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be rigid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point. Polystyrene is often used as a food-contact material.
The first industrial production of polystyrene began in 1930. BASF and Monsanto were the first companies to commercially produce polystyrene. In the early 1930s, polystyrene was manufactured by condensation of benzene and ethylene. The first foamed polystyrene, or styrofoam, was developed in 1941 by Dow Chemical Company.
During World War II, polystyrene was used as a packaging material for food and other products. After the war, polystyrene became widely used in consumer products, such as cups, plates, and toys.
In the 1950s, polystyrene was increasingly used as a construction material, especially for insulation. Polystyrene foam became widely used as a packing material in the 1970s.
Today, polystyrene is used in a wide variety of applications, including packaging, insulation, construction, and consumer products.
How is Polystyrene Made?
Polystyrene is a synthetic polymer made from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point. Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics, the scale of its production being several million tonnes per year.
The majority of polystyrene produced is the general purpose type. It goes under many trade names, including Styrofoam (a Dow Chemical trademark), extruded polystyrene foam (EPF), and expanded polystyrene (EPS). EPS is used as packing material and as insulation (in building construction, for example). EPF is used for making molded products such as egg cartons, coffee cups, and CD and DVD cases.
The first step in making polystyrene is to polymerize styrene to produce a resin. This is done by suspending styrene monomers in water and adding a catalyst. The resulting polymer is a white, milky suspension called latex.
The latex is then mixed with a blowing agent and fed into an extruder. The extruder is a machine that heats and melts the latex and forces it through a die. The die shapes the latex into a continuous sheet or tubing.
The sheet or tubing is then cooled and cut into desired shapes. The blowing agent expands the latex, making it into a foam. The foam is then cooled and cut into desired shapes.
Rigid polystyrene is used to make packaging (such as disposable cups and containers), construction materials (such as insulation and pipes), and products for the electronics industry (such as circuit boards and television cabinets).
Foamed polystyrene is used to make packaging materials (such as egg cartons and meat trays), insulation, and cushioning for products such as electronics and furniture.
What are the Properties of Polystyrene?
Polystyrene is a synthetic polymer made from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be either rigid or foamed. Rigid polystyrene is often used as a packaging material, while foamed polystyrene is used as insulation and packing material. Polystyrene is a thermoplastic, meaning it can be melted and reformed.
Polystyrene is made up of long chains of styrene molecules. The chains are held together by covalent bonds. The properties of polystyrene depend on the length of the chains and the degree of crystallinity.
Polystyrene is a non-polar molecule, meaning the electrons are evenly distributed around the atoms. This gives it a number of useful properties, including:
- It is insoluble in most solvents
- It is a good electrical insulator
- It is transparent to visible light
Polystyrene is a relatively strong molecule. The chains can withstand a fair amount of force before breaking. This makes it useful for many applications, such as packaging.
Polystyrene is a thermoplastic, meaning it can be melted and reformed. This makes it easy to recycle. Polystyrene can be recycled up to 7 times before the quality starts to degrade.
The properties of polystyrene make it a very versatile material. It is used in a wide range of applications, including packaging, insulation, and construction.
What are the Uses of Polystyrene?
Polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point. Polystyrene is often used as packaging material due to its low cost and ease of manufacture.
Polystyrene can be used for a variety of applications, including:
- Packaging: Polystyrene is often used as packaging material due to its low cost and ease of manufacture.
- Insulation: Polystyrene is often used as insulation due to its low thermal conductivity.
- Modeling: Polystyrene is often used in the modeling industry due to its ease of shaping and molding.
- Electronics: Polystyrene is often used in the electronics industry due to its dielectric properties.
- Construction: Polystyrene is often used in the construction industry due to its light weight and versatility.
- Recycling Polystyrene
Polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting point. Polystyrene is often used as a packaging material for foods and electronics.
Recycling of polystyrene foam is more difficult, because the foam is not as dense as solid polystyrene. However, it is possible to recycle expanded polystyrene foam. The recycling process begins by shredding the foam into small pieces. The small pieces are then cleaned and melted. The molten polystyrene is then extruded into pellets, which can be used to make new products.
There are several ways to recycle polystyrene foam. One way is to shred the foam into small pieces and then clean and melt the pieces. The molten polystyrene can then be extruded into pellets, which can be used to make new products. Another way to recycle polystyrene foam is to compress the foam into blocks or sheets. These blocks or sheets can then be used to make new products.
Some companies use polystyrene foam to make products such as picture frames, egg cartons, and packing peanuts. Other companies use recycled polystyrene to make products such as plastic lumber and molding.
environmental Concerns Regarding Polystyrene
Polystyrene is a plastic that is often used to make Styrofoam products. It is made from petroleum and it is not biodegradable. Polystyrene can be recycled, but only about 5% of it actually is.
There are many environmental concerns when it comes to polystyrene. Here are 7 of them:
- Polystyrene takes centuries to break down.
- Polystyrene is a major source of litter.
- Polystyrene is harmful to marine life.
- Polystyrene contributes to climate change.
- Polystyrene is difficult to recycle.
- Polystyrene is not biodegradable.
- Polystyrene is made from petroleum.