Polystyrene

Basics

• Low Melting Point
• Easily Vacuum Formed
• Also used in various foams

Production Ecology

• Feedstocks
  • Method 1.) Ethylbenzene + Superheated Steam or Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Method 2.) Toluene + Methanol
• Processing
  • Addition of Polymerization Inhibitors for Processing + Storage of the Styrene
  • (Fractional) Distillation
  • Polymerization Reactor along with Water and Radical Initiator / Polymerization Initiators (more Terminology Hell )
  • Drying (Via Hydrocyclone and/or Centrifuge then Hot Air? (With Effluent Recovery + Recycling / Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Flue Gas Scrubbing
  • Pelletization

Internal Links

• Expanded Polystyrene
• Foamed Polystyrene

External Links

• The Wikipedia Page on Polystyrene
• [http://www.matweb.com/Search/MaterialGroupSearch.aspx?GroupID=66