I.

Introduction

Polystyrene (PS)
- It is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer
styrene.
- It can be solid or foamed.
- It is a thermoplastic substance, normally existing in solid
state at room temperature, but melting if heated and
becoming solid again when cooling off.
- Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics.
- Can be naturally transparent, but can be colored with
colorants
History of Polystyrene (PS)
Discovery of Polystyrene
Polystyrene was discovered in 1839 by Eduard Simon, an
apothecary in Berlin. From storax, the resin of the Turkish
sweetgum tree Liquidambar orientalis, he distilled an oily
substance, a monomer that he named styrol. Several days
later, Simon found that the styrol had thickened, presumably
from oxidation, into a jelly he dubbed styrol oxide
("Styroloxyd").
By 1845 English chemist John Blyth and German chemist
August Wilhelm von Hofmann showed that the same
transformation of styrol took place in the absence of oxygen.
They called their substance metastyrol. Analysis later
showed that it was chemically identical to Styroloxyd.

In 1866 Marcelin Berthelot correctly identified the formation

of metastyrol/Styroloxyd from styrol as a polymerization
process. About 80 years later it was realized that heating of
styrol starts a chain reaction that produces macromolecules,
following the thesis of German organic chemist Hermann
Staudinger (18811965). This eventually led to the
substance receiving its present name, polystyrene.

Commercial Manufacture of polystyrene

Work done by Herman Staudinger and Carl Wolff enabled the
I.G Farben Company in Germany to begin the first
commercial manufacture of polystyrene in the year 1931.
II.

Physical Properties
Characteristics
Advantages
- It can be cast into molds with fine detail.
- It can be transparent
- Can also be colored.
- Can be aerated (with CO2) to make excellent insulator
- Can be foamed between cards to make lightweight rigid
panels
- In its various forms it is usually easy to work
- It is versatile -uses range from cutlery to explosives
- Can be recycled - thermoplastic so can be remolded
indefinitely
Weaknesses
- Older types of expanded polystyrene contain CFCs
- Flammable (especially if oil painted)
- It is not an environmental product, it is so bad for our
environment

- It's made by many chemicals so when we try to burn

this, then it's release so dangerous gases which are not
good for health
- It is made of light material so it is easy to break

III.

Applications

Packaging
Eggs and dairy products, meat, fish and poultry, cold drinks or
carry-out meals. No matter what products you package,
polystyrene has long been recognized as a versatile and costeffective solution for rigid packaging and food service
disposables.
Appliances
From refrigerators and air conditioners, to ovens and microwaves,
from hand-held vacuum cleaners to blenders, polystyrene resins
meet almost all end-product requirements. Polystyrene resins are
safe and cost effective, with excellent appearance and
functionality mainly due to easy-processing.
Consumer electronics
Polystyrene is used for housing for TV's and all kind of emerging
trends in IT equipment where the criteria for use are combinations
of function, form and aesthetics and a high performance/cost
ratio. Polystyrene is the leading choice for media enclosures,
cassette tape housing and clear jewel boxes to protect CD's and
DVD's.
Construction

Polystyrene resins are among the most popular materials for

building and construction applications, like Insulation foam,
roofing, siding, panels, bath and shower units, lighting, plumbing
fixtures. With their excellent price performance balance and good
process ability and other performance properties, polystyrene
resins find use in these building products.
Medical
Bringing new and improved medical technologies to patients and
physicians is a complex, regulated process. With excellent clarity
and process ability and outstanding post-sterilization aesthetics,
polystyrene resins are used for a wide range of disposable
medical applications, including tissue culture trays, test
tubes, petri dishes, diagnostic components, and
housing for test kits.
Other
As well as the traditional uses for polystyrene, a
variety of consumer goods applications, including toys, electric
lawn and garden equipment, kitchen and bath accessories and
other durable goods are made from polystyrene. Polystyrene
resins have
an excellent cost/performance ratio, and
in many
cases, can be substituted for more costly
polymers.
http://humantouchofchemistry.com/the-history-ofpolystyrene.htm
http://www.plasticseurope.org/what-is-plastic/types-of-plastics11148/polystyrene.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene