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STYRENE

CAS NO.: 100-42-5
EC/LIST NO.: 202-851-5

Styrene (also known as STY, styrene monomer, vinyl benzene, phenylethylene, styrol, styrole, styrolene, cinnamene, styron, and cinnamol) is a clear, colourless to yellow, oily liquid with a sweet smell.  
Styrene has the formula C8H8 and it evaporates easily and is also flammable.  
Styrene is an essential component in the making of 1000’s of everyday products as it provides strength and flexibility whilst also being lightweight.

Styrene is primarily a synthetic chemical. 
Styrene is also known as vinylbenzene, ethenylbenzene, cinnamene, or phenylethylene. 
Styrene's a colorless liquid that evaporates easily and has a sweet smell. 
Styrene often contains other chemicals that give it a sharp, unpleasant smell. 
Styrene dissolves in some liquids but doesn't dissolve easily in water. 
Billions of pounds are produced each year to make products such as rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, pipes, automobile parts, food containers, and carpet backing. 
Most of these products contain styrene linked together in a long chain (polystyrene) as well as unlinked styrene. 
Low levels of styrene also occur naturally in a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beverages, and meats.

This is an aromatic liquid hydrocarbon, yellow or colourless, that evaporates easily and has a sweet smell.

Styrene is used as a raw material in the production of numerous types of homopolymers and copolymers with exceptional properties used in a variety of industries. 

Styrene is a colorless liquid that evaporates easily and smells sweet. It is used to make a chemical compound called polystyrene. 
Many commercial products are made of polystyrene, such as Styrofoam, disposable utensils, plastic dishware, and appliance casings. 
Styrene is also used to reline sewer pipes.

Styrene is used to produce polystyrene, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), unsaturated polyester, latex and synthetic rubber, which are used in a number of applications including injection molding, disposables, food packaging, housewares, paints and coatings, resins, building materials and toys

Styrene (/ˈstaɪriːn/)[5] is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5CH=CH2. 
This derivative of benzene is a colorless oily liquid, although aged samples can appear yellowish. 
The compound evaporates easily and has a sweet smell, although high concentrations have a less pleasant odor. 
Styrene is the precursor to polystyrene and several copolymers.
Approximately 25 million tonnes of styrene were produced in 2010,increasing to around 35 million tonnes by 2018.


In 1839, the German apothecary Eduard Simon isolated a volatile liquid from the resin (called storax or styrax (Latin)) of the American sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua). 
He called the liquid "styrol" (now styrene).
He also noticed that when styrol was exposed to air, light, or heat, it gradually transformed into a hard, rubber-like substance, which he called "styrol oxide".
By 1845, the German chemist August Hofmann and his student John Blyth had determined styrene's empirical formula: C8H8.
They had also determined that Simon's "styrol oxide" – which they renamed "metastyrol" – had the same empirical formula as styrene.
Furthermore, they could obtain styrene by dry-distilling "metastyrol".
In 1865, the German chemist Emil Erlenmeyer found that styrene could form a dimer, and in 1866 the French chemist Marcelin Berthelot stated that "metastyrol" was a polymer of styrene (i.e. polystyrene).
Meanwhile, other chemists had been investigating another component of storax, namely, cinnamic acid. 
They had found that cinnamic acid could be decarboxylated to form "cinnamene" (or "cinnamol"), which appeared to be styrene. 
In 1845, French chemist Emil Kopp suggested that the two compounds were identical,  and in 1866, Erlenmeyer suggested that both "cinnamol" and styrene might be vinylbenzene.
However, the styrene that was obtained from cinnamic acid seemed different from the styrene that was obtained by distilling storax resin: 
the latter was optically active.[18] Eventually, in 1876, the Dutch chemist van 't Hoff resolved the ambiguity: 
the optical activity of the styrene that was obtained by distilling storax resin was due to a contaminant.


Styrene is primarily a synthetic chemical. It is also known as vinylbenzene, ethenylbenzene, cinnamene, or phenylethylene. 
Styrene's a colorless liquid that evaporates easily and has a sweet smell. 
Styrene often contains other chemicals that give it a sharp, unpleasant smell. 
Styrene dissolves in some liquids but doesn't dissolve easily in water. 
Billions of pounds are produced each year to make products such as rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, pipes, automobile parts, food containers, and carpet backing. 
Most of these products contain styrene linked together in a long chain (polystyrene) as well as unlinked styrene.
Low levels of styrene also occur naturally in a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beverages, and meats.

Styrene monomer, stabilized appears as a clear colorless to dark liquid with an aromatic odor. 
Vapors heavier than air and irritating to the eyes and mucous membranes. Subject to polymerization. 
If the polymerization takes place inside a closed container, the container may rupture violently. 
Less dense than water and insoluble in water. Used to make plastics, paints, and synthetic rubber.

Styrene is a vinylarene that is benzene carrying a vinyl group. 
Styrene has been isolated from the benzoin resin produced by Styrax species. 
Styrene has a role as a mutagen, a plant metabolite and a mouse metabolite. 
Styrene is a vinylarene, a volatile organic compound and a member of styrenes.

Styrene is one of the most important monomers produced by the chemical industry today. 
Styrene monomer is a basic building block of the plastics industry. 
The conventional method of producing styrene involves the alkylation of benzene with ethylene to produce ethylbenzene, followed by dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene. 
Styrene undergoes polymerization by all the common methods used in plastics technology to produce a wide variety of polymers and copolymers. 
Styrene is readily polymerized and copolymerized by both batch and continuous mass polymerization, emulsion, suspension and solution processes.

Styrene monomer (‘SM’) is an important intermediate material used in the production of a variety of plastic and synthetic rubber products with key applications in the electronics, healthcare, household, automotive, construction and packaging sectors. 
Styrene is a liquid hydrocarbon produced from ethylene and benzene, using either the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation (‘EBSM’) process or the propylene oxide styrene monomer (‘POSM’) process. 
SM is primarily used as feedstock in PS, ABS and Specialties product manufacturing. 

Styrene (vinyl benzene, styrene monomer SM) is a colorless to yellowish oily liquid with a distinctive aromatic odor. 
Styrene is sparingly soluble in water but soluble in alcohols, ethers and carbon disulfide. 
This valuable monomer is flammable, reactive and toxic. 
Styrene Monomer is a light liquid. 
Styrene has a low vapor pressure and high refractive index. 
Styrene is chemically reactive and undergoes polymerization readily (by heat, light or peroxide catalysts).

Styrene (vinylbenzene, styrole) is a colourless, viscous liquid with a pungent odour and tendency to polymerize. 
StyreneS chemical structure is C6H5.
CH=CH2 and its molecular mass 104.15. 
Styrene is slightly soluble in water, soluble in ethanol and very soluble in benzene and petroleum ether. 

Styrene is a chemical used to make latex, synthetic rubber, and polystyrene resins. 
These resins are used to make plastic packaging, disposable cups and containers, insulation, and other products. 
Styrene is also produced naturally in some plants.

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), often referred to as styrene, is an easily machined and fabricated impact-resistant, versatile, and economical plastic. 
HIPS is often the preferred material for low strength structural applications. 
Styrenes excellent dimensional stability, an affinity for paint, and glue make it an obvious choice for machining pre-production prototypes.

Styrene (CAS 100-42-5) is a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. 
Styrene is a colourless, oily liquid that has a sweet smell. 
The odour threshold for styrene is less than 1 ppm.

Styrene is used in the production of polystyrene plastics and resins. 
Styrene products are used to make pipes, car parts, food containers and carpet backing. 
The major uses of styrene include plastics manufacture, paints, sealers, and other surface coatings

Styrene also known as STY, styrene monomer, vinyl benzene, phenylethylene, styrol, styrole, styrolene, with the molecular formula C8H8 , CAS: 100-42-5. 
Styrene is a clear, colourless to yellow, oily flammable liquid with a sweet smell. 
Styrene is highly flammable with a flash point of 31°C and a specific gravity of 0.91.  
Styrene provides strength and flexibility whilst also being lightweight. 
However, it tends to yellow in acrylic polymer.


Styrene occurs naturally in the environment and is found in many foods such as coffee, strawberries, and cinnamon.  
Styrene was named after styrax trees from whose sap (benzonin resin) it can be extracted.  
However, it is now derived from petroleum and natural gas by-products with styrene most commonly produced by the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene.  
Commercially, styrene can also be co-produced with propylene oxide, in a process known as POSM or SM/PO.

Styrene is stored in stainless steel, zinc, and/or mild steel tanks or drums and can be transported by tank car and trucks.   
Styrene has a specific gravity of 0.91 and a flash point of 31° C and is thus highly flammable.  
Styrene should therefore be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area that is free from the risk of ignition.  
Styrene is classified as packing group III, hazard class 3, and should be labelled as an irritant.

Styrene is named after storax balsam, the resin of Liquidambar trees of the Altingiaceae plant family. 
Styrene occurs naturally in small quantities in some plants and foods (cinnamon, coffee beans, balsam trees and peanuts)  and is also found in coal tar.

The vast majority of styrene is produced from ethylbenzene, and almost all ethylbenzene produced worldwide is intended for styrene production.
As such, the two production processes are often highly integrated. 
Ethylbenzene is produced via a Friedel–Crafts reaction between benzene and ethylene; originally this used aluminum chloride as a catalyst, but in modern production this has been replaced by zeolites.

Around 80% of styrene is produced by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. This is achieved using superheated steam (up to 600 °C) over an iron(III) oxide catalyst.
The reaction is highly endothermic and reversible, with a typical yield of 88–94%.

The crude ethylbenzene/styrene product is then purified by distillation. 
As the difference in boiling points between the two compounds is only 9 °C at ambient pressure this necessitates the use of a series of distillation columns. 
This is energy intensive and is further complicated by the tendency of styrene to undergo thermally induced polymerisation into polystyrene,  requiring the continuous addition of polymerization inhibitor to the system.

Styrene is also co-produced commercially in a process known as POSM (Lyondell Chemical Company) or SM/PO (Shell) for styrene monomer / propylene oxide. 
In this process, ethylbenzene is treated with oxygen to form the ethylbenzene hydroperoxide. 
This hydroperoxide is then used to oxidize propylene to propylene oxide, which is also recovered as a co-product. 
The remaining 1-phenylethanol is dehydrated to give styrene:

Styrene can be produced from toluene and methanol, which are cheaper raw materials than those in the conventional process. 
This process has suffered from low selectivity associated with the competing decomposition of methanol.
claims to have developed this process with commercially viable selectivities, at 400–425 °C and atmospheric pressure, by forcing these components through a proprietary zeolitic catalyst. 
Styrene is reported  that an approximately 9:1 mixture of styrene and ethylbenzene is obtained, with a total styrene yield of over 60%.

Another route to styrene involves the reaction of benzene and ethane. 
This process is being developed by Snamprogetti and Dow. 
Ethane, along with ethylbenzene, is fed to a dehydrogenation reactor with a catalyst capable of simultaneously producing styrene and ethylene. 
The dehydrogenation effluent is cooled and separated and the ethylene stream is recycled to the alkylation unit. 
The process attempts to overcome previous shortcomings in earlier attempts to develop production of styrene from ethane and benzene, such as inefficient recovery of aromatics, production of high levels of heavies and tars, and inefficient separation of hydrogen and ethane. 
Development of the process is ongoing.

A laboratory synthesis of styrene entails the decarboxylation of cinnamic acid: 

C6H5CH=CHCO2H → C6H5CH=CH2 + CO2

Styrene was first prepared by this method.

The presence of the vinyl group allows styrene to polymerize. 
Commercially significant products include polystyrene, ABS, styrene-butadiene (SBR) rubber, styrene-butadiene latex, SIS (styrene-isoprene-styrene), S-EB-S (styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene), styrene-divinylbenzene (S-DVB), styrene-acrylonitrile resin (SAN), and unsaturated polyesters used in resins and thermosetting compounds. 
These materials are used in rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, pipes, automobile and boat parts, food containers, and carpet backing.


CAS number : 100-42-5
EC index number    : 601-026-00-0
EC number : 202-851-5
Hill Formula : C₈H₈
Chemical formula : C₆H₅CHCH₂
Molar Mass : 104.15 g/mol
HS Code    : 2902 50 00

Boiling point : 145 °C (1013 hPa)
Density    : 0.906 g/cm3 (20 °C)
Explosion limit :     1.1 - 8.9 %(V)
Flash point : 31 °C
Ignition temperature : 480 °C
Melting Point : -31 °C
Saturation concentration (air) : 25.6 g/m3 (20 °C)
Vapor pressure : 6 hPa (20 °C)
Solubility : 0.24 g/l

styrene, liquid hydrocarbon that is important chiefly for its marked tendency to undergo polymerization (a process in which individual molecules are linked to produce extremely large, multiple-unit molecules). 
Styrene is employed in the manufacture of polystyrene, an important plastic, as well as a number of specialty plastics and synthetic rubbers.

Pure styrene is a clear, colourless, flammable liquid that boils at 145 °C (293 °F) and freezes at −30.6 °C (−23.1 °F). 
Unless treated with inhibitor chemicals, it has a tendency to polymerize spontaneously during storage. 
Styrene is slightly toxic to the nervous system if ingested or inhaled, and contact with the skin and eyes can cause irritation. 
Although it is suspected of being carcinogenic, studies have not proved it to be so.

The chemical formula for styrene is C8H8, but its structural formula, CH2=CHC6H5, more clearly reveals the sources of its commercially useful properties.
Styrene is a member of a group of chemical compounds broadly categorized as vinyls—organic compounds whose molecules contain a double bond between two carbon atoms. 
Under the action of chemical catalysts or initiators, this double bond can be opened, and one of the two resultant single bonds is then able to link to a carbon atom of another styrene molecule; this link contributes to the formation of polystyrene, in which thousands of styrene units are linked along a carbon backbone. 
Hanging from this backbone are phenyl groups (C6H5)—large ring-shaped units that interfere with the spontaneous motion of the chainlike polymer and lend polystyrene its well-known rigidity. 
The phenyl group is one of the aromatic rings—so called because ring-shaped carbon groups of this type are traditionally associated with hydrocarbons that have a distinct aroma. 
Styrene, which gives off a penetrating sweetish odour, is therefore one of the aromatic hydrocarbons.

Styrene is derived from petroleum and natural gas by-products with styrene most commonly produced by the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene.  
Commercially, styrene can also be co-produced with propylene oxide.


Styrene is an adaptable synthetic chemical and it is used in the manufacture of materials which are then used to produce an amazing variety of products across a wide range of industries.  
The most recognisable of the styrene-based materials is polystyrene, with nearly 65 % of all styrene used to produce this.  
Polystyrene is used in a huge range of everyday products and can be found in packaging, toys, recreational equipment, consumer electronics and safety helmets, to name but a few.

Other materials produced include acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins and account for approximately 16 % of styrene consumption.  
ABS is a thermoplastic resin that is used in the automobile and electronics industry, while SAN is a co-polymer plastic that is used in a range of consumer goods, packaging, and automotive applications.

Styrene is also utilised in the manufacture of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) elastomers and latexes, and accounts for approximately 6% of consumption.  
Styrene is used in car tyres, and belts and hoses for machinery, as well as in household items such as toys, sponges and floor tiles.

Unsaturated polyester resin (UPR), better known as fibreglass, is another material based on styrene and this also accounts for approximately 6% of styrene consumption.

Historically, growth in the use of styrene has been good although this growth has slowed with the global economic downturn.

Styrene is used for production of polystyrene (of general purpose and expandable), ABS plastics, styrene acrylonitrile, styrenated rubbers and latexes

The most important products are solid polystyrene (PS), expandable polystyrene (EPS), styrene butadiene latex (SBL), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene/terpolymer (ABS), unsaturated polyester resins (UPR), and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). An approximate breakdown of styrene’s markets are:

Polystyrene is primarily used in packaging, disposables and low-cost consumer products. 
Expandable polystyrene beads are primarily used in food and beverage packaging, insulation and cushion packaging. 
Improved grades of resins are used in higher performance applications, such as home electronics and appliances. 
ABS and styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) have many uses in the consumer durables market.

Styrene-based polyesters enjoy long service life in both indoor and outdoor applications, e.g., polyester boats typically last longer than boats made from conventional materials. 
Thermoplastic elastomers are directly replacing natural and traditional synthetic rubbers in many established applications and entering new markets. 
Other applications include carpet backing (SBL), production of tires (SBR) and castings for textiles and paper. Many products made from styrene are recyclable. 
Chevron Phillips Chemical along with other polystyrene producers formed the National Polystyrene Recycling Company (NPRC) to recycle post-consumer polystyrene. 
Recycled polystyrene is used in packaging, construction materials, office supplies and other useful products.

IUPAC NAME:

1-methyl-2-phenyl-1H-indole
 
Benzene, ethenyl-
 
benzene, ethenyl-
 
Benzene, ethenyl-
 
ethenyl benzene
 
Ethenylbenzene
 
ethenylbenzene
 
Ethylbenzen
 
fenylethylen
 
Phenylethen
 
Phenylethene
 
phenylethene
 
Phenyletylene, vinylbenzene
 
Phényléthlène
 
stirene
 
Stirene
 
STYRENE

SYNONYMS:

100-42-5 [RN]
1071236 [Beilstein]
200-659-6 [EINECS]
202-851-5 [EINECS]
242-995-6 [EINECS]
82988-08-7 [RN]
Benzene, ethenyl- [ACD/Index Name]
Benzene, vinyl-
Ethenylbenzene
MFCD00008612
 

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