polymers chemistry
polymer
polystyrene
Definition of polystyrene
History of polystyrene
Structure
production
Mechanical properties
Polystyrene applications
اهداب علي الناشري
polymer polystyrene
Definition of polystyrene
Polystyrene, or PS for short, is a chemical compound that is a synthetic
aromatic hydrocarbon polymer derived from a monomer molecule
known as styrene.[1] Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. Polystyrene is
one of the most widely used types of plastic around the world, and its
production volume is estimated at several million tons annually.[2]
Polystyrene can be transparent in its natural form, but can also be
colored in different colors.
History of polystyrene
Polystyrene was first discovered in 1839 by Eduard Simon, a German chemist
and perfumer from Berlin.[5] He distilled an oily substance in the form of a
monomer, based on storax (a resin extracted from the oriental gum tree (in
English: Liquidambar orientalis)) and called it sterols. After several days, Simon
noticed that the sterol he had obtained had coagulated and formed a gelatinous
substance that was released. It is called sterol oxide (steroloxide) because it was
assumed that the reaction occurs by oxidation.
By 1845, Jamaican chemists John Bodley Blythe and German August
Wilhelm von Hoffmann had shown that sterol transformation occurred
in the absence of oxygen.[6] They called the obtained product "meta
sterol." Analysis showed that it was chemically identical to the
steroloxide that Simon had obtained.[7] In 1866, French chemist
Marcelin Berthelot Berthelot demonstrated that this conversion of
sterols to metasterol or steroloxide occurred via a polymerization
process.[8] About 80 years later, it was finally realized that heating
sterols triggers a chain reaction that produces large molecules (according
to the thesis of German chemist Hermann Staudinger). This eventually
gave the material its current name, polystyrene.
Structure
Chemically, polystyrene is a long-chain hydrocarbon in which alternating
carbon centers are linked to phenyl groups (a derivative of benzene). The
chemical formula of polystyrene is (C8H8)n; It mainly contains two
chemical elements: carbon and hydrogen. Here the material properties are
determined by short-range van der Waals attractions between the
polymer chains.
Polystyrene is flammable and
releases large amounts of black
smoke when burned.
production:
Polystyrene is an addition polymer that is produced when styrene monomers bond together
(polymerization). During this polymerization process, the carbon-carbon pi bond in the vinyl
group is broken and a new carbon-carbon bond (sigma bond) is formed, attached to the carbon
of another styrene monomer in the chain. Since only one type of monomer is used in the
preparation, the additively obtained polymer in this case is a homopolymer.
Mechanical properties:
Mechanical properties: Polystyrene has good mechanical strength and high hardness, making it
a durable material capable of withstanding forces and impacts. This makes it ideal for use in
construction and packaging applications. Thermal Properties: Polystyrene tolerates high and
low temperatures well and is therefore heat resistant and can be shaped and used in
applications requiring thermal resistance. However, you should avoid exposing it to very high
temperatures because it can melt
Electrical Properties: Polystyrene is a good electrical insulator and
is therefore used in electrical insulation applications
Polystyrene applications
1. Polystyrene is used in many different applications. It is
used in the packaging industry to produce food
containers, cups and trays
2-it is also used in the manufacture of thermal
insulation for buildings, refrigerators and freezers.
In addition, it is used in the manufacture of
electrical insulating materials and plastic parts for
electronic devices
Medical uses: Polystyrene is widely used in the manufacture of medical
materials and medical devices. It is used in the manufacture of Petri
dishes, measuring instruments, tubes and other plastic parts used in the
medical field
Environmental impact: Polystyrene is a difficult plastic to degrade. However,
there are efforts to recycle polystyrene and use it in other applications.
Biodegradable polystyrene, which is considered more environmentally
friendly, has also been developed
