What type of polymerization produces polystyrene?
free radical vinyl polymerization
Polystyrene is a vinyl polymer. Structurally, it is a long hydrocarbon chain, with a phenyl group attached to every other carbon atom. Polystyrene is produced by free radical vinyl polymerization, from the monomer styrene.
What is the formation of polystyrene?
Polystyrene is created via the polymerization of styrene – a petroleum based, liquid hydrocarbon monomer. In this three-step synthesis, styrene is formed via the radical bromination of ethylbenzene and the elimination reaction of (1-bromo-ethyl)benzene.
How do you polymerize styrene?
Styrene readily polymerizes to polystyrene by a relatively conventional free radical chain mechanism. Either heat or initiators will begin the polymerization. Initiators thermally decompose, thereby forming active free radicals that are effective in starting the polymerization process.
What is the chemical reaction for the production of polystyrene?
Polystyrene is produced in an addition polymerisation reaction from styrene monomers. The reaction is highly exothermic, the heat of reaction for the polymerisation is -121 kJ mol-1 (at 25oC).
What products are made of polystyrene?
Refrigerators, air conditioners, ovens, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, blenders – these and other appliances often are made with polystyrene (solid and foam) because it is inert (doesn’t react with other materials), cost-effective and long-lasting.
Is polystyrene a homopolymer or copolymer?
Polystyrene is typically (but not always) a homopolymer meaning that it is composed only of the monomer styrene in combination with itself. Depending on the type of PS it could be classified as a “thermoplastic” or a “thermoset” material.
What is runway polymerization?
A runaway polymerization is a potentially dangerous reaction in which chemical products form with excessive speed, producing heat that may lead to an explosion or other hazards.
What is Thermocol made of?
Thermocol is another name for Polystyrene, it’s a synthetic aromatic (benzene derivative) polymer made from the monomer styrene (a monomer is a molecule that may bind chemically to other molecules to form a polymer. Hence the name Polystyrene).
What is polystyrene reaction?
Polystyrene is an addition polymer that results when styrene monomers interconnect (polymerization). In the polymerization, the carbon-carbon π bond of the vinyl group is broken and a new carbon-carbon σ bond is formed, attaching to the carbon of another styrene monomer to the chain.
Is styrofoam a polystyrene?
The foam that you formerly knew as styrofoam is actually expanded polystyrene foam or EPS. This material is made from polystyrene, a plastic that’s often used to make clear products like food packaging or lab equipment. EPS is made up of mostly air — around 95% in fact.
What kind of polymerization is used in phenylethene?
(c) The polymerization of phenylethene (styrene) Radical polymerization is used to produce the polymer. The process is an example of addition polymerization The predominant polymerization technique is continual thermal mass polymerization which is initiated by heat alone. Suspension polymerization is also used.
What is the boiling point of phenylethene in water?
(also phenylethylene, vinylbenzene), a colorless liquid with a characteristic odor, a melting point of 30.6°C, a boiling point of 145.2°C, and a density of 0.906 g/cm3 (20°C). Styrene is practically insoluble in water but is miscible with most organic solvents.
How does the polymerisation of styrene produce polystyrene?
The addition polymerisation of styrene (ethenylbenzene or phenylethene) to produce polystyrene (poly (phenylethene) or poly (ethenylbenzene)) proceeds by a free-radical mechanism. A free radical is a molecule that has no charge, but, is highly reactive because it has an unpaired valence electron.
Which is an example of a polymerization process?
(c) The polymerization of phenylethene (styrene) Radical polymerization is used to produce poly (phenylethene) (polystyrene). The process is an example of addition polymerization. The predominant polymerization technique is continual thermal mass polymerization which is initiated by heat alone.