Polystyrene[Polystyrene?:cnc ps/polystyrene cutting machine] is a type of polymer with thermoplastic properties produced from the petroleum-derived monomer, styrene[styrene?:high precision styrene digital cutter]. In solid form, polystyrene is a colorless and rigid plastic[plastic?:Plastic sample cutting machine]. However, polystyrene may also be returned to a liquid state by heating and used again for molding or extrusion. Polystyrene is used to produce many products for industrial and consumer use. In fact, its presence as a plastic in everyday life is second only to polyethylene.
The chemical structure of polystyrene allows it to be classified as a liquid hydrocarbon, meaning that it is composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon. Like its precursor, polystyrene is an aromatic hydrocarbon that participates in covalent bonding with every other carbon atom being attached to a phenol group. Polystyrene is produced via free radical polymerization, which means that the reaction involves breaking the bonds between electrons and leaving them “free” to form new bonds. When burned, polystyrene yields black carbon particles, or soot. When polystyrene completely oxidized, only carbon dioxide and water vapor remain.
