Polystyrene is one of the important plastics used in various industries. This polymer is produced from styrene raw materials and due to its unique features, it is used in various industries such as packaging, automotive, electronics, toys, etc.
The advantages of using polystyrene include lightness, impact resistance, fracture resistance, electrical insulation, recyclability and reasonable price. Depending on the type of compounds and production methods, polystyrene can be classified into two types, transparent and non-transparent.
Molecular structure of polystyrene
It is made of styrene monomers. Each styrene unit is both an active electron donor and acceptor; Therefore, the most important property of polystyrene is molecular weight distribution under polymerization conditions. This issue, in simple and non-scientific language, refers to the high resistance of this plastic to water or other solvents.
The first and most important way to use polystyrene is disposable plastic containers. These containers, which today play a very important role in daily life and industry, are used due to their transparency and density. After transparency, the high resistance of this plastic makes them go to this plastic in the manufacture of most sanitary ware, children's toys, sports equipment and even in the automobile industry. Of course, polystyrene has another special feature, and this feature is the dielectric property of its constituent molecules. This causes this plastic to become one of the most important compounds in electrical industries.
Transparent polystyrene is used in the packaging of electronic products, toys and cosmetics. Also, in the automotive industry, the inner cover of the dashboard and car doors are also made of polystyrene.
Non-transparent polystyrene is used as a substitute for wood in making furniture and decorative objects. Also, in the electronics industry, the coating is used for office devices and electronic components, and in the automotive industry, it is used to make car interior parts and electrical panels.
In general, polystyrene is one of the most important and widely used plastics used in various industries due to its unique properties.
Polystyrene is produced in several types, which can be mentioned as follows:
Polystyrene is a versatile plastic polymer that can be produced in various forms for various applications. Here are the types of polystyrene:
At Petro Arman Polymer Pars, we produce various types of polystyrenes, which include:
EPS, HIPS, GPS and ABS and it is possible for the customers of our dear colleagues to contact us at Petro Arman Polymer Pars for technical advice and product inquiries at any stage.
Polystyrene is used in many industries due to its special properties. The advantages of polystyrene are as follows:
1- Light and resistant: Polystyrene is one of the lightest and most resistant plastics. These features have made polystyrene to be used in many industries including automotive, packaging, electronics, construction and home appliances.
2- Easy processing: Polystyrene is very easy to process and can be easily formed. This feature has made it used in industries such as packaging, toys, home appliances and construction industries.
3- Waterproof: Polystyrene prevents water from entering the used products and artifacts. This feature is especially important in food packaging.
4- Shock resistance: Polystyrene absorbs shock and impact, and because of this feature, it is used in industries such as automotive and electronics.
5- Flame resistant: Polystyrene absorbs flame and this feature makes it suitable for use in products that require heat resistance.
6- Low cost: due to its low price and very practical features, polystyrene is an inexpensive alternative to materials such as metals and glass.
Some of the disadvantages of polystyrene are:
1- Vulnerability to heat: Polystyrene is very sensitive to heat and easily deforms at temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius.
2- Fragility: Polystyrene is sensitive to breakage and brittleness and breaks easily against heavy impacts.
3- Vulnerability to solvents: Polystyrene is vulnerable to some solvents such as acetone and styrene and can change shape.
4- Some environmental problems: Polystyrene is produced from petroleum materials and therefore causes environmental pollution. Also, polystyrene decomposes very slowly in the environment and creates problems for the life cycle of polystyrene products.
Since protecting the environment is the main priority of Petro Arman Polymer Pars Company, we note this point:
Some types of polystyrene such as expanded polystyrene can have negative environmental effects due to their non-biodegradable nature. However, recycling programs and environmentally friendly alternatives are increasingly available to address these concerns.