Styrene facts for kids
Styrene is a special kind of chemical called an organic compound. It has the chemical formula C8H8. Imagine its chemical structure like a small building block. It has a part called a vinyl group that is connected to a benzene ring. This benzene ring makes styrene an aromatic compound.
At normal room temperature and pressure, styrene is a clear, colorless liquid. You might also hear it called styrol, vinylbenzene, phenylethene, or phenylethylene.
What is Styrene Used For?
Styrene is very important in making plastics. In polymer chemistry, styrene acts as a monomer. Think of a monomer as a single LEGO brick. Many styrene molecules (LEGO bricks) can link together to form a much larger molecule called polystyrene. This polystyrene is a type of polymer, which is often used as a plastic. This linking process is called polymerization.
Styrene can also join with other types of monomers to create different kinds of polymers, known as copolymers. For example, styrene can be mixed with another monomer called 1,3-butadiene. When they link up, they form a type of synthetic rubber. Another example is when styrene is combined with acrylonitrile and 1,3-butadiene. This mix creates a strong plastic called ABS (which stands for Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene).
How is Styrene Made?
In factories, styrene is usually made from a chemical called ethylbenzene. This happens through a chemical reaction that looks like this:
This type of reaction is called dehydrogenation. It means that hydrogen is removed from the ethylbenzene. Hydrogen is also produced as a result of this reaction.
See also
In Spanish: Estireno para niños
