Polystyrene Introduction Polystyrene was first produced in 1831 but has only become commerically significant over the last 50 years.
Present consumption is measured in millions of tonnes per year.
Polystyrene is made industrially in large quantities because equipment is expensive and the process requires several days between intake and discharge. Rigid benzene under pressure is added to ethylene in presnece of aluminum trichloride to produce ethyle benzene. The product is reduced to the styrene monomer by 0passing it over an iron oxide catalyst at high temperature. Free styrene is then mixed with a peroxide ands the resulting polymer is passed through a cylinderical tower where the reaction is controlled by heaters. It is then extruded and granulated.