Styrene

What Does Styrene Mean?

Styrene is an organic compound and a derivative of benzene that is a colorless oily liquid that has a sweet smell and a less pleasant odor. It is considered to be a hazardous chemical and is most widely used in the petrochemical industry in the production of polystyrene plastics and resins.

Styrene is also called ethenyl benzene, vynil benzene and phenylethene.

Corrosionpedia Explains Styrene

Styrene is produced in the styrene production units installed in petrochemical plant facilities. These units are highly prone to corrosion because of the presence of carbonic acid that forms carbon dioxide gas and water during exposure. The pH levels of the solution also increase, which is a contributing factor speeding up the corrosive environment. Thus, neutralizing pH levels in styrene production unit is necessary for long life of the unit.

Some of the properties of styrene are as follows:

• Chemical Formula – C₆H₅CH=CH₂
• Molar mass – 104.15 gram per mol
• Appearance – colorless oily liquid
• Odor – floral or sweet
• Density – 0.909 gram per cubic cm
• Melting point – -22 °F (-30 °C)
• Boiling point – 284 °F (145 °C)
• Solubility in water – 0.03%
• Vapor pressure – 5 mmHg
• Refractive index – 1.5469
• Viscosity – 0.762 centi poise @ 68 °F (20 °C)