Polystyrene (PS) : Technical University of Gabrovo - Milena Koleva
Polystyrene (PS) : Technical University of Gabrovo - Milena Koleva
Polystyrene (PS) : Technical University of Gabrovo - Milena Koleva
DS – Injection Moulding Materials
Polystyrene (PS)
Technical University of Gabrovo – Milena Koleva
Polystyrene is an aromatic polymer made from the aromatic monomer General.
styrene: Classification
It is produced in the form of:
− General‐Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS);
− Expanded (foamed) Polystyrene (EPS);
− High‐Impact Polystyrene (HIPS);
− Acrylonitrile‐Butadiene Styrene copolymer (ABS);
− Other copolymers.
Polystyrene is an amorphous, glassy polymer that is generally rigid and rela‐
tively inexpensive. Unfilled polystyrene has a sparkle appearance and is often
referred to as crystal PS or general‐purpose polystyrene (GPPS). High‐impact
polystyrene grades (HIPS) are produced by adding rubber or butadiene copolymer,
which increases the toughness and impact strength of the polymer. Considerable
quantities of polystyrene are produced in the form of expanded (foamed) material
due to a suitable blowing agent.
To increase the heat resistance of general‐purpose polystyrene, copolymerisa‐
tion of styrene with other monomers is used – copolymers with α‐methylstyrene,
acrylonitrile, mehtyl‐methacrylate and triple copolymer with methyl‐methacrylate
and acrylonitrile.
Production
Syndiotactic polystyrene is made by metallocene catalysis polymerization. methods
Depending on the technical performance of polymerization, general‐purpose poly‐
styrene can be produced in a bulk, from suspension or emulsion.
Pure polystyrene is brittle, so a high‐performance product is made by
chemical (copolymerization) or mechanical compounding with other monomers or
rubber. One of the products is high‐impact polystyrene or HIPS – a product of the
copolymerization process of styrene and polybutadiene. If polybutadiene is added
during polymerization, it becomes chemically bonded to the polystyrene, forming a
graft copolymer which helps to incorporate normal polybutadiene into the final
mix, resulting in high‐impact polystyrene. Another method of producing high‐
impact polystyrene is the mechano‐chemical method, by mixing polystyrene and
polybutadiene rubber in mixers – the resulting product exhibits lower impact
strength heat and light resistance, which restricts its application.
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Properties Physical and
mechanical
The properties of polystyrene depend on the production method. properties
− GPPS is a brittle material. Cracks appear on its surface during the opera‐
tion process, and they get bigger under load.
− High impact polystyrene has improved toughness relative to GPPS. It has
high rigidity and hardness, good dimensional strength, balanced proper‐
ties of impact strength and heat resistance.
− The physical and mechanical characteristics of EPS vary depending on
the apparent density of the polymer.
ABS is a copolymer of styrene, acrylonitrile and polybutadiene, so its
properties depend on the proportion – it can vary from 15% to 35% acrylonitrile, 5%
to 30% butadiene and 40% to 60% styrene. ABS combines the strength and rigidity
of the acrylonitrile and styrene polymers with the toughness of the polybutadiene
rubber. The styrene gives the plastic a shiny, impervious surface. The butadiene, a
rubbery substance, provides resilience even at low temperatures (−25 °C) . The most
important mechanical properties of ABS are resistance and toughness. It also has
good electrical properties that are fairly constant over a wide range of frequencies
The typical physical and mechanical properties of GPPS are presented in Ta‐
bles 1 and 2.
Table 1. Typical physical properties of polystyrenes.
Physical Properties Value
Density 0.008 – 2.14 g/cm3
Water Absorption 0 – 9.0 %
Moisture Absorption at Equilibrium 0.015 ‐ 0.15 %
Linear Mould Shrinkage 0.0001 ‐ 0.025 cm/cm
Melt Flow 0.2 ‐ 84 g/10 min
Table 2. Typical mechanical properties of polystyrenes
Mechanical Properties Value
Hardness, Rockwell M 40 ‐ 108
Tensile Strength, Ultimate 0.331 ‐ 320 MPa
Elongation at Break Up to 900%
Modulus of Elasticity 0.0012 – 24.2 GPa
Charpy Impact, Notched 1 – 30.0 kJ/m2
Izod Impact, Unnotched 11k J/m2
Tensile Creep Modulus, 1 hour 1600 ‐ 3300 MPa
Tensile Creep Modulus, 1000 hours 1200 ‐ 2600 MPa
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The thermal characteristics of polystyrene are shown in table 3. Thermal
properties
Table 3. Thermal characteristics of polystyrenes.
Thermal Properties Value
CTE, linear 20°C 12 ‐ 117 μm/m.°C
Specific Heat Capacity 1.79 ‐ 2.2 J/g.°C
Thermal Conductivity 0.027 ‐ 5.01 W/m.K
Maximum Service Temperature, Air 71.1 ‐ 300 °C
Vicat Softening Point 70 ‐ 263 °C
Glass Temperature ‐92 ÷ 150 °C
Major electric properties are presented in Table 4.
Electrical
Table 4. Electric properties of polystyrenes.
properties
Electrical Properties Value
Electrical Resistivity 1018 – 1020 Ω.cm
Surface Resistance 1017 ‐ 1019 Ω
Dielectric Constant 2 – 3.5
Dielectric Constant, Low Frequency 2 – 3.7
Dielectric Strength 2.0 ‐ 150 kV/mm
Dissipation Factor 5.10‐5 ‐ 0.069
Some optical properties of PS are presented in Table 5.
Optical properties
Table 5. Optical properties of polystyrenes.
Optical Properties Value
Haze 0.65 ‐ 1 %
Transmission, Visible 80 ‐ 90 %
GPPS is resistant to the action of bases, hydrohalogenic, inorganic and or‐ Chemical
ganic acids, transformer oil, glycerine, etc. It swells in 65% nitric and glacial acetic resistance
acid. GPPS does not dissolve in aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, phenol,
acetic acid and water.
It does dissolve, however, in aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons, ethers,
ketones, carbon disulphide and pyridine.
It swells considerably in benzine. At high temperatures (above 220°C ) it is
destroyed forming styrene and other low‐molecular products.
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HIPS dissolves in aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons. It is resistant to the
action of salts, minerals and vegetable oils. Under the action of benzine, ketones,
ethyl alcohol, etc. its physical and mechanical characteristics deteriorate. The action
of oxidants is particularly detrimental.
ABS‐copolymers have a better chemical stability than that of HIPS.
The other copolymers of styrene are chemically stable:
− Its copolymers with acrylonitrile are resistant to transformer oil, glycer‐
ine, alkaline solutions; they are even more resistant to benzine and
carbon tetrachloride than GPPS is; they dissolve in aromatic and chlorin‐
ated hydrocarbons;
Copolymers of styrene with α‐methylstyrol are insoluble in some alcohols,
ethers and aliphatic hydrocarbons, they are resistant to transformer oil, glycerine,
bases, organic and mineral acids; they dissolve in aromatic and chlorinated
hydrocarbons and swell in benzine;
Polystyrenes possess good flow properties at temperatures safely below degrada‐ Processing
tion ranges, and can easily be extruded, injection moulded, or compression properties
moulded. GGPS is easy to machine and fabricate, usually at 200 ‐ 218°C. During
manufacturing the products need to be cooled slowly to reduce internal stresses,
stabilize the dimensions and decrease the susceptibility to cracking.
HIPS can easily be extruded, injection moulded and machined (temperature
range 160 – 230 °C).
ABS copolymers can be processed at temperatures 200‐240°C and higher
pressures using the methods of injection moulding and extrusion.
Styrene copolymers can be injection moulded, extruded or pressed, over the
temperature range 160‐ 220°C depending on the copolymer type and the processing
method.
When injection moulding ABS, the draft angle should at least 0.5°. If the part
contains deep ribs, the mould’s polish should be to the opening direction. When
the surface is etched or spark machined the amount of draft angle should increase
by 1 ° per every 0.025 mm depth of profile. The gas removing channels’ depth
should be from 0.05‐0.065 mm.
Pure solid polystyrene is a colorless, hard plastic with limited flexibility. It can be
cast into moulds in transparent form or can take on various colours. It is economical
and is used for producing plastic model assembly kits, plastic cutlery, CD cases and
many other objects where a fairly rigid, economical plastic of any of various colors
is desired.
High‐impact polystyrene is a low‐cost plastic material that is easy to machine
and fabricate. It is often specified for low‐strength structural applications when
impact resistance is required. Because of its dimensional stability and mechanical
properties HIPS in grades has a wide variety of applications, including appliance
components, consumer electronics housings, magnetic and optical media, building
and construction, packaging and food service, recreation equipment and sporting
goods, medical devices and labware, office products, cosmetic and personal care
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products, and houseware. It has a high dielectric strength and is widely used for
laminated electronic circuits, high frequency insulation sheeting, insulators, and
other electrical applications.
Application Application
Polystyreneʹs most common use, however, is as expanded polystyrene (EPS).
Extruded polystyrene (XPS), which is different from expanded polystyrene (EPS),
has low thermal conductivity This makes it ideal as a construction material in
insulated panel building systems, for insulation in building structures, as moulded
packing material for cushioning fragile equipment inside boxes, as packing ʺpea‐
nutsʺ, as non‐weight‐bearing architectural structures and also in model building,
particularly architectural models. Foamed between two sheets of paper, it makes a
more‐uniform substitute for corrugated cardboard.
The cost of producing ABS is roughly twice the cost of producing PS. It is
used as a construction material for large‐sized items in machine manufacturin,
shipbuilding, instrument engineering, the textile industry. It can be matellized,
which makes it suitable for radioelectronic components and parts operating at high
temperatures.
* The ranges given in the tables indicate the minimum and the maximum value of the respective
property, found experimentally and published for the different brands and types of the polymer.
Trade names
PS
− Styron ( Dow Chemical Corp. , USA)
− Styrodur, Styropor (BASF, DE)
ABS
− Cycolac ( General Electric Plastics, USA)
− Lustran ( Lanxess, DE)
− Novodur ( Lanxess, DE)
References
1. Harper, Charles A., Edward M. Petrie. Plastics Materials and Processes, John
Wiley & Sons, 2003.
2. Scheirs, J., D. B. Priddy. Modern Styrenic Polymers: Polystyrenes and Styrenic
Copolymers John Wiley & Sons, 2003
3. Sperling, L.H. Introduction to Physical Polymer Science. John Wiley & Sons, 2006
4. Järvelä P. et al., Ruiskuvalu, Plastdata 2000.
Polystyrene ‐ 6