What organic material can substitute to styrene and benzene in making Styrofoam?
Yesha asked:
I was just wondering what cheap organic substances can be replaced to benzene and styrene used in producing Styrofoam?
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I was just wondering what cheap organic substances can be replaced to benzene and styrene used in producing Styrofoam?
August 28th, 2010 at 6:19 am
First of all, styrene is vinylbenzene, and that is what is polymerized.
So everything leading to styrene comes from a benzene based molecule in one form of another.
What you probably want to really ask are there other cheaper materials that will make a foam like Styrofoam? Or even plant based materials that would substitute for the petroleum based materials.
And for that, the answer is yes. Sugar cane plant fibers. Are they commercially viable? I don’t know. See link for one company that is trying. The date is a bit old though. cat lover