Polystyrene is solid plastic made from polymerized styrene. It is the second most common plastic and used in a wide variety of everyday applications, from coffee cups to CD jewel boxes. It is a thermoplastic polymer in a solid “glassy” state at room temperature, but flows if heated above about 100 °C. It becomes solid again when cooled. This allows polystyrene to be extruded, molded and vacuum-formed in molds with fine detail and high finish.
Styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) is like polystyrene but offers higher thermal resistance and is therefore used mainly in the automotive, electrical and electronics industry, as well as in household applications and building products.
Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is a tough, heat-resistant and impactresistant thermoplastic, with the acrylonitrile providing heat resistance and the styrene units offering rigidity. It is widely used for appliance and telephone housings, luggage, sporting helmets, pipe fittings and automotive parts.
Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is a rubber manufactured from styrene. Because of its excellent abrasion resistance, it is widely used in automobile and truck tires, as well as for carpet backing and paper coating. About 50% of a car tire is made from SBR. Other applications are in belting, flooring, wire and cable insulation and footwear.
