Chemistry Question #1658
Rommel Sato, a 17 year old male from Riyadh asks on October 26, 2003,
What it the chemical composition of styrofoam? What raw material is the styrofoam made off?
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The answer
Barry Shell
answered on October 27, 2003
Styrofoam is made from the chemical polymer polystyrene by blowing air into liquid or soft polystyrene to make a foam which solidifies. Styrene is a relatively simple hydrocarbon molecule, a petroleum by-product. It was first commercially produced in the 1930s. More at http://www.cardhouse.com/x07/x07science.htm
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