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Polystyrene: Styrene Polymerised by Heat Alone in Sealed Tubes
Polystyrene is styrene joined into long chains: a tough, glass-clear solid. Heat alone does it. Ostromislensky (US 1,683,402, 1928) sealed pure styrene in glass tubes and held them at 140 °C for 20 hours; hotter goes faster (155 °C 18 h, 165 °C 16 h), but at 175 °C another, unwanted form starts to appear. As it cools the polystyrene shrinks away from the glass and usually breaks the tube.
The picture: our diagram.
Intermediate
1 day
Instructions
1
1
Fill and seal the tubes
Fill and seal the tubes
Use styrene of 92 % purity or better. Fill glass tubes about 0.7 cm wide and 26 cm long to about 4.5 cm (a sixth of the tube) and seal them. Ours: seal in a torch flame (the patent does not say how).
Materials for this step:
Styrene4.5 mlTools needed:
Glass Tubing Kit
Propane Torch
Chemical Splash Goggles
Rubber Gloves
Fume Hood (Ducted)2
2
Heat at 140 °C for 20 hours
Heat at 140 °C for 20 hours
Stand the tubes upright with their lower part in an air bath at about 140 °C for 20 hours (ours: a drying oven). Shorter at higher heat: 155 °C 18 h or 165 °C 16 h. Do not go above 175 °C.
Tools needed:
Drying Oven
Thermometer - Lab3
3
Cool and break out
Cool and break out
Let the tubes cool. The polystyrene comes away from the glass and usually breaks it. Remove the glass and break the clear solid into small pieces: it is very tough and hard to grind.
Tools needed:
Heat-Resistant GlovesChemical Splash GogglesTools Required
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