Styrene

Styrene (CAS 100-42-5), also known as vinylbenzene, is a reactive liquid monomer that forms the chemical backbone of synthetic polymers and resins.

Where is Styrene used?

• Polystyrene and EPS: rigid packaging, insulation board, disposable foodservice items
• Coatings and adhesives: copolymerises with acrylates or butadiene for binders with controlled hardness
• SBR and latex systems: core monomer for sealants, carpet backing, pressure-sensitive adhesives
• At food-grade purity it serves as a flavoring ingredient in approved formulations.
• Used in the manufacture of abrasive products, precast concrete and cement elements, artificial stone, and lightweight, expanded and blown conglomerate elements.
• Used in the manufacture and repair of metal vehicle bodies and in civil and industrial plant engineering.
• Used to produce unsaturated polyester resins for coatings.
• Forms copolymers such as styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) and styrene-acrylonitrile-butadiene (ABS), used to make pipes, automotive parts and plastic lenses.

Good to know: At trace levels it carries FEMA 3233 status as a recognized flavoring agent. Inhibited with 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) to prevent premature polymerization during storage and transit.

Formulation notes

• FES resins (low styrene emission) contain adjuvants incompatible with the resin that form a barrier film on the surface, limiting styrene emissions during static phases (polymerization) but not during spraying phases.

Regulatory status

• The IARC classifies styrene as a probable human carcinogen.
• Classified as a flammable liquid and vapour under CLP.
• Classified as suspected of damaging the unborn child under CLP.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Concentrations in air between 0.9% and 6.8% create an explosion risk.
• Drying of styrene-containing parts should be carried out in a ventilated room, preferably separate.

Frequently asked questions about Styrene

What regulatory classification applies to styrene for hearing effects in the EU?

Styrene is classified as causing proven serious effects on hearing organs (H372) under the European regulation applicable from 1 January 2016.

Is styrene authorised for food-contact applications in the European Union?

In the European Union, styrene is authorised for use in food packaging intended for direct contact with food.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.