Photopolymerizing Styrene Into Polystyrene

Photopolymerizing styrene with light produces polystyrene, a common commodity plastic. This experiment uses simple photochemistry to start a radical polymerization reaction. A radical is a highly reactive particle with an unpaired electron that can help build long polymer chains.

The module focus...

Organic polymers can be found in a wide variety of household products ranging from plastic cups and bottles, to car tires and fabrics. One method to synthesize polymers is via radical polymerization chemistry.

The radical polymerization reaction uses building blocks, such as alkene monomers, to form a polymer of various lengths and branch...