Styrene is a similar liquid monomer at room temperature, which will also polymerize into clear glass-like polystyrene plastic, with addition of a suitable catalyst.
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene | styrene | Styrene | Poly Styrene |
In 1943, Koppers, at the US Government's behest, built a factory in Kobuta, Pennsylvania on the left bank of the Ohio River just downriver from Beaver, to manufacture styrene-butadiene monomer, a building block used to make a form of synthetic rubber for the World War II defense effort.
TEMPO ((2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl) is capable of inducing the polymerization of styrene and styrene derivatives fairly easily, but is not sufficiently labile to induce polymerization of butyl acrylate under most conditions.
Co-Binders, natural products such as starch and also CMC (Carboxymethyl cellulose), are used along with the synthetic binders, like styrene acrylic or styrene butadiene.
Styrene made a guest appearance at the 2008 30th anniversary concert of Rock Against Racism in Victoria Park, London, performing "Oh Bondage Up Yours" with guest musicians Drew McConnell (of Babyshambles and Helsinki) and 'Flash' David Wright playing saxophone.
The highly detailed styrene body was that of a Ford F-150 Stepside pickup, itself a carryover from an earlier Tamiya Ford F-150 model based on the SRB-chassis (Special Racing Buggy).