History
Polystyrene was accidentally discovered by a German apothecary (person who prepares and sells drugs and medicines), Eduard Simon, in 1839. His newly discovered chemical - which he called“Styrol” - was an oily substance that hardened after a few days. He called it "Styrol" When it did he assumed it had oxified. In 1845, two chemist John Blyth and August Willhelm von Hoffmann tested this theory and the same reaction took place in the absence of oxygen, proving that oxidation had not occurred.
Marcelin Berthelot demonstrated that the hard material was actually a monomer in 1866. But the monomer was too unstable and hardened before it should so it was almost impossible to apply it. This problem was solved in 1922 when Dufraisse and Moureu found that the monomer could be stabilized if you added small amounts of aromatic amines and phenols.
Eventually, work by Herman Staudinger and Carl Wolff enabled the I.G Farben company in Germany to begin the manufacture of polystyrene in 1931. They created a reactor vessel which extruded polystyrene through a heated tube and cutter, which molded the polymer into a pellet form that was easier to use.
Marcelin Berthelot demonstrated that the hard material was actually a monomer in 1866. But the monomer was too unstable and hardened before it should so it was almost impossible to apply it. This problem was solved in 1922 when Dufraisse and Moureu found that the monomer could be stabilized if you added small amounts of aromatic amines and phenols.
Eventually, work by Herman Staudinger and Carl Wolff enabled the I.G Farben company in Germany to begin the manufacture of polystyrene in 1931. They created a reactor vessel which extruded polystyrene through a heated tube and cutter, which molded the polymer into a pellet form that was easier to use.