Polystyrene (PS)

Polystyrene (PS) is a synthetic thermoplastic polymer made from styrene monomers. It is known for being clear, rigid, and cost-effective in its general-purpose form. PS is easy to mold and shape, but tends to be brittle. It is produced both as a solid and as a foam, with applications ranging from food packaging to insulation materials.

• Transparent and glossy in its standard form
• Hard and brittle under normal conditions
• Lightweight, especially in foamed forms
• Rigid, maintaining structural shape in molded applications
• Poor barrier properties—permeable to gases and moisture
• Thermoplastic, softening upon heating above its glass transition temperature (around 90 °C) and solidifying when cooled

• Protective packaging such as CD cases, trays, tumblers, and disposable cutlery
• Clear containers and lids where optical clarity is valued
• Foam products like insulation panels, building materials, packing peanuts, and cushioning
• Laboratory and medical disposables such as Petri dishes, test tubes, and microplates
• Film capacitors using PS sheets for dielectric properties

• Low cost and easily molded—ideal for mass production of detailed parts
• High optical clarity—suitable for transparent components
• Versatile in form—available as both solid and foam materials
• Thermoplastic behavior—reshapable and moldable with heat

• General Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS)
• High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)
• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
• Extruded Polystyrene (XPS)