# Styrene

The monomer for polystyrene, ABS and synthetic rubber, made from benzene and ethylene; a market reshaped by China's capacity surge.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/

Commodity chemicals · Aromatics · No. 29

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 35 Mt a year of demand (2024, indicative, industry estimates)
- 2.8 t CO₂e per t
- HS 290250
 Commodity chemicals · Aromatics · Foundation · Matter

China more than doubled its styrene capacity in five years and turned from the world's biggest buyer into a seller.

Chart: Illustration: Styrene

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Benzene and ethylene are joined into ethylbenzene, then superheated steam at about 600 C strips off hydrogen. About a seventh comes as a by-product of propylene oxide plants.

##### Three things to know

1. China's styrene capacity climbed from 9 Mt a year in 2019 to 22.6 Mt in 2024, flipping it from top importer to net exporter.
2. European plants need a styrene-benzene spread of $200-250 a tonne; it sank to $71.50 in November 2023 and closures followed.
3. Styrene polymerises by itself if it gets warm, which is why the 2020 Visakhapatnam vapour leak killed 12 people.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Benzene, ethylene**0.79 t benzene, 0.28 t ethylene
2. 2 **Ethylbenzene**Zeolite alkylation, over 99% selective
3. 3 **Dehydrogenation**Steam and iron oxide at 600 C
4. 4 **Styrene monomer**Inhibited liquid, kept below about 25 C
5. 5 **Polymers**Polystyrene, EPS, ABS, SBR tyre rubber
 Covered in [The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[From crude oil and natural gas to the C1-C4 building blocksChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/oil-gas-to-building-blocks/)[From building blocks to plastics, fibres and detergentsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/building-blocks-to-polymers/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/styrene/links/index.md)