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Journal of Wood Science

Official Journal of the Japan Wood Research Society

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Dissolution of polystyrene into p-cymene and related substances in tree leaf oils

Journal of Wood Science volume 56, pages 169–171 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

We examined the dissolution of polystyrene into p-cymene and related substances to develop an alternative method for the recycling of expanded polystyrene. The dissolving power of p-cymene [212.0 g (100 g solvent)−1] to polystyrene at 50°C compared favorably with those of 2-p-cymenol [156.7 g (100 g solvent)−1], (R)-limonene and its structural isomers [181.7–197.1 g (100 g solvent)−1], and Abies leaf oil [84.7 g (100 g solvent)−1]. The favorable solubility of polystyrene into p-cymene can be explained by the solubility parameter. p-Cymene and polystyrene can be recovered almost quantitatively from the polystyrene solution by simple steam distillation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological and Environmental Chemistry, Kitami Institute of Technology, 165 Koen-cho, Kitami, 090-8507, Japan

    Kazuyuki Hattori, Sota Shikata, Ryo Maekawa & Masakazu Aoyama

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  1. Kazuyuki Hattori
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  2. Sota Shikata
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  3. Ryo Maekawa
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  4. Masakazu Aoyama
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Correspondence to Masakazu Aoyama.

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Hattori, K., Shikata, S., Maekawa, R. et al. Dissolution of polystyrene into p-cymene and related substances in tree leaf oils. J Wood Sci 56, 169–171 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-009-1073-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-009-1073-x

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