Styrene (Monomer) Purification with Activated Alumina

In a variety of organic polymer manufacturing processes, the monomer reactant contains a polymerization inhibitor to prevent pre-mature polymerization of the feed. Styrene, butadiene and isoprene monomers commonly use Tertiary Butylcatechol (TBC) as the inhibitor The mechanism of TBC activity is based on its oxidation to quinone, which acts as a free radical scavenger, thereby inhibiting reaction between monomer molecules and propagation to polymer formation