Editing Styrene (section)

=== Autopolymerisation ===
As a liquid or a gas, pure styrene will polymerise spontaneously to polystyrene, without the need of external [[Radical initiator|initiators]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Miller |first1=A.A. |last2=Mayo |first2=F.R. |title=Oxidation of Unsaturated Compounds. I. The Oxidation of Styrene |journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society |date=March 1956 |volume=78 |issue=5 |pages=1017–1023 |doi=10.1021/ja01586a042|bibcode=1956JAChS..78.1017M }}</ref> This is known as ''autopolymerisation''. At 100&nbsp;°C it will autopolymerise at a rate of ~2% per hour, and more rapidly than this at higher temperatures.<ref name=autopoly1 /> As the autopolymerisation reaction is [[exothermic]] it can be self-accelerating, with a real risk of a [[thermal runaway]], potentially leading to an explosion. Examples include the 2019 explosion of the tanker ''Stolt Groenland'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Report on the investigation of the cargo tank explosion and fire on board the chemical tanker Stolt Groenland |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60f93e2cd3bf7f044c51590b/2021-09-StoltGroenland-Report.pdf |publisher=e UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch}}</ref> explosions at the [[Phillips Petroleum Company]] in [[Phillips explosion of 1999|1999]] and [[2000 Phillips explosion|2000]] and overheating styrene tanks leading to the 2020 [[Visakhapatnam gas leak]], which killed several people.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/live-updates-eight-dead-several-fall-sick-after-gas-leak-at-lg-poymers-plant-in-visakhapatnam/articleshow/75592838.cms |title=Vizag Gas Leak Live News: Eleven dead, several hospitalised after toxic gas leak from LG Polymers plant |access-date=2020-05-07 |date=2020-05-07 |work=The Economic Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/07/gas-leak-at-chemical-factory-in-india-kills-hospitalises-lg-polymers |title=Hundreds in hospital after leak at Indian chemical factory closed by lockdown |access-date=2020-05-07 |date=2020-05-07 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> The autopolymerisation reaction can only be kept in check by the continuous addition of [[polymerisation inhibitor]]s.