Around the house with Chevron Phillips Chemical
In today's world, very few consumer household products in the U.S. do not include some type of synthetic chemical. The manufacture of microwave ovens, toys, carpet, HDTVs, home computers and more are all made possible with the use of chemical derivatives. Chevron Phillips Chemical offers a broad portfolio of chemical derivatives that can be found in hundreds of household applications in every room of your home, both inside and out. Here are a few examples.
IN THE KITCHEN
As major petrochemical building blocks, Chevron Phillips Chemical's Normal Alpha Olefins and their derivatives are used extensively as polyethylene comonomers, plasticizers, surfactants, and in a wide range of specialty applications. For example, you will find Alpha Olefins such as 1-Dodecene, 1-Tetradecene, and 1-Hexadecene converted into products such as surfactants used in hand soap, foam stabilizers in liquid dish detergent and powdered laundry detergent, and derivatives that help color-safe liquid laundry detergent remove grease and oil. Another Alpha Olefin, 1-Octene, can be converted into a Maleic Anhydride derivative, which acts as a dispersant for powdered food products. Without it, instant soup powder would not dissolve in water.
Polystyrene and K-Resin® SBC's clarity, toughness, shatter resistance, and ease of processing make them an ideal choice for refrigerator liners and crisper drawers.
Ryton® PPS is used in the manufacture of many kitchen appliances due to its high temperature stability, mechanical strength, dimensional integrity, and resistance to corrosion. This is why Ryton® PPS can be found in microwave ovens (turntables and bobbins), clothes dryer switches, fry pan handles, and toaster switches.
IN THE BATHROOM
In the bathroom you can find Polystyrene and K-Resin® SBC in shower curtain rings, shower doors, stalls, and medicine cabinets. Many hair dryer grills and curling iron insulators are also manufactured with Ryton® PPS. Shampoos and body washes may contain derivatives of 1-Tetradecene, 1-Hexadecene, or Polyalphaolefins (made from 1-decene).
IN THE BEDROOM
Candles contain Alpha Olefin Waxes, which allow manufacturers to add additional fragrance, without the fragrance "oiling out" of the wax; provide scratch resistance to the candle; and act as mold release.
In your closet, clear plastic hangers contain K-Resin® SBC, and any nylon stretchy clothing could contain Polyalphaolefins, which act as a textile lubricant allowing the fibers to glide across one another. Lastly, the electric blanket that keeps you warm at night most likely has a thermostat control made with Ryton® PPS.
IN THE FAMILY ROOM
The novels on your bookshelf could contain derivatives of the Normal Alpha Olefins 1-Hexadecene and 1-Octadecene that are used in book publishing to help the paper receive the ink. Polystyrene can be found in baseboard and/or crown moulding and TV cabinets, as well as in CD jewel cases and videocassettes. K-Resin® SBC is used in the manufacture of toys such Milton Bradley's Battleship game (the grid), electronic Simon game (the colored buttons) and the board game Trouble (the dice bubble).
Ryton® PPS is used in CD/DVD optical pick-up components and HDTV and projection light engine housings.
IN THE OFFICE
Polystyrene and K-Resin® SBC are found in the office as they are used for clear, smoke or colored in/out boxes, file sorters, push pins, ink pen barrels, and refuse containers. And Ryton® PPS is used in the manufacture of your computer's hard drive.
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
Ryton® PPS has numerous Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) applications including fans & blowers, fuel oil pumps, motor relays/switches, and thermostat housings. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polystyrene are used in the manufacture of composite lumber, which is used as outdoor decking, door and window frames, and exterior moldings. HDPE is also used in the manufacture of lightweight outdoor storage sheds and Low Density Polyethylene can be found in heavy-duty trash bags. Styrene/Polystyrene is used in the manufacture of roofing and hot tubs.
The Normal Alpha Olefins 1-Hexene, 1-Octene, and 1-Decene are used to make Plastisizer Alcohols, which provide the flexibility to vinyl flooring, raincoats, and pool toys. Without these alcohols, the vinyl would crack and break. And lastly, Soltrol® 170 Isoparaffin is formulated into car cleaners/waxes.