Essentials

Main Applications: Batteries – used as an electrolyte (NH₄Cl paste) in zinc–carbon dry cell batteries, Adhesives / Wood Industry – used as a curing agent in urea-formaldehyde resin adhesives for plywood and particle board (enables bonding at lower temperatures), Agriculture – used as a fertilizer and feed additive (source of nitrogen and chloride for crops and livestock), Food / Confectionery – used as a food additive (E510) in salty liquorice ("Salmiak"), especially in Nordic and Dutch sweets, Pharmaceuticals – used as an expectorant in cough medicine, Metal Processing – used as a flux in preparing metals to be tin coated, galvanized or soldered (removes oxide layers).

Main Applications: Food & Nutrition – used in the production of food preservatives (its salts like sodium benzoate inhibit microbial growth in acidic foods and beverages), Personal Care & Pharma – used as a preservative and antimicrobial in cosmetics, ointments, and pharmaceuticals (e.g. topical antifungal preparations), Alkyd Resins & Coatings – used in making alkyd resin paints and coatings (as a modifier that improves gloss and hardness of paint films). Also an intermediate in synthesis of dyes and other organic compounds.

Main Applications: Pigments for Coatings – a stable green pigment used in paints, industrial coatings, and artist’s pigments due to its inertness and weather resistance (e.g. camouflage coatings, roofing granules), Construction Materials – used to color cements, concrete, and ceramics (imparts a green coloration in tiles, glass, and building materials), Plastics – used to color plastics and rubber products where heat stability is required.

Main Applications: Polyester Resins & Plastics – a key ingredient in unsaturated polyester resins (for fiberglass composites) and in modifying polymers (e.g. maleated polyolefins as coupling agents for composites), Coatings & Adhesives – used in alkyd and epoxy-resin formulations and as a curing agent or adhesion promoter in certain adhesives and sealants (improves bonding to polyolefins and crosslinking density), Construction Materials – used in making plasticizers, curing agents, and additives for construction products (and in paper sizing and water treatment chemicals). Overall, it’s central to coatings, adhesives, and polymer manufacturing for improved material performance.

Main Applications: Food Preservation (Nutrition) – the sodium salt of benzoic acid, it is one of the most common food preservatives (used in acidic foods, beverages, and condiments to inhibit molds and bacteria), Beverages & Personal Care – used in soft drinks, juices, and in cosmetic products (like mouthwash, shampoos) as an anti-microbial agent; Pharma – used in certain formulations and as a diagnostic aid in medicine (and as a tablet lubricant or in cough syrups). Also used in antifreeze and automotive coolants as a corrosion inhibitor for aluminum.

Main Applications: Plastics Manufacturing (predominantly used to produce polystyrene plastics and copolymers like ABS, SAN – found in packaging, consumer goods, etc.), Fiber-reinforced Composites (acts as a reactive solvent in unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins for fiberglass, e.g. boat hulls, pipes, automotive and construction parts) and Synthetic Rubber (used in making SBR rubber for tires and industrial rubber products). Styrene is also occasionally used as a reactive diluent in certain adhesive and coating formulations, but its primary use is as a monomer for polymers in plastics and resins.