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Antimony metal is mined all over the world and its main derivative is antimony trioxide. This product has many uses including as a flame retardant synergist, a catalyst, a clarifying agent, an opacifier, or a white pigment. Because there are so many applications you will find that the industries using it are just as varied. Plastics, textiles, glass, paint, and construction are just a few of the industries that use antimony.

Antimony oxide is a flame retardant synergist so it cannot be used by itself as a flame retardant. The antimony works in combination with a halogen flame retardant. The presence of the antimony allows you to use half as much halogen as you would otherwise to achieve the same level of flame protection. Many different kinds of materials use the antimony/halogen combination for flame retardant additives. Polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), epoxies, ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber (EPDM), phenolics, acrylnitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) are just a few of the plastics that use it. Plastics companies use many additives like antimony trioxide fire inhibitor synergist in a variety of ways. Antimony trioxide is a white powder and is usually sold in multi walled paper bags or large super sacks. Other packaging options include drums or kegs. This is similar to how halogen flame retardants are sold. If industrial hygiene is a concern, you can find some companies that will sell you a liquid dispersion that includes both already mixed in the right ratios.

The glass industry also uses antimony oxide as a clarifying agent. Many glass manufacturers purchase antimony oxide clarifying agent to help with the quality of their product. The clarifying agent is added to glass to make it clear from inclusions and clear in color. The bubbles, inclusions, and colors that the glass maker does not want in the final product are removed by adding the antimony during the meltdown process. If there was no clarifying agent, the natural impurities in sand would turn glass light green or light blue. Some clarifying agents have problems of their own because over time they react with ultraviolet light, but antimony trioxide is not one of these. One example is with manganese oxide which turns the glass purple over time as it starts to break down.

{Antimony is also used as a catalyst in the polymerization of polyethylene terephthalate or PET.The polymerization of polyethylene terephthalate or PET requires a catalyst and antimony is used for that purpose as well.} PET is what is used to make water bottles or other containers. The material used for this purpose in generally of a higher purity than the material used for flame retardant or glass clarifying applications. Many manufacturers use this catalyst because the cost/performance ratio is very good. There are other choices that work better as catalysts, but they are prohibitively expensive.

Because it is a white powder, antimony is sometimes used as a white pigment The most common industries to use it for that purpose are the porcelain and enamel industries that use it as an opacifier. Companies can purchase antimony is many ways like as a antimony trioxide flame retardant and as a result it is used in many final products. No matter who you are or what you do, the chances of you coming in contact with a product that contains antimony or was made with antimony in the process are extremely high every day of your life.