Antimony metal is mined all over the world and its main derivative is antimony trioxide. The many uses of this product include things as varied as a catalyst, an opacifier, a flame retardant synergist, a clarifying agent, or a white pigment. The industries that use antimony oxide are as varied as its applications. You can find antimony used in the plastics industry, textiles, glass making, paint, construction materials, and porcelain and enamel.
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. You will find the antimony/halogen combination used in a very wide variety of applications. Some of the most common plastics are high impact polystyrene (HIPS), ethylene propylene diene M- class rubber (EPDM), polyethylene (PE), epoxies, polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyurethanes, and phenolics. Plastics companies use many additives like antimony trioxide fire inhibitor synergist in a variety of ways. You can buy antimony trioxide in large supersacks or multi-walled paper bags of various sizes. You can sometimes find it in 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 antimony trioxide is added during the meltdown process and will remove any bubbles, inclusions or color that is not desired. 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. Antimony that is used as a catalyst is usually of higher purity than the product used for glass or flame retardants. Many PET plants use antimony because it has a good cost to performance ratio. Other catalysts may work better than antimony but not enough because they are still too 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 large particle size antimony trioxide 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.