Additives in synthetic polymers: an overview

The 14 major classes of additives in plastics, e.g., plasticizers, flame retardants, heat stabilizers, antioxidants, UV absorbers, foaming agents, initiators, lubricants, antistatic agents, curing agents, colorants, fillers and reinforcements, solvents, and optical brighteners were reviewed from a primary consideration of their structural chemical classes, areas of application as well as their production volumes and future use trends. The number of possible combinations of plastics additives that can be employed are staggering. In most cases, little is known of their toxicological properties and in many cases their identity is not commonly known. It should also be noted that many new additives of new generic types in each of the above classes are being developed and introduced into the market yearly as well as new technology in polymer production, e.g., increasing use of additive polymers for PVC.