ABSTRACT
The crowning glory that gives polymers their coveted properties is the additives. Plastics and rubber can be massaged and cajoled to perform in ways that nature might readily envy. With stabilizers, plastics can resist the test of time, environmental degradation, and the ravages of mold–if so desired. Fillers extend plastic and lower costs without compromising the integrity of a polymer. They are used to strengthen building structures without adding weight and enhance the opportunity for creative designs. Foaming agents convert solid plastics into air-filled foams for use in energy saving thermal foams that excel over all natural products such as mineral wool and the ever infamous asbestos. Polymers that pose potential fire hazards must be modified through the use of one or a combination of flame retardant additives. Halogenated flame retardants act as "vapor phase additives". Many inorganic flame retardants are used as synergists to enhance the performance of other flame retardants or to suppress smoke formation.
