Antimony supporting fire safety
Flame retardants are substances added to materials to reduce their flammability, help prevent ignition or slow the development and spread of fire. By delaying fire development, flame retardants can provide valuable additional time for people to escape and for emergency services to respond.
Flame retardancy describes a function, rather than one specific chemistry. Different flame-retardant technologies are used depending on the material, application and fire-safety requirements.
The role of antimony trioxide
Antimony trioxide (ATO, Sb₂O₃) has an important role in certain flame-retardant systems.
ATO is not generally used as a flame retardant on its own. Instead, it acts as a synergist, particularly in combination with certain halogenated flame retardants. The combination enhances flame-retardant performance, allowing materials to achieve the required level of fire resistance efficiently.
This synergistic effect has made antimony trioxide an established component of flame-retardant formulations used in a wide variety of polymer and textile applications.
What does "synergist" mean?
A synergist is a substance that enhances the effectiveness of another substance when they are used together.
In a flame-retardant system, antimony trioxide interacts with halogen-containing flame retardants during combustion. This helps interfere with the chemical reactions that sustain the flame, thereby slowing the combustion process. Campine describes ATO in these formulations as acting to stabilise flame radicals and delay ignition.
In simple terms:
ATO + certain halogenated flame retardants → enhanced flame-retardant performance
Where is ATO used for flame retardancy?
Antimony-based flame-retardant systems can be found in materials used across many sectors where fire performance is important. Examples include:
Electrical & electronics
Cables, connectors, sockets, housings and other polymer components used in electrical and electronic equipment.
Building & construction
Insulation materials, roofing, flooring, cladding and other construction products.
Transport
Automotive components, cables, dashboards, seals and structural polymer components.
Textiles
Technical textiles, upholstery fabrics, artificial leather, awnings, tents and other coated or treated fabrics.
Industrial applications
A broad range of polymer compounds and specialised products for which defined fire-performance characteristics are required.
Fire safety is about performance
There is no single flame-retardant solution suitable for every material or application. The appropriate technology depends on factors including the polymer or textile involved, its intended use, required fire performance and applicable regulatory and technical standards.
Importantly, fire-safety standards generally define the level of fire performance that a product must achieve rather than prescribing a particular flame-retardant chemistry. Manufacturers select appropriate materials and technologies to meet those requirements.
Innovation and responsible use
Flame-retardant technologies continue to evolve alongside advances in materials, product design, regulation and circularity.
For antimony trioxide, innovation has also focused on safer handling and reduced occupational exposure during processing. Depending on the application, ATO can be supplied not only as powder but also in wetted forms, dispersions or pre-dispersed polymer masterbatches. Such solutions can reduce dust generation while facilitating accurate dosing and dispersion during manufacturing.
At the same time, the environmental and health performance of flame-retardant systems continues to be assessed under chemicals legislation and other regulatory frameworks. In Europe, flame retardants are currently an area of particular regulatory attention under REACH
