The main derivative of antimony metal 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. Because there are so many applications you will find that the industries using it are just as varied. 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 is paired with a halogenated compound which is the actual flame retardant. To achieve the same amount of fire protection you only need to use half as much halogen if you include the antimony synergist. You will find the antimony/halogen combination used in a very wide variety of applications. 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 natural flame retardant 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. You will find that the halogen flame retardant is packaged the same way. 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.
Another use of antimony trioxide is as a clarifying agent for glass. 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. Other clarifying agents, like manganese oxide, will break down and turn the glass undesirable colors over time.
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 a very common substance as it is used to make water bottles and other liquid containers among other things. The material used for this purpose in generally of a higher purity than the material used for flame retardant or glass clarifying applications. Many PET plants use antimony because it has a good cost to performance ratio. There are other choices that work better as catalysts, but they are prohibitively expensive.
One final use of antimony trioxide is as a pigment. It can be used as an opacifier for the porcelain and enamel industries often. Companies can purchase antimony is many ways like as a high purity antimony trioxide catalyst 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.