All these polymers products are made from the essential polymer mixed with a complex blend of materials known collectively as additives. Without additives, polymers would not work, but with them they can be made safer, cleaner, tougher and more colourful. Additives cost money, of course, but by reducing production costs and making products last longer, they help us to save money and conserve the world's precious raw material reserves. In fact, our world to day would be a lot less safe, a lot more expensive and a great deal duller without the additives that turn basic polymers in to useful polymers.

Additives Make polymers Easier To Process
Making things out of polymers is like playing a game with molecules. The aim is to re-organise them into new shapes without their changing colour, sticking to the mould, or doing anything that could spoil the finished article. Additives help with all these problems. In fact, processing polymers without additives is virtually impossible.

Process aids become liquid during the moulding process and form a liquid around colour particles so that they mix better. Other additives make the individual polymer particles adhere more to each other inside the tube so that they melt quicker. This means that the moulding temperature can be lower which saves energy and prevents or minimises heat damage to the polymers.

Certain polymers can be difficult to process because they become viscous and sticky when they melt. LUBRICANTS help reduce viscosity by creating a film between the mould and the polymer melt, and by lubricating the polymer particles against each other. More intricate shapes can be moulded and the moulding temperature can be lowered. Most polymers have to be processed at over 180oC, a temperature which unfortunately can sometimes spoil the colour and weaken or embrittle the polymer. However, these effects can be prevented or minimised by additives known as ANTIOXIDANTS, which are special compounds such as Vitamin E, which help protect the polymer under hostile conditions. Other additives called HEAT STABILISERS help stop polymers from decomposing during processing.

Through a skilful manipulation of additives, polymers components can be colour matched with parts made from other materials such as wood, metal and fabrics, cars radios and kitchen appliances all use this technique.

Hand in hand with advances in medical science, polymers have become an important medium for raising standards of hygiene to the high level we now enjoy. Throughout our lives, polymers help prevent disease and prolong active healthiness. PVC, for example, with its low toxicity, flexibility, clarity and sealing properties, all achieved through additives, has become one of the most important polymers in medicine.

PVC tubing, blood transfusion sets and disposable packs of equipment have helped create an easier and healthier lifestyle. Additives have allowed the development of a sealed system of PVC tubing and bags which separates blood into its constituents without the need to open the equipment. This has led to a whole new field of blood component therapy. polymersed PVC medical bags help save lives.

To prevent polymers materials from becoming hard and brittle at low temperatures, or soft and sticky at high temperatures, additives are used to 'design' the polymers for its specific end use. Today polymers containers can be transferred from freezer to microwave and remain virtually unbreakable and safe in all conditions.

We all tend to think that polymers consume energy. In fact polymers actually help to save energy in many different ways. For example polymers in cars save European motorists some six billion litres of fuel per year. This is because polymers have replaced heavier metal parts and inspired designers to create wind-cheating aero-dynamic shapes that cut down on fuel consumption. Without additives to give polymers strength and durability, this would not be possible.

When certain polymers are moulded at around 220oC, particular additives called BLOWING AGENTS break down to form gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water. These gases, trapped in the polymers, turn the material into foam, thus increasing the insulation and energy absorption properties and reducing weight. These foams can be seen in everyday use such as protective food packaging, cushioning in sports shoes and in automobile parts where lower weight saves fuel.

polymers waste disposal can cause problems, especially as polymers are usually mixed up with other types of waste such as paper, metals and food. For recycling they really need to be sorted into individual polymer types such as polythene, polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride, otherwise they have no strength if remoulded and may literally fall apart. This is an area in which additives called COMPATIBILISERS can help. They act like chemical adhesives, sticking the different waste polymers material together so that a reasonable amount of cross-blending can be accepted. Mixed polymers waste can be remoulded into fencing, pallets and road markers, thus saving valuable timber. All this comes from a waste product that would other wise have been buried in a landfill site. Additives are vital for reprocessing waste polymers into useful second generation products.