Antimony Trioxide (ATO)

Overview

ATO (Sb₂O₃) is an inorganic white powder and one of the most widely used flame retardant synergists in industrial manufacturing. On its own, ATO has limited flame retardant properties; its power comes from its synergistic action with halogenated compounds, particularly brominated and chlorinated flame retardants.

When a material containing ATO and a halogenated compound is exposed to heat, the two compounds work together to chemically interrupt the combustion process before it can take hold. Rather than simply slowing a fire down, ATO actively disrupts the chain reaction that sustains burning — at relatively low additive concentrations that don’t compromise the performance or processability of the end product.

This mechanism makes ATO the go-to flame retardant synergist across a wide range of polymer systems and end-use applications.

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