Ever since the beginning of the plastics and rubber industry, it was realized that useful products could be produced only if cer tain additives were incorporated into polymers. With the help of these additives, when physically dispersed in a polymer matrix, it has been possible to improve stability against thermal, oxidative, UV, hydrolytic and biological degradation, mechanical properties, flammability, cost, and processibility of plastics. The enormous growth of the volume of plastics consumed by modern society, and new application areas for plastics, have created a demand for new, better...