Ionic liquids as antistatic additives for polymer composites – A review

The development of antistatic thermoplastic polymer composites is of great interest in scientific and industrial aspects. It is connected with the fact that the phenomenon of static electrification, occurring on a large scale, can cause danger. The generated spark may cause fire, an explosion of flammable materials, and stop or impede processing and production processes. This review article attempts to present the current research on the use of ionic liquids (ILs) as an antistatic modifier in polymer composites. The paper defines what antistatic additives are, discusses their types, with particular emphasis on ionic liquids, describes how they work, and presents the current trends in their application in the production of plastics.