A substance that is applied to surfaces to prevent them from sticking together. Release agents are used in many industrial processes, including the manufacture of food, glass, paper, and plastics. They include polyethene, polytetrafluoroethene (PTFE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), silicones, and waxes, as well as stearates and other glycerides. They are also known as abherents or parting agents.