Disclosed herein is a component that is substantially amorphous, the component comprising at least one non-ester material and at least one ester of malic acid having a formula of wherein R1 and R2 each, independently of the other, is an alkyl group, and further wherein the alkyl portion can be straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, having from 1 to about 40 carbon atoms, an substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic group, and mixtures thereof.