News
Aniline in the Modern World: Production Insights and Market Constraints
April 18, 2024
Aniline, also known as phenylamine or aminobenzene, is an aromatic amine compound within an important commodity value chain consisting of nitrobenzene, aniline, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI production is a major outlet for aniline) and polyurethanes. It is used in a …
Polyphenylene Sulphide: Bridging Performance with Versatility in Advanced Applications
April 9, 2024
Polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) is a high-performance engineering thermoplastic which demonstrates a useful combination of properties, such as high thermal and dimensional stability, excellent chemical, corrosion and fire resistance, low toxicity, good rigidity and toughness, as well as excellent processing capacity. …
Polyisobutylene: Charting the Course of a High-Performance Elastomer in Global Industries
April 1, 2024
Polyisobutylene (PIB) is a thermoplastic elastomer whose properties vary from an oily liquid to a rubbery material, subject to a degree of polymerization. PIB grades could be of low, medium, and high molar mass, as well as conventional and highly …
Polyethylene Market: Charting the Course of the World’s Predominant Plastic
March 21, 2024
Polyethylenes (PEs) are generally referred to as homopolymers of ethylene, as well as ethylene copolymers with some olefins. Ethylene can be obtained by cracking ethane or naphtha, which are in turn derived from natural gas and oil, respectively. Fossil fuel-derived …
Polyarylsulfones: Revolutionizing High-Tech Industries with Grade Versatility and Multifunctionality
March 13, 2024
The large family of high-performance amorphous thermoplastic polymers is represented by polysulfone (PSU), polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), polyetherimide (PEI), and polyethersulfone (PESU). According to the polymer typology applied by BASF, polyarylsulfones comprise PSU, PESU, and PPSU. Polyarylsulfones are known for their high …
Polyvinyl Alcohol Market: Sustainable Focus & Stressed Macroeconomic Environment
March 1, 2024
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) is an acetylene-based polymer used in adhesives, films, packaging, paper, textile fibres, ceramics, agriculture, the oil industry, construction, and other applications and industries. PVOH is the product of the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate. The latter is manufactured …
Ammonium Sulphate: Navigating Market Dynamics and Sustainability Concerns
February 21, 2024
Ammonium sulphate is an important nitrogen and sulphur fertilizer with a global output of over 30 million metric tonnes per year (or over 6 million metric tonnes by nitrogen content). As major contributors of soil nitrogen for synthetic N fertilization, …
Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT): Market Dynamics Amidst a Challenging Environment
February 8, 2024
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a high-performance engineering polyester within a broader category of polycondensates. Being one of the most important polyesters, PBT resin is used primarily in the production of high-quality construction materials, especially for manufacturing cars (the largest end-sector …
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) Market: Thriving Amidst Macroeconomic Turbulence
January 31, 2024
Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) comprises a family of copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate. Ethylene vinyl acetates are highly customizable, for example, through varying the percentage rate of vinyl acetate in the copolymer. This augments the versatility of EVA applications …
Nitrile Rubber Market: Navigating Prominent Trends
January 23, 2024
Nitrile rubber (nitrile butadiene rubber or NBR) forms a broad group of synthetic rubber copolymers of acrylonitrile and butadiene. Patented by the chemists Erich Konrad and Eduard Tschunkur in 1934, nitrile rubber is produced by performing emulsion polymerization using butadiene …
Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM): The Essential Chemical in Modern Manufacturing
January 15, 2024
Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is an important chemical intermediate indispensable in the production of an extensive range of consumer and industrial commodities. It is involved in the complex value chains of various feedstock materials, intermediates, derivatives, and end-products. Polyvinyl acetate …
Hydrogen Cyanide Market: Balancing Industrial Demand with Safety Concerns
January 4, 2024
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN, also known as prussic acid) is a volatile liquid or gaseous organic compound and an important chemical intermediate used to manufacture such vital products as adiponitrile, hexamethylenediamine, methyl methacrylate, sodium cyanide, acetone cyanohydrin, methionine, cyanuric chloride and …
Polybutadiene Rubber Market: Navigating Major Trends, Prospects And Challenges
December 18, 2023
Polybutadiene (PBR) is an amorphous sticky material and a synthetic rubber acting as a viable alternative to natural rubber. The popularity of synthetic rubber has gained momentum since WWII. The production of tires and re-tread tires accounts for the bulk …
Polymethyl Methacrylate: Insights into the Evolving Market Landscape
December 7, 2023
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, acrylic glass) is a thermoplastic polymer obtained via radical chain-growth polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer. It can be represented by copolymers of MMA with acrylonitrile, styrene, α-methyl styrene, and acrylic esters. In combination with quartz or …
Polyvinyl Acetate: Comprehensive Insights into the Evolving Market Landscape
November 30, 2023
Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) is an important chemical derivative featuring all homopolymers and copolymers with the vinyl acetate content of at least 50%. PVA is embedded in an extended network of upstream and downstream chemical products. This network comprises such compounds …
The Versatile World of Liquid Crystal Polymers: Major Applications and Market Dynamics
November 15, 2023
Liquid crystal polymers (LCP) are high molecular weight materials and thermotropic (melt-orienting) thermoplastics with a capacity to enter a physical state (phase) between an ordered solid body and a disordered liquid. In other words, they combine the anisotropic physical properties …
Dioctyl Phthalate: Navigating the Complexities of a Global Market
November 2, 2023
Dioctyl phthalate (DOP or di-n-octyl phthalate, DnOP) belongs to a multi-functional class of high-tonnage chemical compounds known as phthalates, which are the esters of phthalic acid. Phthalates are added to various polymer materials (e.g. polyvinyl chloride or PVC) as plasticizers …
Styrene Market: Navigating Global Dynamics, Sustainability Trends & Technological Advances
October 16, 2023
Styrene is an organic hydrocarbon and an aromatic monomer manufactured from petroleum feedstock, specifically ethylbenzene, via various technological pathways, namely ethylbenzene dehydrogenation, oxidation, oxidative conversion, or side-chain chlorination. Ethylbenzene in turn can be produced by liquid-phase alkylation of benzene with …
Methyl Ethyl Ketone Market: Recent Developments & Trends
September 28, 2023
Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is an organic solvent and a valuable chemical intermediate used in a very broad range of industries. The three top MEK-consuming sectors include painting/coatings, printing inks, and adhesives. Industry-wise, MEK is consumed in refining, construction, cosmetics, …
Ethylene Dichloride: Role in the Modern Chemical Landscape & Market Insights
September 21, 2023
Ethylene dichloride (EDC; 1,2-dichloroethane) belongs to a family of chlorohydrocarbons. It is a large-tonnage chemical involved in the synthesis of other compounds within the chlor-vinyls value chain of products. This complex value chain comprises the following: ethylene, chlorine/caustic soda, EDC …
Butyl Acetate: Navigating Applications, Challenges & Market Landscape
September 13, 2023
Butyl acetate (BAC, butac, or BuAc) is the acetate ester of butanol and a chemical intermediate, which is widely used as a solvent in acrylic polymers, coating resins, adhesives, cosmetic formulations, etc. Apart from demonstrating a significant solvent power, it …
P-Xylene: Global Production Dynamics & Evolving Market Landscape
September 5, 2023
P-xylene (para-xylene, paraxylene, PX) belongs to a group of petrochemical products known as aromatics (benzene, toluene, and xylenes, often abbreviated as BTX). Being an aromatic hydrocarbon, it is traditionally produced by catalytic reforming of petroleum naphtha via a series of …
Calcium Chloride: A Versatile Inorganic Salt in a Changing Market Landscape
August 24, 2023
Calcium chloride (CaCl2) is an inorganic salt and a multifunctional chemical product used in a wide range of applications and commodities, such as the oil and gas industry, water treatment, de-icing, dust control, metallurgy, cement, concrete and gypsum, agriculture, tires, …
Cumene Market: Global Production Landscape & Market Implications
August 16, 2023
Cumene (also known as isopropylbenzene) is a simple alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon and an important chemical intermediate within a complex value chain. This chain includes fossil resources, refinery-grade propylene, benzene, phenol/acetone, methyl methacrylate, Bisphenol A, and a wide range of other …
Ammonium Nitrate Market: Meeting Global Food Demand Amid Environmental and Economic Challenges
August 8, 2023
Ammonium nitrate (AN) is a salt of ammonia and nitric acid, which is extensively used as a nitrogen fertilizer. The commercial grade of ammonium nitrate contains about 33.5 percent of nitrogen. Ammonium nitrate is made mainly by the reaction between …