World consumption polymers

Table 5. Percentage of World Consumption of Polymers by Type in 1990 ...

Styrene—butadiene elastomers, emulsion and solution types combined, are reported to be the largest-volume synthetic mbber, with 28.7% of the world consumption of all synthetic mbber in 1994 (38). This percentage has decreased steadily since 1973 when SBR s market share was 57% (39). The decline has been attributed to the switch to radial tires (longer milage) and the growth of other synthetic polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and polystyrene. Since 1985, production of SBR has been flat (Table 3). 

Because of increased production and the lower cost of raw material, thermoplastic elastomeric materials are a significant and growing part of the total polymers market. World consumption in 1995 is estimated to approach 1,000,000 metric tons (3). However, because the melt to soHd transition is reversible, some properties of thermoplastic elastomers, eg, compression set, solvent resistance, and resistance to deformation at high temperatures, are usually not as good as those of the conventional vulcanized mbbers. AppHcations of thermoplastic elastomers are, therefore, in areas where these properties are less important, eg, footwear, wine insulation, adhesives, polymer blending, and not in areas such as automobile tires. 

World consumption of polylactic acid biodegradable polymers has increased significantly over the last five years as major suppliers such as Nature Works have brought their 140,000 tonnes per annum plant fully on stream. In 2005, world consumption of PLA amounted to 35,800 tonnes against 8,700 tonnes five years earlier. During the period 2005-2010, PLA consumption is forecast to reach 89,500 tonnes, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 20.1%. 

During the period 2000 to 2005, world consumption of synthetic biodegradable polymers has increased from 3,900 tonnes to 14,000 tonnes. In 2010, world consumption of synthetic biopolymers is projected to reach 32,800 tonnes. This represents a compound annual growth rate of 18.6% during the period 2005-2010. These forecasts assume that producers are successful in lowering the cost of production and that the price differential between synthetic biopolymers and standard thermoplastics continue to narrow. 

The specialty resins are expensive, produced in relatively small volumes either for a specific application or looking for a market niche. Their Tg > 200°C and modulus > 3 GPa. In 1991 the total world consumption of polysulfones (PSE) and polyethersulfones (PES) was 8.5 kton. Blends of the following polymers are known polyfluorocarbons, polysiloxanes, sulfur-containing polymers (PPS, PPSS, PES, and PSF), polyetherk-etones (PEK, PEEK, PEKK), polyimides (PI, PEI, and PAI), PAr, COPO, polyphosphazene (PHZ) and LCP. 

It has been estimated that polymer blends and alloys consume about 30 wt% of all manufactured polymers with about 9 % per annum growth in sales volume. The principal market for all blends is the automotive industry, which accounts for about 60 % of world consumption with about... 

The world consumption of major polymers is shown in Figure 16.2. As the annual growth rate (AGR in %) indicates, it is expected that during the last five years of the 20 century, production of ABS will increase about 4 % per annum, that of LDPE (including LLDPE s), HOPE, PS and PVC 5 %, PP about 7 %, and PET nearly 8% per... 

The world consumption of polyurethanes (PUs) is about 7 million tons per year (2004). The furniture industry, automotive manufacture, building industry, and technical insulation are the major consumers of PUs. It has been established that approximately 10% of PUs convert into wastes during their processing. Therefore, the development of concept for the chemical recycling of PUs is of great importance. Recycling polymer waste materials and used polymers is one way to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental stress. 

The three basic polystyrene (PS) plastics are crystal (or general-purpose), high-impact (HIPS) and expandable beads. In 2004, the annual world consumption was 15.2 million tonnes, with the following approximate breakdown 45% crystal, 42% HIPS and 13% expandable beads. At present, the largest end use for crystal PS and HIPS is in the packaging industry, which accounts for about 30% of the world consumption. PS polymers and other styrene (S) copolymers such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) are... 

Table 4.1 World consumption of synthetic polymers (millions of tonnes)...

Polyurethane contributes more than 5% of the total world consumption of polymers. Although the greatest consumption of urethane products is still in the foam sector, the trend in polyurethane applications is increasing in the areas of surface coatings, adhesives, electrical insulating lacquer, packaging, footwear, furniture assembly, the automotive industry, medical products, composites and microelectronics. 

Polymer science has been the backbone of pharmaceuticals for decades. The amalgamation of polymer science with pharmaceutical science led to a quantum leap in terms of novelty (fiexibiUty in physical state, shape, size and surface) in DDS design and development. The market for controlled-release polymer systems, which extends beyond drug delivery, is now estimated at 60 billion annually worldwide and its systems are used by over 100 million people each year. Growth of world consumption of technical textiles is expected to come primarily from nonwoven materials, especially spunlaid products, which are made from polymers rather than fibers or filament yams. 

Polyurethanes are a primary component of the global polymer market. They amount to about 6% of the total world plastic use. The world consumption of polyurethanes in 2000 was about 8 million tons, with a global growth averaging around 3-4% a year. The Western Hemisphere uses about 3 million metric tons per annum. Western Europe approximately 2.6 million metric tons per annum, the remainder being used in Asia and Africa. 

Mineral fillers are a vital and significant part of the world s polymer industry. Consumption in rubber and plastics is currently estimated to be over 2.5 million tonnes per year in Western Europe. In the first edition of this book growth projections were very bullish and use in plastics especially was projected to grow at 8-12% per year. On a worldwide basis, it was predicted that 20 Mt per year would be used in polymers by the year 2000 [1]. However, local and world economies have suffered several blows since 1997 and this volume has not been reached. As a best guestimate the authors believe that filler use in polymers currently is about 15 Mt per year. 

The world consumption of polymers exceeded 100 million tons/year. Annual polymer consumption per capita ranges from less than 0.2 in one country to nearly 200 kg in another. There is a potential for ten-fold growth of the plastics industry. 

Fibers are the basic element of nonwovens world consumption of fibers in nonwoven production is 63% polypropylene, 23% polyester, 8% viscose rayon, 2% acrylic, 1.5% polyamide and 3% other high performance fibers [8]. The data in Fig. 10.4 shows the market share of important polymers and fibers in the nonwovens market. Manufacturers of nonwoven products can make use of almost any kind of fibers. These include traditional textile fibers, as well as recently developed hi-tech fibers. Future advancements will be in bicomponent fibers, micro-fibers (split bicomponent fibers or meltblown nonwovens), nano-fibers, biodegradable fibers, super-absorbent fibers and high performance fibers. The selection of raw fibers, to a considerable degree, determines the properties of the final nonwoven products. The selection of fibers also depends on customer requirement, cost, processability, changes of properties because of web formation and consolidation. The fibers can be in the form of filament, staple fiber or even yam. 

Poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) is one of the highest tonnage polymers produced on a world-wide scale. From the beginning of production over 40 years ago, growth of PVC sales into a wide variety of applications has expanded rapidly, reaching an annual world consumption of 1.2 x 10 tes per annum in 1980 (1). PVC is prepared by four principal polymerisation processes bulk or mass, suspension, microsuspension and emulsion. In addition PVC may also be prepared by solution or dispersion polymerisation, but these remain low tonnage specialised products. 

New synthetic rubber polymerization technologies replacing older plants and increasing world consumption are two reasons new production facilities are being buUt around the world. Goodyear Tire Rubber s 110,000-metric tons/y butadiene-based solution polymers went onstream in 2000 in Beaumont Texas. Goodyear s 18,200-metric tons/y polyisoprene unit went onstream in 1999 in Beaumont. Sumitomo Sumika AL built a... 

Each section contains an overview of key end user market trends, plus analysis of world consumption by geographic region for the period 1999-2002, applications and market developments for the following polymer types ... 

The growth forecasts for all polymer types over the next five years are much more pessimistic than would have been envisaged only two years ago. In 2007, world consumption of engineering and high performance plastic is projected at 13.5 million tonnes. This represents a compound annual... 

PPS is the most widely used of the sulfone polymer types with total world consumption of 50,000 tonnes in 2002. PSU/PES market tonnage is 23,000 tonnes. 

North America is the largest consumer of PMMA with 41.9% of total world consumption in 2002. Europe is second largest on 28.4%, followed by Asia with 19.6%. As with other polymer t5 es, the share of Asia Pacific countries, excluding Japan, will continue to grow during the next five years given the additional production capacity that is planned to come on stream in these countries. 

Table 4.37 World consumption of liquid crystal polymers by sector for the period 1999-2002 (000 tonnes) ...

North America is the largest user of PMMA in consiuner products accounting for 37% of total world consumption in 2002. Rest of Asia Pacific is the second largest consumer with 32%, followed by Western Europe with 20%. As in other polymer groups, the Asia Pacific region is growing its share of world consumption as more consumer product manufacturers relocate to lower cost economies. 

Poly (ethylene terephthalate) is the most important polyester ca. 95% of the total polyester consumption belongs to PET [14]. The annual world consumption of PET is higher than 25 million tons, with a further increasing tendency of ca. 10% per year. This is an important factor determining the position of polyesters among other polymers. 

---