hc360 Huicong Plastic Industry Channel 2004-05-27 18:36:49
Abstract: This article introduces the domestic and international research, production and consumption of highly absorbent resins, and puts forward suggestions for the future development of highly absorbent resins in China.
Keywords: High Absorbent Resin; Production; Market; Consumption; Suggestion
Chinese Figure Classification Number: Literature Identification Code: A Article Number: 1009-4725(2003)12-00
Production Status and Market Foreground of Super Absorbent Polymers
LIU Fu-shun3, YANG Xiao-rong1, YU Yang3, PANG Hui-yuan2, LI Shu-hong1, ZHAO Jing-feng1
(1. Institute of Science and Institute of Science and Technology, Siping 136000, China; 2. Xia San Tai Reservoir, Siping 136000, China; 3. Dan Qing Pharmacy Factory, Siping 136000, China)
Abstract. This paper introduced the research, production and consumption of super absorbent polymers (SAP) at home and abroad. Suggestions about the development of SAP in the future were put forward. Suggestions about the development of SAP in the future were put forward in the end.
Keywords: super absorbent polymers; production; market; consumption; suggestion
1 Overview
Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) is a kind of polymer containing strong hydrophilic genes such as carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, and has a certain degree of cross-linking network structure [1], which is a kind of special functional materials. It is insoluble in water and organic solvents, and has the unique property of rapidly absorbing dozens or even thousands of times its own weight of water through hydration, as well as absorbing dozens of times to 100 times of saline, blood and urine and other liquids, and at the same time, has a strong ability to retain water.SAP as a new and promising functional polymer material is completely different from the traditional water-absorbent materials such as sponges, paper, cotton, etc. Its application involves many industries, in addition to the field of hygiene products, in agriculture, forestry, horticulture and soil and water conservation, medical care, cosmetics, building materials field, cables, and the electronics industry have a wide range of applications [2].
At present, the developed countries on SAP in sanitary products, although the demand is becoming saturated, but in the vast number of developing countries in this regard, the demand is expanding, companies have to expand production, increase research and development efforts, due to the extremely wide range of uses of SAP, by the countries attach great importance to the further development of SAP can be seen to still have a very great significance.
2. SAP production methods
2.1. Classification of SAP
SAP is generally divided into three categories according to raw materials: starch, cellulose and synthetic resin. Cross-linked acrylate polymers are an important aspect of synthetic resin-based water-absorbent materials and are considered the most promising water-absorbent resins. Most of the SAPs currently used in pharmaceutical and hygiene products are acrylate high absorbent polymers. Compared with other types of highly absorbent, this type of polymer in addition to high water absorption performance, it also has low production costs, simple process, stable product quality, long storage will not deteriorate and so on, so it has become the mainstream of SAP products.
2.2 Production methods of polyacrylate SAP
The production methods of polyacrylate SAP mainly include aqueous solution polymerization and reversed-phase suspension polymerization [3-7].
2.2.1 Aqueous solution polymerization method
Aqueous solution polymerization method is the water as a solvent, the alkali partially neutralized acrylic acid, in the presence of cross-linking agent crosslinking polymerization, drying and crushing and the production of SAP method.
The method of water as a solvent, the production process does not produce pollution, low equipment requirements, investment. Simple operation, high production efficiency, the disadvantage is the reaction speed. Temperature is not easy to control, post-processing needs to increase the drying. Crushing. Sieving process, product performance is poor. The main performance: low water absorption (distilled water and saline), slow water absorption, product strength is small, easy to absorb moisture, uneven product size. It is difficult to meet the requirements of sanitary products. Manufacturers using this method are Japan Catalyst, Sumitomo Chemical, Sanyo Chemical and other companies. Domestic SAP production is also basically used in this method.
2.2.2 Reversed-phase suspension polymerization method
Reversed-phase suspension polymerization method is a solvent as a dispersing medium, alkali neutralized aqueous monomer sodium acrylate, in the suspension of dispersant and stirring under the action of the dispersion of aqueous droplets, the initiator and the cross-linking agent is dissolved in aqueous droplets of polymerization method.
This method solves the problems of heat transfer and stirring difficulties of the aqueous solution polymerization method, and the reaction conditions are mild, and the bead-like products can be obtained directly, and the size of the SAP particle produced can be adjusted according to the application and water absorption requirements. And high water absorption rate, fast water absorption, product strength, not easy to absorb moisture and so on. In line with the quality requirements of medical and sanitary products, but the characteristics of the water-absorbent resin produced by this method are incomparable to other methods, and it is a unique method of synthesizing SAP. The disadvantages of this method are high material requirements for the main equipment, large investment in equipment, and the use of organic solvents. It needs solvent recovery device and is easy to produce pollution. Only intermittent production, low equipment utilization, low production efficiency. The production of the method used in Japan Sumitomo refined and catalyst and other companies. China has not seen the method of industrial production reports.
3 SAP production profile
In 1978, Japan realized the industrial production of SAP, followed by the United States Chemdal, Japan's Sumitomo Chemical, Catalyst Chemical Company, Germany Stockhause, Japan's Sanyo Kasei, Dowchemica dozens of companies have put into operation, the world's production capacity of 5 kt in 1980, 1990 production capacity to 210 kt. In 1990, the production capacity was increased to 210 kt, and in 1998, it was developed to 850 kt. In 2000, the world production capacity of SAP increased rapidly to 1200 kt. Currently the main production areas include the United States, Japan, Western Europe, with the expansion of the Asian market, some companies in Asia also built factories and put into production, Southeast Asia will also become the fourth largest production area.
China from the early 1980s in the 20th century began the SAP research work, there have been more than 40 units engaged in SAP research, patent reports dozens of. At present, China's SAP production capacity of about 30 kt / a, the production of nearly 30 companies, but the scale is not large, the production capacity of more than 1 kt of only seven. The annual production capacity of 5 kt: Shaanxi Huaguang Industry Co., Ltd, Qinghai New Polymer Material Co. Tangshan Boya Technology Development Co. Wuxi Jiabao Sanitary Material Factory; 1 kt / a: Shanghai Gaoqiao Pujiang Plastic Factory, the start rate is not high, the output in 2001 was about 15 kt. According to reports, Japan's Sandage Polymer Company, considering China's rapid growth in demand for SAP, plans to Nantong, Jiangsu Province, the new production capacity of 130 kt / a production base, is expected to be completed and put into production in 2005. Ltd. will start construction at the end of Japan Touch Chemical (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd. with a total investment of 43 million U.S. dollars, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2004. After it is put into operation, it can realize the production capacity of SAP 30 kt per year. The products are mainly used for paper diapers.
4 Consumption of SAP
SAP is a functional absorbent material, due to the wide range of applications of SAP, SAP consumption in the past decade has grown rapidly, the United States, Western Europe and Japan are the main consumers of SAP, the world's original consumption of highly absorbent resins in 1999 was estimated to be 800 kt, and the main consumer of its consumption of the United States, consumption of 280 kt, accounting for 35% of the world consumption. In 1999, the original consumption of high absorbency resin in the world was estimated at 800 kt, and its main consumer was the United States, with a consumption of about 280 kt, accounting for 35% of the world's consumption, followed by Europe, with a consumption of about 200 kt, accounting for 25% of the world's consumption, and Japan, with a consumption of about 80 kt, accounting for 10% of the total world consumption. South America . Middle East and Southeast Asia accounted for 30% of the world consumption, it is predicted that by 2003 the global demand will reach more than 1000 kt, high absorbency resin is mainly used in sanitary materials, such as sanitary napkins. Highly absorbent resins are mainly used in sanitary materials, such as sanitary napkins, baby diapers. Diapers and patient mattresses, etc., the use of sanitary materials accounted for about 80% of the total amount of agricultural and forestry water conservation and breeding accounted for 8 percent of the total amount. Forestry water retention and breeding accounted for 8%, 4% of construction aids, 3% of oilfield mineral additives, and 5% of other.
In China into the 1990s, with the rapid development of sanitary products, has formed the Chinese SAP consumer market, but domestic products, whether in terms of price or product quality can not compete with imported products, compared with foreign countries there is still a distance. SAP consumption in China is mainly sanitary products applications, it is expected that by 2003, the domestic demand for SAP will reach 30 kt, of which the consumption of personal hygiene products of about 26 kt, agriculture, forestry and other aspects of the consumption of about 4 kt, by 2010 the domestic demand for SAP will reach 100 kt. At present, most of the SAP used in domestic sanitary products for imported products, the current import price of 1.5 ~ 1.5 ~ 1.5 kt, the price of 1.5 ~ 1.5 kt. At present, the import price is 15-18,000 yuan / t, the domestic SAP production cost of 12-15,000 yuan / t, the selling price of 18-22,000 yuan / t.
5 Development Suggestions
High-absorbent resin is a multi-species, multi-functional materials, with excellent water absorption and water retention, has been widely used in many fields. However, at present, the application of high water-absorbent resin in our country is still limited to personal hygiene products, and should vigorously carry out the research on its application in other fields, such as agriculture, medical supplies, daily-use chemicals and construction. At present, there are dozens of units of research and production, so far has not yet formed the production scale, due to product performance and cost is too high, most of the domestic high water-absorbent resin still need to be imported. Therefore, the relevant departments in China should actively cooperate, increase investment, accelerate scientific and technological progress, improve the existing technology, as soon as possible to achieve the industrial production of reversed-phase suspension polymerization, to shorten the gap with the foreign advanced technology, to drive the process of industrialization of high water-absorbent resins.
While the domestic market demand for high absorbency resin market is increasing rapidly, but from a global perspective, with a number of new installations put into operation, the market demand for high absorbency resin will gradually become saturated, China's accession to the WTO, will bring a greater impact on Chinese enterprises. Therefore, the domestic high-absorbent resin industry to overcome the blossoming of small devices. After China's accession to the WTO, large foreign companies will not merge or re-establish factories, but with their own funds or technology to find partners in China. Therefore, China's enterprises should change their point of view, put down their burdens, seize the opportunity to actively cooperate with foreign enterprises, make full use of their capital or technological advantages, as soon as possible to enhance the competitiveness of their products to meet the growing needs of our people.
Contact: 0434-3271139.
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