Abstract
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
- The global market for electroactive polymers was $1.9 billion in 2010.
This market is expected to be around $2.1 billion in the year 2011 and
forecasted to grow up to $3.05 billion by 2016 at a compound annual growth
rate of 6.1%.
- The market for conductive plastics was $1.7 billion in 2010, which is
expected to grow to $1.8 billion by 2011. This market is forecasted to reach
around $2.4 billion by 2016 at a CAGR of 5.9%.
- ICPs are still considered an “emerging” market, but have
started to “penetrate,” albeit slowly. The market for ICPs was
$227 million, which is expected to grow from $297 million in 2011 to $639
million in 2016 at a CAGR of 16.4%.
SUMMARY FIGURE
GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTROACTIVE POLYMERS, 2010-2016
($ MILLIONS)
Source: BCC Research
STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The major objective of this report is to measure and analyze markets for
inherently conductive polymers (ICPs) and, somewhat, to a lesser extent,
traditional conductively filled thermoplastics, in terms of their competitive
scenario in specific applications. Another goal is to develop a reasonable
scenario for ICP markets outside of their competitive posture vis-a-vis
traditional conductive-filled thermoplastics.
The latter group is often called “conductive plastics.” However,
in several market reports these materials are often termed “conductive
polymers,” which often leads to some confusion.
Often ICPs and conductive plastics are termed “electroactive
polymers/plastics” while in other studies the phrase
“electroactive” polymers includes very highly specialized polymers
with both electrical and/or optical characteristics (electro-optic polymers).
REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
Conductive plastics are made from traditional thermoplastics containing
fillers that render them conductive, while ICPs conduct electricity on their
own, and electro-optic polymers develop optical characteristics under
influence of an applied electric field.
Although conductive plastics mimic conductivity of metals (particularly copper
and steel), insulative resins employing conductive fillers (e.g., metal or
carbon powder or fiber) achieve a measure of conductivity. However, there are
generally compromises in terms of processibility or performance or overall
economics; thus, the search for alternate “conductive plastics”
such as ICPs.
By the mid-1990s, commercialization of ICPs was still in its infancy.
Production of these materials had been scaled up from grams to pounds, but
overall global production and consumption totals are still negligible due to
overall instability and higher prices.
Even though several major companies have “given up” on ICPs,
researchers and other commercial and educational institutions are pushing
ahead. Literally hundreds of papers and patents on ICPs are published each
year. Clearly, there are a great many scientists and corporations who are
still optimistic about significant commercial successes of ICPs and, indeed,
usage has increased over the last several years.
Electro-optic polymers (EO polymers) are further removed from
commercialization than ICPs. However, there might be greater potential in the
long term for EO polymers, compared with those of ICPs, because optical
applications may be farther reaching than electrical uses.
Clearly, there is a need for an objective appraisal of ICPs versus traditional
conductive plastic markets.
ICPs have a wide variety of potential applications, such as electrostatic
dissipation (ESD) control, light emitting displays, capacitors, electrostatic
paintable plastics, antistatic packaging, corrosion-resistant paints/coatings,
and other more esoteric markets such as rechargeable batteries, smart windows,
and electronic membranes. Currently, most ICPs lack sufficient conductivity
to be effective for EMI shielding.
In many of these applications, ICPs are beginning to impact conductively
filled traditional thermoplastics, while the “market” for EO
polymers is still not expected to become significant until the middle of this
decade, at the earliest.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This report will cover both ICPs and conductively filled thermoplastics in
terms of their competitive scenario as well as to assess ICP markets
independent of traditional conductive plastics.
Typical applications for conductive plastics include ESD/antistatic packaging,
electrostatic spray painting, as well as other applications, while, as noted,
ICP applications include batteries, transistors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs),
capacitors, corrosion-resistant coating products, membranes, sensors, etc.
It should be made clear that mention of new conductive polymer activities are
a very frequent occurrence in the trade press and/or company press releases.
To quantify estimated volumes for basic ICPs such as polythiophenes,
polyanilines, or polypyrroles is exceedingly difficult mainly because these
materials are usually not used as existent solids or liquids in the
“neat” form, except for several types of films or
“pastes.”
Polythiophenes, for example, are mostly sold in very dilute solutions (less
than 5% concentration), while polyanilines are often used as 25% emulsions.
ICP “volumes,” therefore, are almost always reported by weight as
dilute solutions or emulsions and overall global estimates derived from
various suppliers, the trade press, or reports vary by several hundred
percent. The major players in the ICP business are almost always unwilling to
provide even the broadest estimates because of the wide disparity of
concentrations of the ICPs along with the proprietary nature of this
information.
The overall market data is global, but further segmentation into major
geographic areas was not feasible.
METHODOLOGY
Both primary and secondary research sources were used to gather information,
including:
- Complete literature review on products and technology
- Patent search
- Contacts with key personnel from producers, suppliers, and end users
ANALYST' S CREDENTIALS
Research analyst Mel Schlechter has more than 40 years in the chemical
industry, and specializes in plastics market research. He has been with BCC
Research for more than 10 years and holds a B.S. in chemistry, an M.S. in
organic chemistry, and an M.B.A. in marketing.
Table of Contents
Conductive Polymers: Technologies and Global Markets
Chapter - 1: INTRODUCTION - Complimentary
- STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
- SCOPE OF THE STUDY
- METHODOLOGY
- ANALYST' S CREDENTIALS
- RELATED BCC REPORTS
- BCC ONLINE SERVICES
- DISCLAIMER
Chapter - 2: SUMMARY
- Table 0: GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTROACTIVE POLYMERS, THROUGH 2016
- Figure 0: GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTROACTIVE POLYMERS, 2010-2016
Chapter - 3: ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER OVERVIEW
- OVERVIEW
- BACKGROUND
- INHERENTLY CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS
- INHERENTLY DISSIPATIVE POLYMERS (IDPS)
- CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
Chapter - 4: INHERENTLY CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS
- OVERVIEW
- ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL DETAILS
- SYNTHESIZING CONJUGATED POLYMERS
- TECHNIQUES FOR MAKING PLASTICS CONDUCTIVE
- CONCEPT OF RESISTIVITIES
- ICP HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
- TECHNOLOGIES
- CONDUCTIVE POLYMER TYPES
Chapter - 5: ICP COMPETITIVE RESIN SYSTEMS: CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
- BACKGROUND
- OVERVIEW
- LIMITATIONS OF A PLASTIC COMPOUND' S RESULTING ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
- TECHNIQUES FOR MAKING PLASTICS CONDUCTIVE
- CONCEPT OF RESISTIVITIES
- TYPES OF CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC MATERIALS
- CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC ADDITIVES
- TECHNICAL ISSUES
- COSTS
- RESINS USED
- CONDUCTIVE FILLER SUPPLIERS
- RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
- OTHER CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC SYSTEMS
- COMPOUNDING CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
- KEY SUPPLIERS AND EXAMPLES OF THEIR CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC PRODUCTS
- NEW CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC PRODUCTS
Chapter - 6: MARKET ESTIMATES AND FORECASTS
- INHERENTLY CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS
- CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
- Table 21: GLOBAL CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC MARKET VOLUME BY RESIN, THROUGH 2016
- Table 22: GLOBAL CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC MARKET VALUE BY RESIN, THROUGH 2016
Chapter - 7: APPLICATIONS OF ICPS AND CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
- OVERVIEW
- GROUP 1: ELECTROACTIVE
- GROUP 2: CONDUCTIVITY
- BACKGROUND
- POTENTIAL/CURRENT APPLICATIONS OF ICPS
- OVERVIEW OF COMPETITIVE SCENARIO BETWEEN ICPS AND CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
- ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS
- ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI)
- ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE (ESD)
- AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS
- ANTI-CORROSION PRODUCTS
- TEXTILES/FABRICS (ELECTROTEXTILES/CONDUCTIVE TEXTILES)
- MEMBRANES
- AVIATION/AEROSPACE
- COATINGS/INKS
- FUEL CELLS
- RFID TAGS/LABELS
- MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS
Chapter - 8: MARKET ESTIMATES AND FORECASTS BY APPLICATION
- OVERVIEW
- ICP MARKETS BY APPLICATION
Chapter - 9: RECENT CONDUCTIVE POLYMER PATENT ACTIVITY
- FULLY INTEGRATED ORGANIC LAYERED PROCESSES FOR MAKING PLASTIC ELECTRONICS
BASED ON CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS
- PRINTING OF ORGANIC CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS CONTAINING ADDITIVES
- WATER DISPERSIBLE POLYPYRROLES MADE WITH POLYMERIC ACID COLLOIDS FOR
ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS
- MULTIFUNCTIONAL 3,4-ALKYLENEDIOXY THIOPHENE DERIVATIVES AND ELECTRICALLY
CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS CONTAINING THEM
- BARRIER LAYERS FOR COATING CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS ON LIQUID CRYSTALS
- DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL PROTON-CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS FOR PROTON EXCHANGE
MEMBRANE FUEL CELL (PEMFC) TECHNOLOGY
- DISPERSIONS OF INTRINSICALLY CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS AND METHODS FOR THE
PRODUCTION THEREOF
- FLUORESCENT, SEMI-CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS, AND DEVICES COMPRISING THEM
- IMPLANTABLE HEART VALVE PROSTHETIC DEVICES HAVING INTRINSICALLY CONDUCTIVE
POLYMERS
- WATER DISPERSABLE POLYANILINES MADE WITH POLYMERIC ACID COLLOIDS FOR
ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS
- COMPOSITIONS OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS AND NON-POLYMERIC
FLUORINATED ORGANIC ACIDS
- POLYTHIOPHENE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES COMPRISING THE SAME
Chapter - 10: INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
- OVERVIEW
- COMPANIES INVOLVED
- SELECTED ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER PRODUCT LINES
- Table 51: SELECTED ELECTROACTIVE PRODUCT LINES
Chapter - 11: COMPANY PROFILES
- ABTECH SCIENTIFIC, INC.
- AGFA-GEVAERT GROUP NV
- AMERICAN DYE SOURCE, INC.
- BASF, INC.
- BOEDEKER, INC.
- CAMBRIDGE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
- CENTRAL CORPORATION
- CROSSLINK POLYMER RESEARCH
- DUPONT DISPLAYS
- EEONYX
- FIBRON TECHNOLOGIES
- FRACTAL SYSTEM, INC.
- HERAEUS PRECIOUS METALS
- KEMET CAPACITORS
- KLOCKNER PENTAPLAST OF AMERICA
- KONARKA TECHNOLOGIES
- LNP ENGINEERING PLASTICS
- LUBRIZOL ADVANCED MATERIALS
- MERCK KGAA: DARMSTADT, GERMANY
- ORMECON CHEMIE
- PANIPOL LTD
- PLASTIC LOGIC
- PLEXTRONICS, INC.
- POLYMER VISION, LTD
- POLYONE
- PREMIX OY
- RIEKE METALS, INC
- RTP COMPANY
- SHIN-ETSU POLYMER EUROPE BV
- STERLING FIBERS
- TICONA
- UNIVERSAL DISPLAY CORPORATION
- WESTLAKE PLASTICS COMPANY
Chapter - 12: ACRONYMS
List of Tables
- Summary Table: GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTROACTIVE POLYMERS, THROUGH 2016
- Table 1: HOW TO MAKE PLASTICS CONDUCTIVE
- Table 2: RESISTANCE SPECTRUM FOR METHODS OF MAKING PLASTICS CONDUCTIVE
- Table 3: CATERGORIZING INHERENTLY CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS
- Table 4: CONDUCTIVITIES OF DOPED ICPS COMPARED WITH METALS,
SEMICONDUCTORS, AND INSULATORS
- Table 5: COLOR OF DOPED AND UNDOPED CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS
- Table 6: ICP PROCESSING TECHNIQUES
- Table 7: STABILITY AND PROCESSING ATTRIBUTES OF KEY ICPS
- Table 8: BRIEF SUMMARY OF KEY APPLICATIONS OF POLYTHIOPHENE VARIANTS
- Table 9: HOW TO MAKE PLASTICS CONDUCTIVE
- Table 10: RESISTANCE SPECTRUM FOR METHODS OF MAKING PLASTICS CONDUCTIVE
- Table 11: SELECTED KEY COMPANIES PRODUCING CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS
- Table 12: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF STAINLESS STEEL FIBERS
- Table 13: SELECTED KEY SUPPLIERS OF CARBON NANOTUBES
- Table 14: CONDUCTIVE FILLER SUPPLIERS
- Table 15: GLOBAL ICP MARKET BY TYPE OF RESIN, THROUGH 2016
- Table 16: GLOBAL ICP MARKET BY TYPE OF RESIN BY VALUE, 2010-2016
- Table 17: GLOBAL POLYTHIOPHENE MARKET BY APPLICATION THROUGH 2016
- Table 18: GLOBAL POLYANILINE MARKET BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
(THOUSAND POUNDS)
- Table 19: GLOBAL POLYPYRROLE MARKET BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 20: GLOBAL MARKET FOR OTHER ICP APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2016
- Table 21: GLOBAL CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC MARKET VOLUME BY RESIN, THROUGH 2016
- Table 22: GLOBAL CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC MARKET VALUE BY RESIN, THROUGH 2016
- Table 23: TOTAL GLOBAL ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER MARKET, THROUGH 2016
- Table 24: TOTAL GLOBAL ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER MARKET, THROUGH 2016
- Table 25: POTENTIAL ICP APPLICATIONS BY MARKET
- Table 26: COMPETITIVE SCENARIO BETWEEN ICPS AND TRADITIONAL
CONDUCTIVELY-FILLED THERMOPLASTICS
- Table 27: TOP GLOBAL SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANIES
- Table 28: ELECTRONIC DISPLAY COMPARISONS
- Table 29: TOTAL GLOBAL DISPLAY AREA BY FLAT PANEL TECHNOLOGY, 2005-2015
- Table 30: SURFACE RESISTIVITY FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE SUBSTRATES
- Table 31: CONDUCTIVITIES OF DOPED ICPS COMPARED WITH METAL,
SEMICONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS
- Table 32: CONDUCTIVITIES OF DOPED ICPS COMPARED WITH METALS,
SEMICONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS
- Table 33: STABILITY AND PROCESSING ATTRIBUTES OF KEY ICPS
- Table 34: SELECTED KEY ESD PLASTIC PRODUCTS
- Table 35: GENERAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME COMMERCIALLY
AVAILABLE ANTISTATIC PACKAGING MATERIALS
- Table 36: HISTORICAL AUTO CAFE STANDARDS
- Table 37: TYPES OF FIBERS THAT CAN BE USED IN CONDUCTIVE FABRICS
- Table 38: ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 39: GLOBAL ICP MARKET BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 40: GLOBAL CAPACITOR MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE, THROUGH 2016
- Table 41: GLOBAL ESD/ANTI-STATIC PACKAGING MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE,
THROUGH 2016
- Table 42: GLOBAL CORROSION PROTECTION MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE,
THROUGH 2016
- Table 43: GLOBAL SENSOR MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE, THROUGH 2016
- Table 44: GLOBAL OLED MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE, THROUGH 2016
- Table 45: GLOBAL SOLAR CELL MARKET BY ICP POLYMER TYPE, THROUGH 2016
- Table 46: GLOBAL TEXTILES/FABRICS MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE, THROUGH
2016
- Table 47: GLOBAL ORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE,
THROUGH 2016
- Table 48: GLOBAL BATTERY MARKET BY ICP PRODUCT TYPE THROUGH 2016
- Table 49: GLOBAL MARKET FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS BY ICP TYPE,
THROUGH 2016
- Table 50: GLOBAL CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS MARKET BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 51: SELECTED ELECTROACTIVE PRODUCT LINES
List of Figures
- Summary Figure: GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTROACTIVE POLYMERS, 2010-2016
- Figure 1: THE FOUR OXIDATION STATES OF POLYANILINE
