Rapid Development of the Radiation Curing Sector    

Radiation curing is an advanced material surface treatment technology using ultraviolet (UV) radiation and electronic beams (EB). With the greater attention paid to environmental protection in recent years, radiation curing has developed rapidly. Compared with traditional curing technologies, radiation curing has the features of rapid filming, room-temperature operation, no solvent and low energy consumption. It is already used in many sectors such as coatings, inks and adhesives.
   According to statistics of the China Photosensitive Society Radiation Curing Committee covering 116 major production enterprises, the total output of radiation curing raw materials reached 97 507 tons in 2006, an increase of 32.9% over the previous year. The total output of radiation curing products reached 42 409 tons, an increase of 16.4%. China has become a major world producer of radiation curing raw materials and products.


1. Rapid output growth of raw materials

Radiation curing raw materials mainly include reactive diluents, low polymers and light initiators. As many domestic and foreign companies have constructed plants in China, both the production capacity and actual output of radiation curing raw materials in China have grown rapidly.
   With the completion of the 10 000 t/a unit in Jiangsu Sanmu Group Corporation and the capacity expansion conducted by the Zhuhai factory of Taiwan Eternal Chemical Co., Ltd., Tianjin Tianjiao Chemical Co., Ltd. and Nantong Litian Chemicals Co., Ltd., the output of reactive diluents in China reached 48 034 tons in 2006, an increase of 31.5% over the previous year and the total exported amount was more than 7 000 tons. The output of major varieties in 2006 was 13 145 tons for trimethoxypropylene triacrylate (TMPTA), 12 782 tons for tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA) and more than 3 000 tons for both 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) and dipropylene glycol diacrylate (DPGDA).
   Low polymers are mainly photosensitive acrylic resins including EA, PUA and PEA. China depended on imports for most low polymers in the past. The output of low polymers has however grown rapidly in recent years, and some has even been exported. The output of low polymers in China was 27 420 tons in 2006, an increase of 38.3% over the previous year. The exported amount was 2 585 tons, valued at RMB68.76 million.
   Light initiators are special chemicals for UV curing materials. The output of light initiators in China has made the most rapid growth in recent years. Production not only meets the domestic market demand now but also supports the export of great quantities. The output of light initiators in China reached 22 053 tons in 2006, an increase of 29.8% over the previous year. Close to 16 000 tons were exported in 2006, an increase of 21.1% over the previous year.


2. Frequent appearance of new products

The rapid development of the production of radiation curing raw materials has provided a reliable guarantee for the development of new radiation curing products. China's radiation curing products mainly include UV coatings, UV inks and UV adhesives.
   The capacity to produce radiation curing products in China has grown steadily in recent years. Compared with previous years, the variety of products has increased dramatically, the product quality has improved greatly and applications keep expanding in more and more sectors. China had 43 UV coating producers in 2006, producing a national total of 29 027 tons, an increase of 16.0% over the previous year. Products are mainly used in bamboo and wood products, furniture, paper glazes, plastics, motorcycles, household electric appliances, metals and stone materials.
   There were 36 UV ink producers in China in 2006. The output was 12 894 tons, an increase of 16.8% over the previous year. Major products include UV lithographic inks, UV stencil inks and compact disk inks.
   The output of UV adhesives in China was 363 tons in 2005. The total output in 13 major producers already reached 488 tons in 2006. Products include varieties for medical care, optics, glass, instruments, fishing outfits, handicrafts, LCDs and DVDs.


3. Constant expansion of scale

By 2006, 74 of the 116 UV curing enterprises in China passed ISO9001 or ISO9002 certification. Thirty three enterprises produced over 1 000 tons in 2006, being six enterprises more than 2005. Six enterprises output over 5 000 tons. This shows that the production scale of the radiation curing sector in China is expanding constantly.


Output of Radiation Curing Raw Materials and Products
   in China from 2001 to 2006           (t)
Item                2001    2001    2003    2004    2005    2006
Reactive diluents    8 879    13 862    24 739    24 350    36 528    48 034
Low polymers        3 390    7 037    8 930    14 120    19 825    27 420
Light initiators    9 042    9 520    13 898    14 723    16 995    22 053
Total of raw materials    21 311    30 419    47 567    53 193    73 348    97 507
UV coatings         14 845    16 741    19 007    23 300    25 024    29 027
UV inks             3 412    3 968    6 514    9 057    11 039    12 894
UV adhesives            -    23      76      242     363     488
Total of products    18 257    20 732    25 597    32 599    36 426    42 409
Grand total          39 568    51 151    73 164    85 792    109 774    139 916
Source: CNCIC