Morpholine Prices Expected to Rise Steadily
Year:2012 ISSUE:21
COLUMN:ORGANICS
Click:185    DateTime:Jun.13,2013
Morpholine Prices Expected to Rise Steadily

By Huang Jinxia and Song Changhua, Research Institute of PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Company; Zhang Haibo (Dalian Satake Chemical Equipment Co., Ltd)

1. Domestic Production

China has eight morpholine manufacturers, five of which are currently engaged in morpholine production. With design production capacity of 19 000 t/a, domestic manufacturers produced around 16 000 tons of morpholine in 2011, showed table 1.

2. Domestic Demand

In China, more than 50% (around 9 000 t/a) of morpholine is used in producing rubber accelerators; 2 000 t/a in synthesizing drugs like moroxydine, ibuprofen and promolate; 600 t/a in whitening agents; 4 000 t/a in bactericides, more effective and less toxic pesticides, petroleum additives. In addition, the products could also be applied in making intermediates such as N - methyl morpholine and N - ethyl morpholine. The State’s annual demand is approximately 20 000 tons.
   In the field of rubber ingredients, morpholine is mainly used in synthesizing thiofide, including NOBS, DS, OTOS, 26, etc. As the State has prohibited the use of NOBS, morpholine demand in this field shrank significantly. Many countries have abandoned toxic accelerators, restricting morpholine consumption and leading to oversupply there.
   Manufacturing ethnodrugs is the main function of morpholine in the pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, morpholine also plays a role in the production of detergents, preservatives, water treatment agents, aromatic extraction solvent of N-formyl morpholine, etc.
   With technical progress, enterprises are trying to expand morpholine applications. For example, new pesticides and pharmaceuticals that are made from morpholine have been developed, and research on producing chemical-fiber solvents by alkyl morpholine is ongoing.
   In recent years, scientists have conducted many tests, trying to apply N-methyl morpholine-n-oxide in environment-friendly solvents dedicated to artificial fibers. If they succeed, the market demand for morpholine will increase by around 10 000 tons a year.
   Furthermore, morpholine could also be applied in PH modifying agents, gas absorbents, synthetic herbicides, etc. China has paid more attention to R&D to promote the morpholine industry.

3. Price

The import price was RMB25 000/t in 1990, down in 1997-1998 due to sagging chemical market, hitting a record high of RMB28 500/t in 2005 benefiting from market revitalization, sliding in 2006 because of China’s new capacity, decreasing to RMB22 000/t in 2007, rebounding to RMB32 000/t in 2009, plummeting to RMB21 000/t in 2010 owing to U.S. economic crisis, up slightly in 2011.
   As Jinjiang Oil-Processing Works of PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Company closed down its morpholine facilities, the domestic capacity fell, alleviating excess supply to avoid drastic fluctuation in prices. But due to increasing prices of raw materials, producing morpholine costs more. Therefore, morpholine prices are predicted to increase steadily.

Table 1 China’s Main Morpholine Manufacturers in 2011
Company    Design Capacity (t/a)    Output/t
Anhui Haoyuan Chemical Industry (Group) Co., Ltd    10 000    8 000
Chongqing Fuyuan Chemical Co., Ltd    2 500    2 500
Liaoyuan General Chemical Plant of PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Company    3 500    3 500
Jilin Changshan Chemical Fertilizer Plant    3 000    2 000
Jinjiang Oil-Processing Works of PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Company    2 500    Production Halts
Total    19 000    16 000

Table 2 Domestic Morpholine Consumption Structure
Field    Ratio/%
Rubber Ingredients    50-60
Inhibiters    15-18
Chemical Polishing Agents    6-8
Pharmaceuticals    8-10
Alkyl Morpholine    3-4
Others    10