Plastics Antioxidants and Light Stabilizers: To Improve Production Technology, Focus on Quality Enhancement and Product Upgrade
Click:0    DateTime:Aug.24,2021

Li Jie, Shi Kai from Beijing Additives Institute

China has become a major producer of antioxidants and light stabilizers. The increasing quantity and improving quality of synthetic resins and plastic products have brought great development opportunities for antioxidants and light stabilizers. 

1. Development opportunities brought by booming capacity and output of synthetic resins 

Polypropylene (PP) resin is a kind of synthetic resin that has the largest production volume and consumption volume and needs antioxidants. Domestic PP resin output was only 5 230 kt in 2005 and surged to 25 800 kt in 2020. Domestic PP resin capacity is expected to increase by around 7 000 kt/a in 2021, pushing up the total domestic capacity and output to over 30 000 kt. 

Domestic polyethylene (PE) resin capacity totalled 22 560 kt/a in 2020. In China, 11 producers have new PE plants in 2021, with a combined capacity of 5 750 kt/a. This includes a 2 550 kt/a full-density plant, a 2 100 kt/a high density PE (HDPE) unit, a 400 kt/a low density PE (LDPE) unit and a 700 kt/a LDPE unit. By the end of 2021, China’s PE capacity will reach 28 310 kt/a. 

Other synthetic resins, including polystyrene (PS) resin, ABS, polycarbonate (PC), PA, PET/PBT, POM and PMMA etc also register rapid growths in capacity and output. Take PC for instance, China’s PC capacity stood at 1 900 kt/a in 2020, accounting for around 25% of the world total. 

2. High-quality development of plastics processing industry brings in robust demand

In line with the technical progress in agricultural, industrial and aerospace sectors and people’s improving living standards, the applications of antioxidants and light stabilizers in functional plastic products will widen and related plastic products will see growing varieties and quantities.  

China is a major plastic products producer but not a leading producer. In recent five years, China’s average import price of plastic products stood at around RMB60 000/ton and the average export price was around RMB20 000/ton. Such a sharp price gap is attributed to a series of factors such as the material synthesis technology, resin modification technology, processing technology and products function. Additives play a key role in production functions.  

According to statistics from China Plastics Processing Industry Association, the plastic products output of Zhejiang and Guangdong were 12 800 kt and 12 750 kt, respectively in 2020 and that of the 12 provinces in west China altogether (Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Tibet) stood at 12 190 kt. The difference in regional economic development, plastic products output and grade also provides market opportunities for antioxidants and light stabilizers. 

China has become a major producing country of antioxidants and light stabilizers

1. Antioxidants: To form over 350 kt/a capacity

The 13th Five-Year Plan for Plastics Antioxidants and Light Stabilizers (2016-2020) predicted that China’s antioxidants capacity would reach 200 kt/a in 2020, but actually it exceeded 300 kt/a, reflecting brisk demand in recent years. In 2021, more new antioxidants plants will be built up in China, with a combined capacity of 50 kt/a, which will raise total domestic capacity to over 350 kt/a.  

China is able to produce phosphate, hindered phenol (including asymmetric hindered phenol), sulphur and amine containing general and special purpose antioxidants. Exports of general purpose antioxidants accounted for above 15% of domestic output, while those of special-purpose and specialty took up over 50%.

2. Light stabilizers: Capacity topped 100 kt/a in 2020

China’s light stabilizers capacity exceeded 100 kt/a in 2020 and around 20 kt/a new capacities are planned to be built in 2021. The product grade, variety, quality and application reached the same level with foreign countries. China produces hindered amine light stabilizers 622,?770,?944,?2020 and 119 etc, and ultraviolet absorbers 531,?326,?329,?234,?360,?UV-9 and UV-P and has over 20% of such products exported.  

Innovation capability and application technology need improving 

The development of petrochemical and plastic products processing industries as well as export trade brings about good opportunities for the diversification of varieties, increasing of quantity and enhancement of quality of antioxidants and light stabilizers. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period (2021-2025), antioxidants and light stabilizers manufacturers shall enhance their technological innovation capabilities, focus on cultivating technical talents, and strengthen cooperation and exchanges with universities and colleges, scientific research institutes, high-tech companies, and international companies in the same industry; further improve and enhance production process, stabilize product quality, raise product quality standards and application standards on the basis of increasing product variety and quantity; raise the application technology of antioxidants and light stabilizers to improve the technical levels of petrochemical and plastic products enterprises’ using of antioxidants and light stabilizers.