Super absorbent polymer (SAP) is a kind of typical functional polymer material. It has many species and different species process different performance and uses. The main species used for commodity include cross-linked polyacrylic acid salt, cross-linked polyacrylamide and starch- acrylic acid graft polymer, etc. At present, due to the security and high gel strength of application, polyacrylic acid salt is by far the most important type of SAP. And this paper also mainly discusses this type of SAP.
1.Supply Shortage Overseas and a Batch of New Capacity in 2013
SAP is a kind of raw material of fast-moving consumer goods and its production keeps growing in recent years. But, in 2010, many acrylic devices overseas had unexpected failure, limiting high pure acrylic production, and affecting the production of SAP. In 2011, with the recovery of acrylic acid production, SAP production tends to be normal. From late 2012 to mid-2013, SAP had a shortage in supply. Since June 2013, the supply of SAP had gradually recovered. From 2012 to 2013, well-known foreign manufacturers of SAP expanded their capacity.
From 2010 to 2013, the average annual growth rate of Global SAP production capacity is 11.6%, and in 2013, with year-on-year growth of 15.2% in capacity. In markets of developing countries, such as in China, Africa, the Middle East, India, other Asian countries (except Japan) and Latin America countries, the demand growth is rapid.But the demand development moderates in Western Europe, the United States and Japan because of the weak economy and market saturation in these regions. The mainly global production enterprises of SAP in 2013 are shown in table 1.
2.China's SAP Production Growth is Obvious and Becomes a Net Exporter
Some multinationals take a fancy that China has the world's most growth potential of the SAP market, so they have set up SAP plants in mainland China. Since 2003, Japan Catalyst Agent Co., Japan'sSan-Dia PolymersCo., Formosa Plastics and other international well-known manufacturers of SAP have begun to set up plants in mainland China. After 2005, China's SAP developed superbly rapidly. By 2013, there have been nearly 20 SAP enterprises in China. The mainSAP Manufacturersin China in 2013 are shown in Table 2.
With the capacity expansion in China and foreign demand shortage emergencies, from 2012 to 2013, China’s SAP exports had boosted. Especially in 2013, exports volume of SAP was 120 kilo tons and became a net exporter of SAP.
3.Personal Hygienic Product Field Will Continue to Lead Consumer Market
The application of SAP is quitely wide. At present, its application research has penetrated into personal hygienic products, agriculture, forestry and gardening, cable water-proofing materials, etc.Consumption structure of Chinese SAPin 2013 in China is shown in Figure 1.
(1) Personal hygienic product
It is a relatively mature and major application field of SAP. It is mainly used in baby diapers (nappies), adult incontinence products (diapers, nappies and nursing pad), and ultra-thin women's sanitary napkin. Besides, SAP is also used for manufacturing surgery cushion, surgery sleeves, surgery gown, absorbent cotton, sweat towels, tampon of blood clots and other hygiene products.
(2) Agriculture, forestry and gardening
SAP has good water absorption and water retention, thus it can be used as conditioner and water retention agent of soil and desert. In floriculture gardening, the use of SAP can reduce the need of water quantity and water frequency on flowers, trees, shrubs and hanging baskets. SAP can be also added in the grass sod, and it can reduce maintenance costs, at the same time can improve the durability of sports venues. The application of SAP in agriculture, forestry and gardening has achieved relatively significant results.
(3) Cable water-proofing materials
SAP can improve the safety and prolong service life of cables, can avoid the damp from reducing its reliability. The swelling properties of SAP can be used to protect the power cables and communication cable from water. The application of SAP in this area is extending, especially in the area of fiber optic cables, which market prospect is quite good. SAP can be put and blended with polymer adhesives, and then they can be spread on the non-woven fabrics to form waterproof tape. Besides, SAP, butyl rubber and solvent can be mixed into paint and be applied at polyester belt. The consumption in this field will have larger development in the future.
(4) Other Fields
SAP has great moisture absorption, non-toxic and non-corrosive, so it can be used in storage and packaging of food, fruit and vegetable. SAP also can be used as detergent in redeposition resistance components, artificial snow, humidity regulator, gel actuator, active enzyme carrier, humidizer in cosmetics, etc. For the transportation and storage of food that tend to be affected by damp or can overflow, packaging with composite materials containing SAP can ensure their safety. SAP can be combined with thin film or nonwoven and can be processed into a variety of imbibitions lining material for packaging meat, seafood, frozen fresh food, fruit and fruit juices, etc., which can keep food clean at appearance. Besides, in the bag, there is no is liquid left after taking out the food, keeping food fresh and improving commodity value. The kind of absorption material containing in transport packing boxes can absorb outflow of liquid and keep container clean. Powder SAP should not be contacted with food, and it can be pressed between the two layers of paper or non-woven fabric to make absorption mat, which has stronger absorbing ability than silica gel. In building materials industry, SAP is mainly used in water plugging, prevention of dewing, dehumidification, building materials, coating, and improvement of construction efficiency.
4.Policy & Population Structure are Great for SAP Development
Since 2014, SAP in China will continue presenting rapid development trend. SAP industry and population structure relations are inseparable.In recent years, Chinese population birth rate has been rising. In 2013 the 18ththird plenary session,The Central Committee of The Communist Party Comprehensively Deepen the Reform of Certain Major Issue Decisionspoints out the policy that couples with one party being only children can have two children should be launched to promote the long-term balanced development of population. With the policy, it is expected that during 2015~2020, China will usher in a new round of baby boom. At the same time, China's aging problem has become increasingly serious. The surge in elderly population highlights the elderly life care. Adult incontinence products market in China is at the early stage of development and there has been a high growth rate in recent years because of the low base. With the economic development of China, society enters aging and the disposable income increase of aged consumers and changes of attitudes, adult incontinence market will continue rapid growth and has a great potential for development.