1. Definition and classification analysis of flame retardants
Flame retardants refer to additives added to combustible materials that can increase their flame resistance, slow down their combustion rate, or prevent combustion. They are also known as flame retardants, fire-resistants, or fire retardants and are mainly used for flame retardant treatment of polymer materials. After flame retardant treatment, the material can effectively prevent, delay or terminate the spread of flames when attacked by external fire sources, thus achieving flame retardant effect. Flame retardants are added to polymer materials through physical blending or chemical bonding, and play a role in specific stages of the combustion process according to their characteristics, to suppress or even interrupt combustion. They are widely used in fields such as construction, textiles, electronics, aerospace, and transportation. There are many types of flame retardants, which can generally be divided into three categories based on their chemical elements: inorganic, organic phosphorus, and organic halogen.
2. Global Flame Retardant Industry and Distribution Analysis
Developed countries such as Europe and America enforced the use of flame retardants in major industries through national legislation in the 1960s, covering multiple industries such as construction, textiles, automobiles, electronics, and furniture. At present, most of the world's major flame retardant suppliers are located in Asia, Europe, and North America, and the consumer market is mainly concentrated in these regions.
The global flame retardant market size in 2019 was 7.2 billion US dollars, and its development is relatively stable. Among them, the Asia Pacific region has the fastest growth, and the consumption focus of flame retardants in the world is gradually shifting to the Asian region, with the main increase coming from the Chinese market.
The key factors driving market growth include increasingly strict regulations in various regions, requiring the use of flame retardants in major end industries such as construction, electronics, textiles, and automobiles. In addition, consumers' increasing awareness of the evacuation time during a fire, the effectiveness and advantages of flame retardants, is expected to drive the demand for flame retardant materials. In addition, global fire safety standards and regulations are expected to have a positive impact on product demand.
3. The application fields and demand for flame retardants in China continue to expand
With the development of China's polymer material industry and the expansion of its application fields, flame retardant materials have been widely used in various fields such as chemical building materials, electronic appliances, transportation, aerospace, daily furniture, interior decoration, clothing, food, housing, and transportation. Flame retardants have become the second largest polymer material modification additive after plasticizers.
In 2019, the flame retardant market in China grew by 7.7% year-on-year, mainly used in fields such as wires and cables, household appliances, and automobiles. With the rapid development of downstream application markets and the increasing awareness of fire prevention, the demand for flame retardants will further increase. It is expected that by 2025, the demand for flame retardants in the Chinese market will be 1.28 million tons, and the compound growth rate from 2019 to 2025 is expected to reach 7.62%.
4. Adjustment and upgrading of consumption structure of flame retardants, rapid development of inorganic flame retardants
For a long time, foreign flame retardant manufacturers such as Germany, the United States, and Japan have dominated the global flame retardant market with their advantages in technology, funding, and product types. China's flame retardant industry started relatively late and has always played the role of a catch-up player, until around 2006 when it began to develop rapidly. In 1985, the domestic production of flame retardants was about 5000 tons, and by 2006 it had reached 260000 tons. During this period, organic halogen flame retardants were the main type of flame retardants in China, with a small proportion of inorganic and organic phosphorus flame retardants produced.
In recent years, the consumption structure of flame retardants in China has been continuously adjusted and upgraded. The demand for ultrafine aluminum hydroxide flame retardants in the market has shown a rapid growth trend, while the market share of organic halogen flame retardants has gradually declined. In 2006, ultrafine aluminum hydroxide flame retardants and magnesium hydroxide flame retardants accounted for less than 10% of the total consumption of flame retardants in China. By 2019, this proportion had significantly increased. The product structure of the domestic flame retardant market has gradually shifted from mainly organic halogen flame retardants to mainly inorganic and organic phosphorus flame retardants, with organic halogen flame retardants as a supplement.
