Global Polyphenylsulfone Market - Forecast(2023 - 2028)

Global Polyphenylsulfone Market Overview

The global polyphenylsulfone market size is forecast to reach US$343.9 million by 2027 after growing at a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Polyphenylsulfone is an amorphous, heat-resistant, and transparent high-performance thermoplastic. It is synthesized by nucleophilic aromatic substitution between difluorodiphenylsulfone and the sodium salt of 4,4-dihydroxybiphenyl. Polyphenylsulfone is known for its toughness, high tensile strength, and excellent hydrolytic stability. It has the best overall chemical resistance of the other commercial polysulfones namely polysulfone and polyethersulfone. Its strong mechanical properties combined with its heat and chemical resistance, make it suitable for more demanding applications where higher loads and exposure to chemicals are prevalent. The increasing application of polyphenylsulfone in the aerospace industry, particularly in the interiors of aircraft acts as a driver for the global polyphenylsulfone market.

Global Polyphenylsulfone Market COVID-19 Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on severe industries including the aerospace industry. The aerospace industry was one of the very first sectors that were affected by the pandemic. As cases surged, world governments struggled to stop the spread of infection and introduced border closures, travel bans, and restrictions as a result of which flights were grounded. To date, in certain countries like India, international flights remain suspended. The aerospace industry has been among the worst hit by the pandemic, with many airlines forced to suspend operations which also led to layoffs. According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), passenger air transport measured as revenue passenger kilometre was down 90% YoY in April 2020 and still down 75% in August 2020. The collapse in economic activity and trade affected freight, which was almost 30% lower YoY in April 2020 and still about 12% lower in August 2020. IATA along with Airport Council International (ACI) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) predicts that the sector will take at least 3-4 years to roll back to pre-pandemic levels. The challenges faced by the aerospace industry in the wake of the pandemic, in turn, have also affected the global polyphenylsulfone market.

Report Coverage

The report: “Global Polyphenylsulfone Market Report – Forecast (2022-2027)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the polyphenylsulfone industry.

Key Takeaways

• Asia-Pacific dominates the global polyphenylsulfone market on account of the growing end use industries in the region. According to Invest India, the automotive industry is expected to reach $300 billion by 2026.
• Polyphenylsulfone is an amorphous high-performance thermoplastic that offers better impact resistance and chemical resistance than other sulfone polymers, polysulfone, and polyethersulfone,
• The superior hydrolysis resistance of polyphenylsulfone makes it highly suitable for medical and healthcare applications.
•  The major opportunity for this market is the high research spending to produce cost-effective polymers.

Figure: Asia-Pacific Polyphenylsulfone Market Revenue, 2021-2027 (US$ Billion)

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Global Polyphenylsulfone Market Segment Analysis – By Form

The sheet segment held the largest share in the global polyphenylsulfone market up to 65% in 2021. Polyphenylsulfone is a thermoplastic polymer that offers a continuous use temperature range of up to 250°C. Polyphenylsulfone sheets are commonly used in applications for aerospace, medical tool handles, sterilization trays, hot water fittings, and food processing equipment. These sheets are an excellent material for the visors of firefighter helmets and other protective helmets. Helmet visors made of polyphenylsulfone sheets are transparent, virtually indestructible by mechanical impact, highly heat-resistant, resistant to chemicals, and have excellent fire performance profiles. Firefighting is one of the most dangerous occupations, with a high rate of on-duty fatalities. As per the United States Fire Administration, the total number of on-duty deaths for 2020 stood at 96. Wearing firefighter personal protective equipment provides an effective barrier of protection against hazardous material. Röhm GmbH, developed EUROPLEX, a flame-retardant sheet material made of polyphenylsulfone. The sheet meets the fire standard requirements for many applications in public transport including the heat release requirements for large interior parts in passenger aircraft. Therefore, the sheet segment is expected to dominate the market.

Global Polyphenylsulfone Market Segment Analysis – By End Use Industry

The medical and healthcare segment held the largest share in the global polyphenylsulfone market in 2021. Polyphenylsulfone can withstand sterilization with superheated steam better than other members of this group of polymers such as polysulfone and polyethersulfone, and is resistant to detergents and disinfectants. It also exhibits good resistance against high-energy radiation (gamma and x-rays). These properties render it useful in sterilization trays, dental and surgical instrument handles, and medical devices. Polyphenylsulfone is also used for implant trials for knee, hip, and shoulder replacement processes. According to Harvard Medical, in the US, surgeons perform more than 600,000 knee replacements and about 330,000 hip replacements each year. Ensinger Inc. has been producing trial implants made of polyphenylsulfone like TECASON P MT XRO which is x-ray detectable. It allows the surgeon to get a clear picture of the orthopaedic trial implants during image-controlled procedures. When healthcare providers were experiencing a severe personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage in the initial stages of the pandemic, polyphenylsulfone films and filaments from additive manufacturing were being utilized to make reusable face shields. With the growing medical and healthcare segment, the demand for medical-grade polyphenylsulfone is also expected to increase. Hence, the medical segment is anticipated to dominate the market.

Global Polyphenylsulfone Market Segment Analysis – By Geography

The Asia-Pacific region held the largest share in the global polyphenylsulfone market in 2021 up to 41% owing to the growing automotive and aerospace industries in the region. After the initial lockdown ended, countries in this region began ramping up production to overcome the economic repercussions with China leading the way. The automotive industry had a turbulent year in 2020 but in 2021 it was on the road to recovery. Production data from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) is reflective of this. China is the largest manufacturer of automobiles in the world. According to data from OICA, in 2021 production of cars in China stood at 18.24 million units compared to 16.98 million units in 2020. In 2021, production in India stood at 3.29 million units compared to 2.15 million units in 2020, a dramatic 53% increase. In 2021, production in Indonesia stood at 0.79 million units compared to 0.48 million units in 2020, registering a 64% increase. A similar increase in production was also seen in other Asian countries such as Japan, Pakistan, Thailand, South Korea, etc.  According to the World Economic Forum, most of the transport growth is expected to take place in emerging markets like China and India, as global populations are set to rise by another two billion over the next 25 years to 9.2 billion and these two countries are expected to still be the most populated. Growing GDP in these regions will increase demand for automobiles and flights. Hence, this region is expected to dominate the polyphenylsulfone market during the forecast period.

Global Polyphenylsulfone Market Drivers

Usage of Polyphenylsulfone in Bottles for Babies

In recent years, polyphenylsulfone has become the material of choice to manufacture feeding bottles for babies. Polyphenylsulfone is the safest and most durable material for baby bottles. It is lightweight, hydrolysis and temperature resistance allow for repeated sterilization without any deformation or release of toxic substances. Polyphenylsulfone does not absorb odor or color. It is naturally BPA free. These properties make it an excellent choice for feeding bottles.  For instance, The Japanese baby products manufacturer Zoom T, is using BASF’s Ultrason P to produce baby bottles under its Dr. Bétta brand. The polyphenylsulfone meets Zoom T’s strict requirements for its curved baby bottles that are safe and easy to handle. Ultrason P is the trade name for BASF’s product range of polyphenylsulfone. Hence, the usage of polyphenylsulfone for feeding bottles for babies drives the global polyphenylsulfone market. 

Increasing Demand for Polyphenylsulfone in Aircraft Interiors

Fuel costs represent the highest operating costs for aircraft leading to soaring demand for lighter aircraft. According to the Air Transport Association, every dollar increase per barrel (42 gallons) drives an additional $415 million in annual fuel expenses for U.S. passengers and cargo airlines. As demands for weight reduction and fuel efficiency increase, aluminum, steel, and titanium are being replaced by composites and thermoplastics. Being the highest performance polysulfone, polyphenylsulfone is used in the aerospace industry for applications where superior thermal and mechanical properties relative to conventional resins are required. Polyphenylsulfone is an extremely tough and versatile thermoplastic that meets existing and emerging safety requirements for structural and decorative aircraft interior components. It is widely used for passenger service units, seat video shrouds, and other thin-walled decorative components. Polyphenylsulfone also complies with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flammability regulations for materials used in aircraft cabin interiors. Specifically, it meets Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 25.853, Appendix F, Part 1 requirements for low flammability and heat release, low smoke generation, and OEM standards for low toxic gas emissions. Thus, the increasing demand for polyphenylsulfone in aircraft interiors drives the market. 

Global Polyphenylsulfone Market Challenges

High Cost of Polyphenylsulfone

Polyphenylsulfone delivers the highest performance among the sulfone polymers, offering better impact resistance and chemical resistance compared to polysulfone and polyethersulfone. All the sulfone polymers are highly-priced as they are high-performance thermoplastics. One of the reasons is that these polymers have the ability to withstand various sterilization techniques.  Among all the sulfone polymers, polyphenylsulfone is the most expensive. For instance, the price of polysulfone resins is US$16-20/kg, the price of polyethersulfone resins is US$18-25 and the price of polyphenylsulfone resins are US$28-30/kg. This high cost may prove to be a restraint for the global polyphenylsulfone market.

Global Polyphenylsulfone Industry Outlook

Product launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the global polyphenylsulfone market. Global polyphenylsulfone top 10 companies include:

1. BASF SE
2. Solvay SA
3. Sumimoto Chemicals
4. SABIC
5. Evonik Industries
6. Quadrant Engineering Plastics Products
7. Ensigner Inc.
8. Curbell Plastics, Inc.
9. Westlake Plastics
10. Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials

Recent Developments

• In March 2021, BASF announced that it is expanding its polyphenylsulfone portfolio, Ultrason, with two new PPSU grades, Ultrason P 2010 and Ultrason P 3010. Both grades can be used to manufacture bottles for adults and babies. 
• In April 2020, Solvay partnered with Boeing to produce face shields for protection against COVID-19. Solvay is supplying high-performance, medical-grade transparent film to Boeing for its production of face shields. The film will be manufactured using Solvay’s medical-grade polyphenylsulfone. 
• In May 2019, Solvay announced a cooperation agreement with additive manufacturing leader, Stratasys to develop new high-performance materials. The companies outlined plans to co-develop a filament based on Solvay’s polyphenylsulfone polymer to meet stringent Federal Aviation Regulations.

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