When reading about construction or industrial-grade adhesives, one is likely to come across the word ‘epoxy’. This is because epoxy resins are used to manufacture a wide range of practical and aesthetic products, such as surface coatings (including paints and floor coatings), structural adhesives and sealants (for metallic, wooden, and glass surfaces), and even industrial castings, tools, and molds. Other fascinating applications of epoxy resins are electrical insulation, wind turbines, oil & gas exploration, marine repairs, and aerospace and automotive manufacturing.
According to P&S Intelligence, the wide application base of epoxy resins, where the demand for such materials is only rising, will be a key factor driving the polyetheramine market in the years to come. This is because polyetheramine is widely used as a curing agent to modify and improve the functional characteristics of epoxy-resin-containing coatings and adhesives. One of the most significant sectors that use epoxy materials is construction. Here, epoxy coatings are widely applied to concrete floors and slabs and mixed in outdoor coatings for a glossy, smooth, and high-performance finish and scratch resistance.
Similarly, epoxy adhesives and glues are used to create laminated wood for roofs, walls, and decks, as well as applied to bond metal, wood, stone, glass, and certain plastics. The strong bonding property of such materials also makes them ideal for automobiles, aircraft, snowboards, and bicycles. Thus, epoxy resins are perfect for metallic goods that require heavy-duty adhesion, durability and moisture, and chemical and thermal resistance, which makes them popular in industrial settings. Therefore, with the increasing demand for epoxy-based materials for construction and industrial purposes, the requirement for polyetheramine as a key raw material will likely grow too.
Another application of polyetheramine that has now become quite important is wind turbines, where the compound is used as an additive in the adhesives required to bond the turbine blades and composites. As per the International Energy Agency (IEA), 52 Gigawatts (GW) of wind power capacity was added around the world in 2018, which had been expected to further increase to 65 GW in 2020, despite the COVID-19-related restrictions. Additionally, “For 2021, the forecast assumes a further acceleration of wind additions to 68 GW (7.3 GW offshore).”, says the IEA.
Further, in 2025, the IEA expects a whopping 100 GW of wind power capacity to be added across the globe. With the burning of fossil fuels in power plants turning the earth into a gas chamber, the need for alternative energy has been rather strong for a while. This is why governments are investing huge sums in renewable energy technologies, such as wind power, for a sustainable future. Thus, with wind turbine installation activities increasing in all regions, the demand for polyetheramine for the production of turbine blade adhesives will keep growing.
Due to the expansion in the industries that require this material on its own or in other products, Asia-Pacific (APAC) is likely to be the largest polyetheramine market in the years to come. APAC is already home to the largest construction sector in the world owing to its massive population, which continues to grow. As a result, the demand for paints and coatings and adhesives and sealants, especially those containing epoxy resins, is perpetually high here. Another key polyetheramine end-use industry that is witnessing non-stop growth in the region is automotive, China, Japan, and India being some of the largest vehicle producers on earth.
Hence, as the construction and automotive sectors expand across the world, so will the demand for polyetheramine.
