Speciality Plastics

OVERVIEW

Urea – STRUCTURE & PRODUCTION

Formaldehyde PROCESS

MARKET OVERVIEW END USE APPLICATION

Urea – Formaldehyde

Urea-formaldehyde (UF), also known as urea-methanal, so named for its common synthesis pathway and overall structure, is a
non-transparent thermosetting resin or polymer.

Properties:
 High tensile strength
 High flexural modulus
 High heat-distortion temperatures
 Low water absorption
 High surface hardness

CAS Number - 9011-05-6

• Being a thermosetting plastic, it cannot be recycled.

Structure - The chemical structure of UF polymer consists of [(O)CNHCH2NH]n repeat units.

Production Process:
• UF resins are synthesized from step-wise addition and condensation reactions of urea and formaldehyde, which can be carried out
within a wide range of conditions.
• The reaction of urea and formaldehyde to form UF-resins is basically a two-step process, usually an alkaline methylolation
followed by an acidic condensation.

Technology licensor – ATEC, Johnson Matthey license the FORMOX™ formaldehyde process
End User Industry:
• Automotive
• Electrical Appliances
• Agriculture
• Building and Construction
• Other End-user Industries

Major Global Supplier – The Dow Chemical Company, BASF SE and Hexion

Major Domestic Supplier – Aavula Projects Private Limited, Bharat Fertiliser Industries Limited & Amity Thermosets Private
Limited
Market Overview -The global Urea Formaldehyde
market was valued at 837.32 Million USD in 2020 and
will grow with a CAGR of 5.23% from 2020 to 2027.

• Over the short term, the increasing demand for particle

board from the furniture sector and rising demand for
medium density fiberboard (MDF) from the
construction industry are expected to drive the market's
growth.
• Health hazards regarding urea formaldehyde resins and
unfavourable conditions arising due to the COVID-19
outbreak are expected to hinder the growth of the
market studied.
• The building and construction segment dominated the
market, and is expected to grow during the forecast
period.
• Rise in demand for good quality resins in automobile
and electrical appliances is likely to act as an
opportunity in the future.
• Asia-Pacific dominated the market across the world,
with the largest consumption from countries such as
China and India.
 OVERVIEW

Nylon 12 STRUCTURE & PRODUCTION

PROCESS

MARKET OVERVIEW END USE APPLICATION

Nylon 12

Polyamide 12 (also called Nylon 12, polylaurolactam or polydodecanolactam) is a thermoplastic polymer with the formula
[-(CH2)11C(O)NH-]n.

CAS Number - 24937-16-4

Recycle Number – 7

Structure - It is made from either ω-aminolauric acid or laurolactam, each having 12 carbon atoms.
Properties:
• It absorbs very little moisture, which allows components made from Nylon 12 to retain a high degree of dimensional stability,
even in environments with fluctuating humidity levels.
• Even when temperatures dip below freezing, Nylon 12 retains excellent impact and non-impact strength.
• It features excellent resistance to chemicals, including hydraulic fluids, oil, fuels, grease, salt water and solvents.
• Nylon 12 has exceptionally strong resistance to cracking under stress, including instances when it encapsulates metal
components.
• It provides excellent resistance to abrasion.
• When it is dry run against steel, polyacetal, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and other material, Nylon 12 has a very low
coefficient of friction.
• It dampens noise and vibration.
• Even when placed under high-frequency cyclical load, Nylon 12 remains incredibly fatigue resistant.
• It is highly processable.

Production Process - Nylon 12 can be produced through two routes. The first being polycondensation of ω-aminolauric acid, a
bifunctional monomer with one amine and one carboxylic acid group. The second route is ring-opening polymerization of
laurolactam at 260-300˚C.

Technology licensor – INVISTA, Dupont

Applications - Nylon 12 and its copolymers is used in many industries, especially in the sport goods, automotive and electrical
industries. Important applications include elements of sport shoes and ski boots, sports glasses, interior and exterior designs on
automobiles, and permanent antistatic parts such as conveyor belts, electrical housings and paint spray hoses.

Major Global Supplier - Evonik, Arkema, EMS-Grivory and UBE Industries are the world leading manufacturers of
Polyamide 12.

Major Domestic Supplier - Formulated Polymers Limited (FPL) , Intelligent Materials Pvt. Ltd.
Market Overview - The global Polyamide 12 (PA 12/Nylon 12) market was valued at USD 1232.9 million in 2019 and it is
expected to reach USD 1732.7 million by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% during 2021-2026.
 OVERVIEW

Polyacetal STRUCTURE & PRODUCTION

PROCESS

MARKET OVERVIEW END USE APPLICATION

Polyacetal
Polyacetal or Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a semi-crystalline engineering thermoplastic widely used to produce high precision parts
thanks to high lubricity.

Structure: Polyacetal has the simplest structure of all the polyethers. It is manufactured in a solution process by anionic or cationic
chain-growth polymerization of formaldehyde (H2C=O), a reaction analogous to vinyl polymerization.

CAS Number - 30846-29-8

Recycle Number - 7

POM plastics offer:

• High strength, rigidity and toughness
• Good impact strength, even at low temperatures
• Low moisture absorption (at saturation 0.8%)
• Outstanding wear resistance and sliding properties
• Excellent machinability
• Good creep resistance
• High dimensional stability
• Good resistance to hydrolysis (up to ~60 °C)
• Excellent resilience/recovery elasticity

Polymerization - Anionic Polymerization

Production Process:
• Homopolymer Acetal (POM) is produced by reacting aqueous formaldehyde with alcohols to form hemiformal. This mixture is
then distilled or dehydrated to release the formaldehyde which is then polymerized in the presence of catalysts to produce Acetal
homopolymer.
 
• Acetal copolymer manufacturing follows a more complex process. Formaldehyde is first converted to trioxane (in the presence of
catalysts) and then distilled (for purification). Co monomers like dioxolane and ethyl oxide are also used. Trioxane and dioxolane
are then polymerized in the presence of a catalyst to produce the Acetal Copolymer.

Technology Licensor -  Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. , Dupont

Applications:
• POM resins are widely used in the production of precision parts for applications demanding good dimensional stability and
sliding properties. Some of them include:
• Automotive
• Electrical & electronic
• Industrial
• Drug Delivery

Major Global Players – The major companies are Polyplastics Co. Ltd, Celanese Corporation, DowDuPont, Korea Engineering
Plastics Co. Ltd, and China National Bluestar (Group) Co. Ltd.

Major Domestic Players - S.S.B. POLYMERS & S.S.B. ENTERPRISES & Urvi Plastic Industries
Market Overview : The market for polyoxymethylene
(POM) is expected to register a CAGR of around 3%
during the forecast period. Major factors driving the market
studied are the intensive use in the electrical
and electronics industry and rising demand from the
transportation sector. However, the growing usage of bio-
based materials as an alternative to polyoxymethylene is
expected to hinder the growth of the market studied.

• The transportation industry dominated the market, and is

expected to grow during the forecast period, owing to
the increasing automotive sales across the world,
especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Increasing new applications in the food packaging

industry is likely to act as an opportunity in the future.

• Asia-Pacific dominated the market across the world,

with the largest consumption in China.
 OVERVIEW

Melamine STRUCTURE & PRODUCTION

Formaldehyde PROCESS

MARKET OVERVIEW END USE APPLICATION

Melamine Formaldehyde
Melamine formaldehyde is a thermosetting plastic (or thermoset) that strengthens as it is heated during its preparation.
Structure: Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde (also shortened to melamine) is a resin with melamine rings terminated
with multiple hydroxyl groups derived from formaldehyde.

CAS Number: 68002-20-0

Properties:
• It exhibits great chemical and heat resistance.
• It is a hard, very durable, and versatile thermosetting aminoplast1 with good fire resistance.
• It is less water absorbent.
• It has good colour retention at elevated temperatures, better exterior durability, and shorter baking schedules when in
combination with hydroxy resins. 

Polymerization Process – Aldehyde Condensation Process

Production Process - Melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resins are synthesized by the methylolation and condensation reaction of
melamine with formaldehyde under the action of a catalyst.
Melamine-formaldehyde resin forms via the condensation of formaldehyde with melamine to give, under idealized conditions,
the hexa-hydroxymethyl derivative. Upon heating in the presence of acid, this or similar hydroxymethylated species undergoes
further condensation and crosslinking.

Technlogy Licensor -
Applications: Melamine resins are used for the manufacture of many products, including plywood and particleboard adhesives,
laminated countertops and tabletops, kitchenware, laminates, overlay materials, particleboards, automotive surface coatings and
floor tiles. Melamine and its salts are also used as fire-retardant additives in paints, plastics, and paper.

Major Global Suppliers - The significant melamine formaldehyde manufacturers include Hexza Corporation Berhad (Malaysia),
INEOS Melamines GmbH (Germany), Qatar Melamine Company (Doha), Chemplastica SpA (Italy), Eurotecnica Contractors and
Engineers S.p.A. (Greece), BASF SE (Germany).
Major Domestic Suppliers - KOTHARI GROUP OF INDUSTRIES, A.K. BAKELITE & RESINS (P) LTD, ANSUCHEM
CHEMICAL PVT. LTD., Shree Vishnu Chemicals
• Market Overview - The melamine formaldehyde market is
expected to reach 1,700.06 kilotons, recording a CAGR of
4.81% during the forecast period (2021-2026). The major
factors driving the market studied are the growing demand
for laminated furniture and high growth in the construction
industry. On the flip side, a slowdown in automotive
production, along with the impact of COVID-19, is likely to
hamper the growth of the market studied.

• The use of melamine formaldehyde for the treatment of an

organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is likely to
act as an opportunity for the market studied in the coming
years.

• By application, the decorative laminated furniture segment

will dominate the market, which is expected to grow further
during the forecast period.

• The Asia-Pacific region is estimated to dominate the global

market, owing to the increasing demand from the furniture
industry in China and India.
 OVERVIEW

Polycarbonate STRUCTURE & PRODUCTION

PROCESS

MARKET OVERVIEW END USE APPLICATION

Polycarbonate
• Polycarbonate is a high-performance tough, amorphous and transparent thermoplastic polymer with organic functional
groups linked together by carbonate groups (–O–(C=O)–O–) and offers a unique combination of properties.

CAS Number - 25037-45-0

Recycle Number – 7

Structure: Polycarbonate is a polyester made by the condensation of carbonic acid HO–CO–OH and bisphenol A HO–
(C6H6)–C(CH3)2–(C6H6)–OH.
Properties:
• Good Impact & temperature resistance
• Excellent toughness & thermal stability
• Good dimensional stability
• Self-extinguishing
• Exceptional clarity and light transmission
• Excellent electrical insulation

Polymerization Process - Condensation Polymerization

Production Process - The polycarbonate most used is manufactured by condensation polymerization between bisphenol A
and either carbonyl chloride or diphenyl carbonate. Bisphenol A is produced by the condensation of phenol with propanone.
The polymer is usually formed by the reaction of bisphenol A and carbonyl chloride in a basic solution.
Applications:
• Electrical connectors
• Brush holders
• Coil bobbins & forms
• Insulators
• Medical tubing
• Instrument covers
• Covers
• Fittings

Major Global Suppliers – Covestro AG, SABIC, LOTTE Chemical CORPORATION, TEIJIN LIMITED, Mitsubishi
Engineering-Plastics Corporation
Major Domestic Suppliers - Everest Industries Ltd., MG Polyplast Industries Pvt. Ltd., Tuflite Polymers Ltd., Lotus Roofings
Pvt. Ltd. and Power Chem Plast Ltd., etc.
Market Overview - The polycarbonate market was valued
at USD 8,693 million in 2020, and the market is projected
to register a CAGR of over 2% in terms of revenue during
the forecast period (2021-2026).
• Over the short term, the factors driving the growth of
the market studied are the growing demand from the
medical industry and the increasing popularity of
polycarbonate against conventional materials, such as
glass and acrylic. With the COVID-19 pandemic,
manufacturers of medical devices globally are focusing
more on technologies like polycarbonate. The alarming
shortages of medical supplies for doctors and nurses
fighting the COVID-19 pandemic have augmented the
need for more medical-grade polycarbonate.
• On the flip side, apart from the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on various end-user industries' growth and
supply chain disruptions, the declining automotive
industry is also likely to hinder the market's growth.
• Product innovations for applications in the medical
sector and the increasing commercialization of the bio-
polycarbonate market are likely to act as opportunities
in the future.
• Asia-Pacific dominated the market across the globe due
to the increasing demand from construction activities.