Conductive Polymers: Technologies and Global Markets

Report Highlights

The global market for electroactive polymers reached 447.3 million pounds in 2015. The market is expected to reach 725.8 million pounds by 2021 from 484.9 million pounds in 2016 increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4% from 2016 to 2021.

Report Includes

• An overview of the global markets for conductive polymers.
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2015, estimates for 2016, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2021.
• Analyses of potential applications for these materials such as electrostatic dissipation (ESD) control, light emitting displays, capacitors, electrostatic paintable plastics, antistatic packaging, corrosion-resistant paints/coatings and others.
• Evaluation of the markets dynamics, specifically growth drivers, restraints, and opportunities.
• Profiles of major players in the industry.

Report Scope

The scope of this study encompasses both ICPs and conductive polymer composites, both in applications where the two types of conductive polymers compete as well as ICP markets independent of traditional conductive plastics. Applications in which the two types of conductive polymers compete include ESD/antistatic packaging and electrostatic spray painting, as well as other applications. Unique ICP applications include batteries, transistors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), capacitors, corrosion-resistant coating products, membranes and sensors, among others.

Market data are presented in value as well as volume terms. Estimating the volume consumed of ICPs such as polythiophenes, polyanilines, or polypyrroles is difficult. The difficulty arises because these materials are usually not used as solids or liquids in the “neat” form, except for several types of films or “pastes.” Polythiophenes, for example, are mostly sold in very dilute solutions (less than 5% concentration), while polyanilines are often used as 25% emulsions. ICP “volumes,” therefore, are almost always reported by weight as dilute solutions or emulsions and overall global estimates derived from various suppliers, the trade press, or reports vary by several hundred percent. ICP suppliers are usually unwilling to provide even the broadest estimates because of the wide disparity of concentrations of the ICPs along with the proprietary nature of this information.

The market data presented are global in scope. Further segmentation into major geographic areas was not feasible.

Analyst Credentials

Andrew McWilliams spent more than 25 years as a consultant with Ernst & Young, McKinsey & Company and A.T. Kearny focused on manufacturing before segueing into research analysis. He has been covering myriad technology categories for BCC Research for more than 15 years. McWilliams has a BA from Princeton University and an MA from Harvard University. He has worked in more than 40 countries and he resides in the greater Boston area.