Global Dimethyl Carbonate Market - 2022-2029

Market Overview

The global dimethyl carbonate market size was worth US$ XX million in 2021 and is estimated to reach US$ XX million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of XX% during the forecast period (2022-2029). Dimethyl carbonate is an organic compound that is classified as a carbonate ester. It is a colorless and flammable liquid represented by the chemical formula OC(OCH3)2. The reaction of phosgene and methanol synthesizes dimethyl carbonate.

Market Dynamics

The demand for dimethyl carbonates is mainly driven by the rising demand from end-use applications, especially polycarbonate plastics. It is the most important driver for the market. The toxic production process of dimethyl carbonate is a key factor in limiting the growth of this market.

Increasing demand from end-use applications

The largest application of dimethyl carbonate is its use in manufacturing polycarbonates. Polycarbonates have properties such as transparency, thermal stability, heat resistance, chemical resistance and good mechanical strength that make it the most them the most widely used engineering thermoplastic material. It finds end-use in various industries such as automotive, electronics, building and constructions, consumer products and medicine.

Industrial safety glasses, helmet visors, automotive headlight covers, electronic screen guards and UV protection for greenhouses are some of the diverse applications for polycarbonates. Another major application of dimethyl carbonate is as an electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are used as a power source for electric vehicles and electronic gadgets such as smartphones, laptops and tablets. The ever-growing demand from end-use industries is driving the global dimethyl carbonate market.

Toxic nature of dimethyl carbonate production

Dimethyl carbonate is an industrial chemical with a wide range of applications. It is primarily produced to form polycarbonates, a type of plastic known for its optical transparency and impact resistance. Polycarbonates have various applications such as industrial safety goggles, eye lenses, electrical insulation, aircraft windows, different parts of automotive vehicles and missile components. The abundance and variety of applications generate substantial demand for dimethyl carbonate. Although dimethyl carbonate is a green solvent, its production process involves using toxic gases such as phosgene and carbon monoxide.

Currently, most dimethyl carbonate production involves the use of phosgene, a highly toxic chemical gas that can cause death or severe health issues in even low concentrations. Current production processes involving phosgene also create sodium chloride as a byproduct. Sodium chloride is harmless by itself, but when the production process is scaled up to industrial rates, it creates disposal problems for the environment. Most global manufacturers use the methanol and phosgene process for dimethyl carbonate synthesis as it is more economical than the safer oxidative carbonylation method. The toxic production process of dimethyl carbonate is a key challenge for the growth of this market.

COVID-19 impact analysis

The global dimethyl carbonate market experienced uneven impacts on value chains in production and sales in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Paints and coating applications saw steep declines since government-imposed lockdowns and restrictions brought a prolonged halt to manufacturing and construction globally. Sanitary and medical applications saw robust growth. The main reason behind the growth was increased public awareness about hygiene and sanitation and a rise in healthcare-related activities due to the pandemic.

End-use applications in the medical and healthcare field such as hemodialyzers, anesthesia containers, blood oxygenators, arterial filters, intravenous connectors, and endoscopic appliances saw a rise in demand. In contrast, automotive applications such as visors headlights saw relatively steep declines. In response to the global pandemic, many chemical companies adapted their existing plants to produce dimethyl carbonate for medical applications.

The short-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been relatively mild for the chemical industry. The decline in demand from paints and coatings industry was balanced by increased demand from medical and pharmaceutical sectors. The pandemic will have a negligible impact on the medium to long-term growth of the global dimethyl carbonate market since companies are expected to gradually ramp up capacity utilization as economic activity returns to pre-pandemic levels. The demand for dimethyl carbonates remains strong and is expected to grow gradually in the coming years.

Segment Analysis

The global dimethyl carbonate market is segmented into grade, application, end-user and region. The dimethyl carbonate market is segmented into polycarbonate synthesis, battery electrolyte, solvents, reagents, and others based on the application.

The polycarbonate synthesis leads to this segmentation, as it is the largest application for dimethyl carbonate. Dimethyl carbonate is used in the synthesis of polycarbonates. Polycarbonates are used across various industries such as automotive, electrical, electronics as engineering plastic material due to their superior properties like heat resistance, impact resistance, structural stability and optical transparency.

Geographical Analysis

The Asia-Pacific region dominates the global dimethyl carbonate market. The region has the largest market share, owing to major emerging markets like China, India, Malaysia and Indonesia and developed markets like Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. This region is home to some of the largest dimethyl carbonate producers and consumers.

China is also the world's largest market for dimethyl carbonate. Polycarbonate materials are most commonly found in the construction and automotive industries. China has the world's largest construction industry and is expected to contribute $1.2 trillion to global construction output by 2030. China is also the world's largest automaker, producing more than 20 million passengers and 5 million commercial vehicles in 2020.

In electrolysis, dimethyl carbonate is used as an electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles and electronic gadgets. China is the biggest electric vehicle consumer globally. Between 2010 and 2020, China produced approximately 4.6 million vehicles and accounted for 44 percent of all the electric vehicles sold. China is the world's largest producer of electronics. The Asia-Pacific region will continue to dominate the global dimethyl carbonate market.

Competitive Landscape

The global dimethyl carbonate market is competitive due to the availability of a wide variety of companies that supply the growing demand. Some of the major players contributing to the growth in the segment are Ube Industries Ltd., Merck KGaA, Alfa Aesar, Tokyo Chemical Industry Co. Ltd, Kowa Company Ltd., Kishida Chemical Co. Ltd, Haihang Industry, Haike Chemical Group, Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co., Ltd and Shandong Shida Shengua Chemical Group Co. Ltd.

The significant players adopt several growth strategies such as new product launches, joint ventures and collaborations, contributing to global growth in the industry. In April 2021, Merck KGaA announced an investment of US$ 22.9 million to expand research and manufacturing capacity at its site in Shizuoka, Japan. As part of this new plan, new infrastructure will be built to advance and accelerate innovations in the electronic materials industry. In March 2021, Merck KGaA collaborated with the National University of Indonesia to establish the first Collaboration Laboratory between the company and the university to advance life science research and innovation development in Indonesia.

Ube Industries Ltd.

Overview: Ube Industries Ltd. is a major company manufacturing specialty chemicals, plastics, battery materials, pharmaceuticals, cement, construction materials and machinery. The company was founded in 1897 by Japanese industrialist Sukesaku Watanabe and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Product Portfolio

Dimethyl Carbonate is made by the company using carbon monoxide and methanol using the company's proprietary nitrile technology.

Key Developments: In July 2020, Ube Industries Ltd announced a capacity expansion for dimethyl carbonate by opening a new production facility in U.S. The production facility would have a capacity of 50,000 tons. It will produce dimethyl carbonate and 20,000- 30,000 tons of purified dimethyl carbonate annually.

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Visualize the composition of the dimethyl carbonates market segmentation by the grade, application, end-user and region, highlighting the critical commercial assets and players.

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The global dimethyl carbonates market report would access approximately 66 market data tables, 64 figures, and 192 pages.

Target Audience 2022

Petrochemical manufacturers

Specialty chemicals manufacturers

Industry Investors/Investment Bankers

Education & Research Institutes

Research Professionals