Silicone sealant is widely used in building, automobile and photovoltaic fields because of its good aging resistance, good electrical insulation, wide temperature application range, and excellent bonding performance to metal and non-metal materials. In this paper, the supply-demand relationship of silicone sealants in China, the production situation of leading enterprises and the development trend of silicone sealants are analyzed.
Supply-demand relationship and application fields
In 2010, the consumption of silicone sealants in China was 290,000 tons. In 2015, the consumption was 740,000 tons. The average annual growth rate between 2010 and 2015 was 20.6%. According to the forecast, the demand of silicone sealant in China will reach 1.15 million tons by 2020. Due to the increasing demand in the downstream area of silicone, the production and consumption of silicone sealants in China have increased. From the data in Table 1, it can be seen that the domestic production of silicone sealants is 30,000 tons less than consumption in 2010, and by 2015, its output is 20,000 tons more than consumption. The domestic consumption and output of silicone sealants are increasing at the same time, and the supply-demand relationship is relatively balanced.
Silicone sealant was first used in the construction field because of its excellent properties of high and low temperature, ultraviolet resistance and ozone aging resistance. So far, it has become the main type of building sealant. In recent years, silicone sealants have also been favored in automotive, electronics, photovoltaic and other fields.
Architectural field
Silicone sealants are mainly used as sealants for gaps in the construction field, such as doors and windows, building roofs, decorative panels and so on. Although the golden growth period of commercial housing in China has passed, with the advancement of urbanization and the increase of improved residential decoration, the demand for silicone sealants in the construction field will still be stimulated to a certain extent. According to the authoritative agency's forecast, in the next 15 years, the urbanized buildings will increase by 1 billion M2 annually, and the total number of newly built houses will be 20 billion m2. The market of silicone sealant for construction will increase by about 10% annually. It is estimated that by 2020, the demand of silicone sealant for domestic construction will reach 670,000 tons.
Automobile field
Silicone sealant has excellent properties such as oil resistance, high temperature resistance, aging resistance, etc. It is used in automotive engines, lamps, gearboxes and so on. According to the average standard parts of each vehicle, 300 g silicone sealant is needed for each vehicle. In 2015, the demand for silicone sealants in the automotive field is nearly 90,000 tons. In recent years, with the popularity of automobiles, it is expected that the demand for silicone sealants for automobiles will reach 180,000 tons by 2020.