Inorganic Nanoporous & Microporous Adsorbents

Report Highlights

• The commercial applications market for the top five types of inorganic nanoporous and microporous adsorbents covered presently is more than $1.77 billion. The market is expected to rise at an AAGR (average annual growth rate) of 3.7% to $2.12 billion in 2009.
• Zeolites account for nearly 61% of the total market and thus, heavily influence overall market growth rates downward.
• Air and water purification applications consume the majority of granular activated carbon (GAC) production. The GAC segment is projected to rise at an AAGR of 4.6%.
• Activated alumina adsorbents make common catalyst support in the chemical processing industry while silica gels are the most common desiccants and drying agents.

INTRODUCTION

The nanoporous and microporous adsorbents industry is a mature industry with a wide variety of products satisfying the requirements of well-established applications. However, expanded scope and applicability of environmental regulations, along with improving living standards around the world, are stimulating significant increases in demand for these products. In addition to environmental forces, newly invented specialized nanoporous sorbent products are creating novel market opportunities in the electronics manufacturing and biomedical industry sectors. Over the next half-decade, significant changes will take place in global microporous adsorbent products and applications.

This BCC study provides a comprehensive understanding of the recent advances in microporous inorganic adsorbent materials manufacturing, commercial applications and worldwide markets. For the purposes of this report, these materials will include granular activated carbon, special types of molecular sieves known as zeolites, clays, activated alumina, silica gel, and miscellaneous adsorbents such as iron oxide. Present consumption and future demand for these materials will be evaluated for the North American and worldwide regions.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The report contains:

• Descriptions of the major types of adsorbents including key physical and chemical properties, raw materials and manufacturing processes
• An overview of commercial applications
• Evaluations of present consumption and future demand for the North American and worldwide regions, with forecasts through 2009
• Analysis of technology trends
• Discussions of the impact of government regulations
• Outlines of the structural dynamics of the adsorbent industry along with profiles of important manufacturers.

METHODOLOGY

Estimates of current market demand are made for 2004 and projected over the next five years. Projections are made in terms of constant 2004 dollars. The growth rates are presented as average annual rates.

Market values were calculated simply by multiplying the number of pounds of material sold by the average price per pound. Confirmation of the numbers so reached was obtained by contacting several representative manufacturers in the nanoporous and microporous adsorbents industry and analyzing published reports.

INFORMATION SOURCES

The information in this report was derived from interviews with individuals in the industry, searches of on-line and print media including electronic databases, conference proceedings, patent literature, trade journals and newsletters, company publications, filings with SEC, and websites.

ANALYST'S CREDENTIALS

Market research analyst Ravindra Deshpande has over twelve years of reaserch and product development experience in a manufacturing industry. The analyst holds a Ph.D in Chemical Engineering along with a MBA. This analyst has published several papers in peer reviwed journals and is lead inventor on several patents.