Ceramic Adhesives Market

Market Overview

The Global Ceramic Adhesives Market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period.

Ceramic adhesives are designed to meet the most demanding applications. They are manufactured with ceramic binders and select strengthening putties or fillers and offer excellent bonding to ceramics, glass, plastics, and metals. Ceramic adhesives are good insulators and exhibit superior temperature stability, thermal shock resistance, and mechanical properties. They also exhibit high resistance to oxidizing and changing atmospheres, molten metals, chemicals, and thinners.

Niche applications in the construction, electronics and electrical, healthcare, and railway industries drive the ceramic adhesives market. Presently, the market is in the growth stage, with dental and construction applications driving the most significant growth. Coming years will see the ceramic adhesives market trail the growth of the building and construction market globally.

Stringent regulations in countries of North America and Europe restrict market growth to some extent. But R&D, fuelled by significant investments, is expected to pave way for the introduction of products that better comply with regional norms.

Market Dynamics

Applications in Building & Construction: Gluing Ceramics to Ceilings, Walls, & Floorings

Ceramic adhesives are used for fitting tiles, floorings, wall coatings, and ceilings in the construction sector. Primarily, they are used for ceramic products in stone floor gluing, carpeting, and polyethylene floor pasting applications. Construction is the key application industry for these adhesives, and growth trends in the sector will reflect in the ceramic adhesives market.

Population growth and increasing spending capacity are accelerating the demand for residential construction projects and large-scale infrastructure projects in developing and developed countries. Further, digitization, automation, sustainability, new business models, and social trends also bolster the construction industry, in turn providing a fillip to the ceramic adhesives market.

Applications in Dental Industry: Ceramic Restorations

Changing eating habits and higher consciousness about looks among the youth today have seen an upsurge in the number of dental procedures. Ceramics have been in use in dental procedures for a long time. Ceramic repairs are appealing because of their aesthetics, but the bonding of ceramics with teeth is a key challenge in dental applications.

The success of a ceramic reconstruction lies in the durability and quality of the bond shared by resin cement and the restoration. Zirconia is a type of restoration widely used in dentistry. Primers such as acids and air-borne particles are used to create an adequate bond, which involves ceramic surface changes for mechanical holding. The most famous and widely used treatment for improving adhesion to high crystalline content ceramics includes treatment of the surface with airborne particle attrition and chemical bonding.

Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific dominates the global ceramic adhesives market, with domestic and commercial construction driving growth. The region is expected to retain its market position throughout the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific is the largest importer of ceramic flooring blocks and tiles with around a 41% holding, which amounts to USD 165 million, followed by Africa and Europe with 28%, South America with 1.3%, North America with 1.1%, and the Middle East with only 0.95%. The below figure portrays the import percentage and revenue of ceramics region wise.

Developing economies are promising markets for ceramic adhesives. Large-scale infrastructure projects such as bullet trains, high-speed railway tracks, airports, roads, and nuclear plants provide a plethora of opportunities for the use of these adhesives. Government initiatives, such as smart city projects, further foster market growth, with the inflow of public funding and FDI additionally supporting the growth momentum.

India

The India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) estimates India will emerge as the world’s third-largest construction market by 2022. Sustainable development will necessitate investment worth USD 777.73 billion in the country’s construction and infrastructure industry by 2022. Government initiatives such as housing for all and smart cities bolster the region’s construction sector. Additionally, the allowance of 100% FDI under the automatic route in this sector makes it one of India’s largest FDI receivers.

Other Countries

China’s ceramic adhesives market is expected to grow substantially during the forecast period. Indonesia and Thailand are witnessing an increase in the rate of construction and building because of increased investments, which is expected to drive market growth in respective countries.

Segmental Analysis

For the purpose of estimation, the ceramic adhesives market has been classified into the following segments on the basis of chemistry.

• Cement-based
• Epoxy
• Acrylic
• Silicone
• Cyanoacrylate
• Others (polyvinyl acetate, polyurethane, and other reaction resins)

Cement-Based Ceramic Adhesives Account for Lion’s Share of the Market

The cement-based segment dominates the market on the basis of chemistry. Cement-based ceramic adhesives offer high bond strength, flexibility, durability, and shear strength. Additionally, they are non-sagging and have high polymer content. Their low cost also plays a key role in driving applications. Cement-based ceramic adhesives are used in cement mortar beds, cement plaster screed, kitchen and laundry areas, and swimming pools.

Epoxy Ceramic Adhesives to Account for the Second Largest Value Share

The epoxy segment accounts for the second-largest value share and is expected to register steady growth in the coming years. While high strength and adaptability drive applications for these adhesives, their high cost deter adoption, limiting it to a few special applications such as fiberglass repair, wood, and metal fillers, and reinforce bolts.

Cyanoacrylate Adhesives, or Superglues, Have Niche Applications, Such as in Close-Fitting Joints

Cyanoacrylate adhesives, also known as superglues, set in seconds and are used for close-fitting joints. They can be used on slightly alkaline surfaces, and acidic surfaces such as wood obstruct the curing process and, in severe cases, prevent curing completely. Cyanoacrylates are primarily used for plastic parts to provide rubber joining. Most grades of cyanoacrylates are low viscosity liquids and, therefore, need appropriate joints. New developments in cyanoacrylates, such as gelled variants, help cure wider gaps and are majorly used for vertical surfaces.

Silicones Offer Moderate Adhesion But Superior Flexibility & Durability

Silicones are widely used in regions with hotter climates due to their flexibility and high-temperature resistance. They are available in two forms, single and double. Single silicones operate like polyurethanes, and double silicones operate like two-part epoxies. Silicones are not very stable adhesives but used for their other properties.

In a single part adhesive dose curing, silicones release either acetic acid or alcohol. Their major application is in bath and shower mastics. The adhesion they provide to the surface is moderate, but their flexibility and durability are of supreme quality. The double form is divided differently as one which releases acid after curing and another one that does not. As an observation, it is seen that the two-part adhesive system is better in the case of thick sections compared to the single form.