Polyacrylamide Market

Market Overview

The global polyacrylamide market size was valued at USD 4.52 billion in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 7.16 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.25% during the forecast period (2023–2031). The growing global demand for efficient water treatment systems is expanding the global polyacrylamide market. Moreover, as people are more concerned about the environmental impact of every product nowadays, there is a growing demand for bio-based polyacrylamide obtained from natural sources, which is sustainable and eco-friendly. This is expected to create opportunities for market growth.

PAM or pAAM stands for polyacrylamide, a compound with a chemical formula (-CH2CHCONH2-). The structure consists of a linear chain. It occurs in diverse physical states, such as a granular, white powder, or a gel-like compound. Polyacrylamide finds extensive utility in various sectors, including paper manufacturing, water treatment, soil conditioning, and the petroleum industry for enhanced oil recovery.

Its capacity to incorporate water and transform it into a gel-like substance renders it advantageous in many environmental and industrial processes. Polyolefins comprise polyacrylamide. An amide substituent is attached to each alternating carbon atom, transforming it into polyethylene. Unlike several nylons, polyacrylamide is not classified as a polyamide due to its polymer backbone's absence of amide groups.

Market Dynamics

Global Polyacrylamide Market Drivers

Growing Demand from the Water Treatment Industry

Polyacrylamide finds widespread application in water treatment procedures, specifically in the purification of drinking water and the treatment of wastewater. The world's population is growing quickly, and expanding industrialization and urbanization significantly damage existing freshwater resources. Twenty-two percent of the world's water consumption is utilized for industrial purposes. Similarly, according to WHO, water-stressed countries were home to over 2 billion individuals in 2021. Therefore, numerous governing bodies and regulatory organizations have published numerous rules and requirements on wastewater treatment and disposal, particularly from the industrial sector, to protect the environment.

Furthermore, polyacrylamide serves as a flocculant agent, employed to aggregate minute particles present in water, hence facilitating the formation of bigger particles known as flocs. The settling velocity of these flocs is increased during the sedimentation process, hence facilitating the effective removal of suspended solids from the water. The improvement of particle aggregation can boost the efficacy of coagulation agents. The application of this method proves to be particularly advantageous in the treatment of water that exhibits turbidity or high colloidal content. Thus, the rising demand from the water treatment industry drives market growth.

Increasing Demand for EOR

Polyacrylamide is used in enhanced oil recovery procedures in the oil and gas industry to maximize oil extraction from reservoirs. In water-based solutions, polyacrylamide is frequently employed as a thickening agent to produce a gel-like substance. When injected into oil reservoirs, this substance facilitates oil recovery by dislodging it more efficiently. The thickened water also functions as a barrier, impeding the flow of water across the reservoir and compelling it to transport the oil in the direction of the production wells.

The requirement for technologies like EOR keeps driving the polyacrylamide industry as there is a significant demand for oil globally. For instance, according to Statista, the global consumption of crude oil, encompassing biofuels, reached 99.57 million barrels per day in 2022. Estimates show this figure will rise to 101.89 million daily barrels by 2023. As oil is a non-renewable resource and a growing demand worldwide, demand for technologies like EOR increases, driving the global polyacrylamide market growth.

Global Polyacrylamide Market Restraint

Negative Impact on the Environment 

Polyacrylamide has been linked to environmental issues concerning its application in the field of water treatment. The utilization of polyacrylamide in specific contexts can lead to soil and water contamination, hence giving rise to regulatory limitations and heightened scrutiny. The market may also face difficulties due to implementing rigorous rules about using chemicals, particularly those that can potentially cause environmental harm. Market expansion may be constrained by factors such as adherence to regulatory standards and the demand for environmentally sustainable alternatives.

Global Polyacrylamide Market Opportunities

Development of Bio-Based Polyacrylamide

Unlike conventional polyacrylamide, predominantly obtained from petrochemical sources, bio-based polyacrylamide is produced from renewable biological resources, including microorganisms and plants. Bio-based polyacrylamide aspires to diminish reliance on finite fossil fuel reserves and alleviate the environmental repercussions linked to conventional petrochemical-based polymers through renewable resources. It exhibits similar properties and applications to conventional polyacrylamide.

Bio-based polymers' advancement and application follow the overarching objective of establishing environmentally conscious and sustainable substitutes within the polymer sector. Therefore, the key players are advancing their conventional products to renewable alternatives. For instance, in February 2022, Kemira Oyj, a company in Helsinki, Finland, recently commenced global full-scale production of its new bio-based polyacrylamide. The initial commercial quantities are sent to a wastewater treatment facility operated by the Helsinki Region Environmental Services (HSY) for experimental purposes. Such developments are expected to generate opportunities for market growth.

Regional Analysis

Based on region, the global polyacrylamide market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.

In the Asia-Pacific region, highly effective wastewater treatment is required due to the region's burgeoning urbanization, booming industrialization, rising water pollution, and water constraints in numerous countries. For instance, based on statistical data provided by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), it is evident that a significant proportion of China's seven major river systems, approximately 32%, as well as a substantial portion of its major basins, around 29%, failed to achieve the established water quality requirements categorized as grade III and below. This increased demand for water treatment has compelled the governments of several nations to take initiatives for effective wastewater treatment strategies.

For instance, the 2030 Water Resources Group and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) are collaborating to increase private investments in the construction of wastewater treatment plants and enhance wastewater management in India. Therefore, the high demand and development of wastewater treatment processes are expected to augment the market in the region.

Additionally, the key participants in the region are expanding their production facilities to strengthen their market foothold. For instance, in October 2017, BASF commenced operations at a newly established facility in Nanjing, China, dedicated to producing biocatalyzed acrylamide utilizing enzymes. BASF is enhancing its production infrastructure to provide polyacrylamide to clients in the Asia-Pacific, particularly China, through its recent investment in the BioACM facility in Nanjing. This move aims to bolster the company's capacity to deliver dependable and superior-quality supply of polyacrylamide. The factory possesses an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons of biocatalyzed acrylamide. Such factors are expected to expedite regional market expansion.

North America is expected to grow at a significant rate. Implementing strict regulatory measures regarding wastewater disposal and increasing environmental apprehensions in the area are anticipated to stimulate water treatment endeavors. This is expected to result in a favorable influence on the industry's growth. In addition, the advancements in polyacrylamide polymer technology for producing polyacrylamide gel and powder are anticipated to open up novel opportunities in bio-sciences and pharmaceuticals within the region.

Furthermore, prominent market participants prioritize diverse business strategies, including capacity growth, to augment their product offerings. For instance, SNF, a prominent specialist in polyacrylamide, has announced its intention to allocate a total of USD 300 million throughout 2021 and 2022 towards augmenting its production capacity within the United States. The investment is expected to enhance the yearly production capacity at the company's Plaquemine, Louisiana facility by an additional 30,000 metric tons of polyacrylamide and 100,000 metric tons of acrylamide monomer. The decision comes in the wake of SNF's recent completion of a global growth effort totaling USD 1.2 billion in investments. Such investment is expected to boost the market growth in the North American region.

Segmental Analysis

The global polyacrylamide market is segmented by product type and application.

Based on product type, the global market is divided into anionic, cationic, and non-ionic. 

Anionic polyacrylamide is a water-soluble polymer derived from acrylamide and acrylic acid monomers. The polymer possesses a negative charge due to anionic functional groups distributed along its molecular chain. The distinctive characteristics of anionic polyacrylamide, attributed to the existence of anionic groups, render it valuable in an extensive range of industrial and environmental contexts. The polymer's anionic characteristics facilitate its interaction with positively charged particles and surfaces, resulting in the aggregation of bigger particles that may be readily eliminated or sedimented. This property renders it efficacious in several processes that require the elimination or consolidation of suspended particles.

Based on application, the global polyacrylamide market is segmented into water treatment, enhanced oil recovery, pulp and paper, mineral processing, and others.

Polyacrylamide is extensively utilized in both the pulp and polymer sectors. The utilization of this substance in various industries is motivated by its distinct characteristics and capabilities. The utilization of polyacrylamide in the pulp and paper industry is predominantly observed in the context of the flocculation process. Moreover, it enhances retention and drainage in the papermaking process. The inclusion of small particles and fibers in the paper leads to an increase in its retention, resulting in an improvement in the overall quality and strength of the finished product.

Furthermore, the utilization of polyacrylamide aids in facilitating water drainage throughout the paper creation procedure, enhancing the development of a homogeneous and standardized sheet. Polyacrylamide in the pulp and paper sector can enhance paper's strength, opacity, and printability.

Recent Developments

• June 2023- Avient, an American polymer manufacturer, partnered with BASF, a German chemical company, to introduce colored grades of Ultrason high-performance polymers to the international market.
• December 2022- SNF concluded constructing and expanding its Riceboro, Georgia facility's ADAM (dimethylaminoethyl acrylate) monomer production capacity spanning two years. This expansion increases the ADAM capacity of SNF in the United States by 80%. ADAM is the primary substrate for ADC80 cationic monomer, a critical constituent in all polymers based on SNF cationic polyacrylamide.