The global polyethyleneimine market was valued at USD 421.23 million in 2023. It is expected to reach USD 496.34 million in 2032, growing at a CAGR of 1.84% over the forecast period (2024-32). Polyethyleneimine is versatile and finds applications across various industries, including paper, textiles, adhesives, cosmetics, and biomedical sectors. Its wide-ranging uses drive demand in multiple markets.
Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is sometimes called poly-aziridine. It is a polymer composed of a two-carbon aliphatic CH2CH2 monomer and an amine group. Linear PEIs contain all secondary amines and the primary, secondary, and tertiary amino groups present in branching PEIs. Linear PEIs are solids at average temperature, but branched PEIs are liquids at all molecular weights. Over the next seven years, the expansion of polyethyleneimines applications in industries including cosmetics, detergents, and adhesives is anticipated to be a significant driver of market growth.
Polyethyleneimine finds application in the paper production process as a wet strength agent. Its demand will likely increase due to the expanding paper and pulp sector in rising nations like China and India. For manufacturing paper and board grades such as multiple boards, newsprint, and fluting, they are used as wet end agents and drainage aids. They are furthermore utilized as polyelectrolyte multilayers to offer charged surfaces with a biocompatible surface covering. The market is anticipated to develop over the projected period due to the expanding water treatment chemicals industry and the depletion of freshwater resources.
Growing Demand for Use in Water Treatment Chemicals and Detergents
For improved stain removal, detergent formulations incorporate polyethyleneimine. Polyethyleneimine-based detergent formulations offer improved removal of organic stains, especially polyphenolic stains from morello juice (cherry juice), blueberry juice, red wine, tea, and coffee. Additionally, polyethyleneimine is employed in place of all or a portion of the phosphonate cheats in many laundry detergents, resulting in formulations of detergent with a lower phosphorus content.
There has been an increase in concern over their usage in laundry detergent formulations in specific geographic locations due to some evidence linking phosphorus-containing chemicals to the eutrophication of lakes and streams. Governmental agencies started restricting the amount of phosphorus in detergent formulations, which forced the development of chelant-containing laundry detergents like polyethyleneimine and increased demand for it. The rising need for laundry detergents is stimulating the market for polyethyleneimine.
Application Growth for Adhesives and Sealants
For various adhesive and sealant applications, polyethyleneimine (PEI) is appropriate. It is utilized as a coating or lamination in the adhesives sector to increase adherence. Water-based primers for metals, fabrics, and packing films also use it. For quite some time, the packaging industry has employed polyethyleneimine as a primer for extrusion coatings. Polyethylene bonding to cellulosic substrates, such as paper, has been a particular application. In reality, water or water-alcohol mixtures are diluted before use. Throughout the projected period, demand for polyethyleneimine is anticipated to rise due to growing end-use sectors, including construction, automotive, and packaging.
Unfavorable Circumstances
The economies of all the world's biggest consumers, including China, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and India, shrank. The market for polyethyleneimine is anticipated to be affected, at least temporarily, by this halt or disruption in numerous production processes brought on by this terrible illness. Furthermore, ethyleneimine is linked to several health problems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that persons exposed to ethyleneimine by acute inhalation have respiratory tract irritation and inflammation. However, symptoms may not appear for many hours. Humans who have experienced acute inhalation exposure may experience eye tearing and burning, sore throats, nasal secretions, bronchitis, shortness of breath, and lung edema.
| Study Period | 2020-2032 | CAGR | 1.84% |
| Historical Period | 2020-2022 | Forecast Period | 2024-2032 |
| Base Year | 2023 | Base Year Market Size | USD 421.23 million |
| Forecast Year | 2032 | Forecast Year Market Size | USD 496.34 million |
| Largest Market | North America | Fastest Growing Market | Asia-Pacific |
By region, the global polyethyleneimine market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.
Asia-Pacific commands the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.12% during the forecast period. China is the largest economy in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of GDP. In terms of production and exports, the textile sector in China is the biggest in the world. Due to decreased power prices, transportation subsidies, and lower raw cotton prices, investment in the nation's textile sector has increased recently. This has increased the demand for dyes and inks primarily employed in the textile industry. Among the Asia-Pacific nations, the Indian cosmetics industry is anticipated to develop at the highest rate. Compared to established or other emerging countries, India currently has a relatively low penetration of cosmetics items.
North America holds the second-largest market share and is anticipated to reach a value of USD 83 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 1.92%. America has the biggest economy in the world. In terms of the production of yarns and textiles from natural fibers like cotton and synthetic fibers, the United States ranks third in the world after China and India. Overall, the nation's textile sector has displayed a favorable trend due to the rising demand for technical textiles from various end-user industries, including automotive, industrial applications, etc. The world's biggest market for clothing is the United States.
Germany has the fifth-largest economy in the world and Europe. Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Beiersdorf AG, and Henkel are a few of the leading companies that produce cosmetics. The leading players in the market use new product releases and geographic growth as their primary strategies for increasing their geographical footprints. Consequently, applications from end users establish a market for using raw materials like polyethyleneimine.
We can customize every report - free of charge - including purchasing stand-alone sections or country-level reports
The global polyethyleneimine market is segmented by type, application, and region.
By type, the global polyethyleneimine market is bifurcated into Linear and Branched.
The Branched segment holds the largest market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.22% during the forecast period. Branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI) is a polymer that consists of ethylene diamine groups in repeating units. Primary, secondary, and tertiary amino groups are present in BPEIs, which are solids. Covalent connections between BPEI and carboxyl functionalized nanoparticles are made using the primary amines on BPEIs, providing a firm, significantly positively charged BPEI surface. They enhance the durability, cohesiveness, and moisture resistance of adhesives, paints & coatings, etc., by acting as an efficient crosslinker.
Ring-opening polymerization of aziridine yields polyethyleneimine (PEI), which ranges in molecular weight from low to high. The only amines present in the backbone of the Linear form, which is typically solid at room temperature, are primary and secondary. A cationic polymer with a high transfection efficiency is linear polyethyleneimine, which is flexible. It serves as a reagent for gene delivery. In vitro and in vivo transfection of oligonucleotides and plasmids into cells may be accomplished using this non-lipid polycation.
By application, the global polyethyleneimine market is categorized into Detergents, Adhesives & Sealants, Water Treatment Chemicals, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Paper, Coatings Inks & Dyes, and Others.
The Adhesives & Sealants segment stands first in the market and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.11% during the forecast period. Numerous adhesive and sealant applications call for polyethyleneimine (PEI). It serves as an adhesion booster for laminations in the adhesives sector. Additionally, it's a component of water-based packaging film primers. The packaging industry has long utilized polyethyleneimine as priming for extrusion coatings. It has helped attach polyethylene to paper and other cellulosic substrates in particular. It is implemented in real life using diluted water or water-alcohol mixtures. Globally, the packaging sector is the primary user of adhesives, and this trend is anticipated to persist over the projected period. This is mainly because the food and beverage industry strongly needs packaging applications.
Fabric softener and laundry detergent use polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a chelant and sequestrant. When employed in Detergent formulations, it functions as a cationic polymer with a high charge density that helps remove food, drink, and other organic stains from clothes. Moreover, they have the capacity to cling to materials while also offering the lubricity to enhance the fabric's feel, dispersing electrical forces organically. Thus, customers preferred well-known and more expensive detergents, notably among the high-income or middle-income groups, instead of a trend toward cheaper private-label home items.
Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is also utilized in Cosmetic & Personal Care products where active chemicals are better kept on the hair or skin due to its low toxicity. The cosmetics & personal care market is booming due to rising online beauty expenditure, increasing social media usage, growing consumer interest in novel and high-end items, accelerated urbanization, and increasing upper-middle-class populations. Color cosmetics may clarify features, hide faults, and improve one's overall physical appearance, making one appear younger and more rested.
