Mixing two-component flexible cementitious sealing slurries on-site immediately before use may soon become a thing of the past. A redispersible polymer powder has been developed that enables the formulation of one-component products. Polymer powders of this type can also be used successfully, in other ‘elastic' applications, such as highly flexible tile adhesives
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The effects of polymer dispersions on the physical and chemical properties of flexible cementitious sealing slurries are well known.
1The resulting products have been used for many years as surface-protection systems.
2Second-generation sealing slurries of this type are characterized by their high polymer fraction with the polymer-cement (p/c) ratio being typically 0.8 or more. The polymer, which ensures that the membrane remains flexible down to low temperatures, must have a very low glass-transition temperature (T
g) (typically in the region -5 to -60°C). The technical properties of this type of building material are described elsewhere.
1-2Until recently, all commercially available low-temperature flexible sealing slurries were two-component systems. This meant that, immediately prior to use, the user had to mix a powdered component with a liquid component on-site. Both logistic considerations (reduction in freight volume, no need to protect against freezing during storage, simplified disposal of containers) and the improved handling properties (ready-made powdered product that can be mixed to the required consistency by simply adding water, thus making preparation more reproducible and less prone to error), led to considerable effort in developing a suitable single-component cementitious slurry product. The main difficulty in this development work was the availability of a powdered polymer that exhibited adequate low-temperature flexibility and good processing properties, especially with regard to the drying of the slurry coat after application.
The aim of this article is twofold: to explain the difficulties in producing a redispersible powder with adequate low-temperature flexibility, and to present a new solution to this problem, including a description of the associated physical and chemical characteristics. The use of powdered products of this kind in other "elastic" applications, such as flexible tile adhesives, will also be discussed.
Redispersible powders
3-7are usually made by carefully drying aqueous polymeric suspensions in a spray drier.
8Typically, drying temperatures are 120-200°C at the drier entrance and 60-80°C at the drier exit (the cooling being due to evaporation of the water of dispersion). At such high drying temperatures there is a risk that a soft polymer (e.g., one with a T
gwell below 0°C) will undergo irreversible particle-particle coalescence and film formation during the drying process. Initial deterioration of this type often results in formation of undesirable large size agglomerates and poor redispersion properties when water is added on the job site. However, since it is only the redispersible fraction of a dispersion powder that modifies the properties of the building material (a fact especially evident whenever the dispersion powder alone is responsible for binding
9), poor redispersibility can only be compensated for by the undesirable step of increasing the amount of powder used.
Generally, premature film formation of the polymer particles can be prevented by including hard, water-soluble additives (spray additives) to the dispersed binding agent prior to the drying step (see Figure 1).
The spray additive distributes itself between the continuous aqueous phase and the surface of the dispersed particles. Since the spray dries within seconds, the distribution of particles at that time becomes frozen in, with the spray additive acting as an inter-particle spacer. Irreversible coalescence of the polymer particles is thus prevented. If the dried powder is subsequently mixed with water again, even low-level shear is sufficient to cause the spray additive to dissolve completely, releasing the essentially unchanged primary dispersion particles. The polymer powder is thus re-dispersible again.
The validity of this model has been established with microscopic measurements. Fluorescence microscopy using a confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM) is a non-destructive optical technique that can generate high-resolution images of very thin, well-defined sections of a prepared specimen. The method is, therefore, especially suited to imaging the interior of particles in the dispersion powder.
Figure 2 shows a CLSM image of a BASF product after embedding in silicone oil. In addition, a powder sample was ground in a mortar at -120°C and the fragments examined in a scanning electron microscope.
Four model polymer dispersions were prepared using a standard semi-batch polymerization process. The dispersions differed in their styrene-acrylate ratio and therefore had correspondingly different T
gs. All other experimental parameters were kept constant to assist the comparison of results.
The spray additives used included an aryl sulfonate-based low-molecular-weight condensation product and a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with a degree of saponification of approx. 88% and a weight-average molecular mass of approx. 26,000 g/mol.
Spray additive solutions were stirred into the dispersions and mixtures were then adjusted to a solids content of 30% using added deionized water. Spray drying was performed in a laboratory apparatus with maximum 2 kg material/hr throughput capacity, using a binary nozzle atomizer under standard conditions.
A qualitative assessment was made of the redispersibility of the polymer powders based on the amount of sediment that formed during a 72-hour redispersion period with a solid fraction of 30% w/w.
To compare the flexibility of the polymer powders, air-dried films were tested using a tensile strain experiment. All powders were redispersed in water in the ratio 30% w/w and left to form a film at room temperature. The free polymer films achieved their final hardness within two weeks at the most. Film samples were pulled in a commercial tensometer at temperatures of 25 to -5°C, until fracture.
At a temperature of 25°C, the elongation at break of these redispersion films -and thus their elasticity - was essentially independent of the Tg. Effects first become observable at lower temperatures. At -5°C, redispersible powders with a Tg above approx. 10°C are essentially inflexible. Soft powders with a Tg under about 5°C are still elastic at this temperature, the extent of elasticity being determined by the spray additive (see Figure 3).
The fact that the redispersion powder with a Tg of -33°C at a test temperature of -5°C is not more flexible than that with a Tg of -16°C is presumably a result of a small amount of prior film formation during the spray drying process.
In contrast, the maximum tensile strength (stress) is solely determined by the difference between the glass transition temperature of the polymer and the measurement temperature, and it falls monotonically as a function of decreasing Tg (see Figure 4). The type of spray additive used has no significant effect on the tear strength.
The qualitative property of a polymer film known as ‘flexibility' is associated with the material's tensile strength and its elongation at break. However, this behavior is best interpreted in terms of the temperature dependence of the film's tensile modulus. The tensile modulus can be interpreted as the initial gradient of the stress-strain (load-extension) curve from a simple tensile loading test, and comprises an elastic part (storage modulus E') and a viscous part (loss modulus E").
To measure these quantities, the initial dispersions and the polymer/spray additive mixtures were left to form a film at room temperature both before and after spray drying. The temperature dependence of the polymer film's storage and loss moduli were then determined in a dynamic mechanical analyzer.11
The influence of the aryl-sulfonate-based spray additive is demonstrated in Figures 5-6.
The low-molecular-weight (hard) aromatic spray additive is fully miscible with the styrene-acrylate copolymer; as a result, the tensile moduli of the polymer film at temperatures above the polymer T
gis increased by several orders of magnitude. Eventually, an essentially temperature-independent region (plateau) is achieved due to the physical crosslinking of the dispersion polymer particles by the spray additive. This phase structure is also retained after spray drying; the temperature dependence of E' and E" are practically identical before and after spray drying. The redispersion film, therefore, demonstrates the desired rubber-like elasticity that is responsible for the flexibility and strength observed in the elongation at break experiment.
Very different behavior is observed when the partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol spray additive is used. The much greater molecular mass of the polyvinyl alcohol means that this additive is effectively immiscible with most copolymers, including the styrene-acrylate copolymers used in the present study. The two polymer phases, therefore, remain separated in the mixture; as a result, a second glass transition - that of the polyvinyl alcohol - is observed at around 60-70°C. In this temperature range, the tensile moduli decrease with increasing temperature (see Figure 6).
The absence of physical crosslinking means that there is only minimal cohesion within the redispersion film when subjected to thermal or tensile stress. The low level restoring forces are also manifest in the low flexibility observed in the tensile strain test (see Figure 3).
These experimental observations are of direct relevance to product applications characterized by a high polymer fraction and a desired high degree of low-temperature flexibility. Examples of such applications are flexible sealing slurries and flexible tile adhesives, both of which are discussed in greater detail in the following two sections.
Each of the six redispersible powders described was used to manufacture a single-component (‘one-pack') sealing slurry using the simplest possible formulation (see Table 3).
The polymer-cement ratio (p/c) was 0.8, with total polymer content of approximately 17% in all dry mixtures. Mixing water level was adjusted to produce a slurry with a consistency suitable for application with a roller.
Once mixed for use, each sealing slurry was spread wet-on-wet in two to three coats onto an inert polyethylene sheet (application rate: 3 kg/m2), left to dry for 24 hours and then peeled off as a film. The films were then stored for a further 14 days in a standard reference atmosphere. The tensile breaking strength and the elongation at break of each slurry film was then measured at room temperature, 10°C and -5°C (see Figures 7-8).
The room temperature tests demonstrate the decreasing tensile tear strength and the increasing elongation at break of the sealing slurries as the T
gdecreases. The reason why the polyvinyl alcohol/acrylate powders exhibit lower tensile strength and reduced elongation at break compared to the aryl sulfonate containing samples is that the former has a lower cohesion due to the incompatibility of the polyvinyl alcohol and the acrylate copolymer.
As the investigations of the elongation at break at 10°C and, in particular, at -5°C show, a sealing slurry will only exhibit sufficient flexibility if the Tg of the polymeric component is far enough below the measurement temperature. However, the price paid for this effect is the significant reduction in the inherent strength of such a product (see the results for the softest polymer in Figure 7). Even at the lower measurement temperatures, the polyvinyl alcohol-containing acrylate powders are again characterized by their lower tensile strengths and lower extensibility compared to the aryl sulfonate samples.
From the results discussed in this section, the sealing slurry with the most balanced set of properties in terms of inherent strength and low-temperature flexibility is the aryl sulfonate redispersible powder with a glass transition temperature of -16°C.
Two aryl-sulfonate-modified acrylate powders with T
gs of +14°C and -16°C (A1 and C1, respectively) were used in the preparation of powdered flexible tile adhesives. Testing of the corresponding polyvinyl-alcohol-modified powders was not possible because the bond strengths of the corresponding tile adhesive formulations were far too low.
As with the sealing slurries, the simplest possible recipe was used for the investigations of the polymer-modified cementitious tile adhesives (see Table 4).
To understand the effect of polymer content in the formulation, the polymer-cement ratio of the dry mixture was varied between 0.04 and 0.31, corresponding to a polymer fraction of between approx. 1.5 and 12% w/w in the tile adhesive. For comparison purposes, a common, commercially available EVA-based polymer powder recommended for this purpose was also tested (Tg = -5°C; contains polyvinyl alcohol; EVA = ethylene vinylacetate).
The amount of mixing water required was that which gave the best workability coupled with sufficient stability of the tile on the test substrate. As shown in Figure 9, the amount of water required was found to decrease with increasing p/c with the acrylate powder systems but was approximately constant with the EVA-based powder. As expected, the differences between the two product groups are marginal at very low polymer fractions.
Tile adhesive bond strengths were determined using the old DIN 18 156 standard (tile pulloff test) on samples with p/c ratios of 0.04 and 0.23 (corresponding to a polymer fraction of 1.5% w/w and 10% w/w, respectively). Bond strengths were measured under four conditions: after 28 days dry storage at room temperature ("standard reference atmosphere"); after 28 days in the standard reference atmosphere followed by additional high-temperature storage at 70°C; after 7 days in the standard reference atmosphere and then 21 days wet storage; and after 7 days in the standard reference atmosphere followed by freeze-thaw cycling.
The failure pattern observed during these tests was always either cohesive failure or concrete substrate breakout and never adhesive failure. The measured bond strengths, therefore, represent minimum values and reflect the inherent strength of the tile adhesive. Their magnitude may, however, also be a result of the reduced amount of water required by these modified materials.
The bond strength results shown in Figure 10 demonstrate that the differences between the three test powders are slight at low polymer fractions. At the higher polymer level tested (p/c = 0.23), in spite of the lower T
gand high inherent flexibility, C1 yielded bond strengths that were indeed somewhat less than the higher T
gpolymer A1 but, importantly, were comparable to the harder commercial EVA-based powder - with its much weaker ability to impart flexibility.
As the experiments on the sealing slurries showed (see Figure 8), the addition of a sufficient quantity of soft acrylate powder C1 results in a dramatic increase in the flexibility of the cementitious compound material. The lower inherent strength of the polymer is the reason for the reduced bond strength compared with the harder polymer A1 (see Figure 10). This effect is compensated to some extent by the reduced amount of water required by the acrylate-containing formulations (see Figure 9). It is noteworthy that, compared with the EVA-based product, the two acrylate-containing powders offer significant advantages when subjected to the particularly critical freeze-thaw cycling test.
The choice of the right acrylate powder for flexible and highly flexible tile adhesives depends upon the desired material properties. If a high inherent strength is of primary importance for an application, then the harder powder A1 is certainly preferable. If the user attaches greater weight to a product with good (low-temperature) flexibility and adequate inherent strength (e.g., when tiling on a substrate that may be subject to movement), a softer powder such as C1 is the material of choice.
The present work provides insights to the challenges associated with manufacturing soft redispersible polymer powders (i.e., ones that are flexible at low temperatures). By using a new spray drying additive technology, the elastic properties of a soft acrylate dispersion can be retained in the resulting redispersible acrylate powder. Powder products of this type can be used successfully in ‘elastic' applications such as flexible cementitious sealing slurries and (highly) flexible tile adhesives. In the latter, high bond strengths are combined with excellent resistance to freeze-thaw stress and exceptionally good flexibility, even at low temperatures.
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1 Angel, M.; Denu, H.-J. Dichtungsschlämmen für den Betonoberflächenschutz [Sealing slurries for protecting concrete surfaces].
Farbe&Lack103 (1997), No. 8, p. 92.
2 Volkwein, A..; Petri, R.; Springenschmid, R. Oberflächenschutz von Beton mit flexiblen Dichtungsschlämmen - Teil 1 [Concrete surface protection using flexible sealing slurries - Part 1]. Betonwerk und Fertigteiltechnik 54 (1988), No. 8, p. 30. b) Volkwein, A..; Petri, R.; Springenschmid, R. Oberflächenschutz von Beton mit flexiblen Dichtungsschlämmen - Teil 2 [Concrete surface protection using flexible sealing slurries - Part 2]. Betonwerk und Fertigteiltechnik 54 (1988), No. 9, p. 72.
3 Schulze, J. Redispersionspulver im Zement [Redispersible powders in cement]. TIZ-Fachberichte 109 (1985) No. 9, p. 698.
4 Rietz, U.; Dispersionspulver, Herstellung und Verwendung [Redispersible powders: manufacture and use]. Chem. Tech. makromol. Stoffe (FH-Texte, 12. Koll. FH Aachen) 53 (1987), p. 85.
5 Walters, D.G. VAE Redispersible-Powder Hydraulic-Cement Admixtures. Concrete Int. 14 (1992) No. 4, p. 30.
6 Tsai, M.C.; Burch, M.J.; Lavelle, J.A. Acrylic Dry Polymer Modified High Solids Cementicious Coatings. Proc. Water-Borne Higher-Solids Powder Coat. Symp. (1993), p. 322.
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7 Denu, H.-J.; Pakusch, J. Ein neues Dispersionspulver mit integrierter Bindemittel- und Verlaufsfunktion [A new redispersible powder with integrated binding and leveling properties]. European Coatings Show (Nürnberg 1999) Bauchemiekongreß.
8 Armbruster, W. Die Zerstäubungstrocknung [Spray drying]. Chem. App. Verfahrenstechnik 93 (1969) No. 12, p. 469.
9 Dörr, H.; Lohmann, W. Ohne Wasser geht's auch - optimales Formulieren und Produzieren von Dispersions-Pulverfarben. [Doing without water - optimized formulations and the production of dispersible powder pigments]. Farbe&Lack 101 (1995), No. 8, p. 708.
10 Richardson, M.J. Comprehensive Polymer Science Vol. I. Hrsg. C. Booth, C. Price, Pergamon Press Oxford (1989), p. 867.
11 Zosel. A. Lack- und Polymerfilme - viskoelastische Qualitätsmerkmale [Paint and polymer films - viscoelastic quality characteristics). Hrsg. U. Zorll, C.R. Vincentz Verlag Hannover (1996), p. 21.
12 Mächtle, W. Coupling Particle Size Distribution Technique. Angew. Makromol. Chem. 162 (1988), p. 35.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Overview
Redispersible polymer powder market size is forecast to reach $3.3 billion by 2026, after growing at a CAGR of 6.2% during 2021-2026. The redispersible polymer powder improves the water retention of dry-mix mortar and forms a film to reduce evaporation of water owing to which it is extensively utilized in the residential and commercial construction industry. When mixed with water, these powdered organic binders can redisperse into new emulsions with essentially identical properties to the original copolymer emulsions. The increasing requirement of redispersible polymer powders in the booming building & construction sector and its wide usage in maintenance projects is leading to the high growth of the redispersible polymer powder market. In addition, the government initiatives such as “Housing for All” and “Smart City Mission” are flourishing the construction sector, which is anticipated to play a key role in driving the redispersible polymer powder market during the forecast period.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market COVID-19 Impact
However, the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak is having a huge impact on the building and construction industry globally. Covid-19 has exposed challenges for the redispersible polymer powder market by impacting the construction sectors. There has been a temporary suspension of building and construction activities in various regions. In Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2020, for example, construction output in Great Britain fell by a record 35.0% compared with Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2020. This value decline was due to the Corona Virus pandemic. Major economies of various regions are affected due to pandemic and resulted in a slowdown in the manufacturing activities of residential buildings owing to which there is the declination in the market revenue. With the decrease in building and construction the operation, the demand for powdered organic binders such as redispersible polymer powder has significantly fallen, which is having a major impact on the redispersible polymer powder market.
Report Coverage
The report: “Redispersible Polymer Powder Market – Forecast (2021-2026)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the redispersible polymer powder Industry.
By Type: Acrylic, Vinyl
Acetate-Ethylene (VAE), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer (EVA), Vinyl Ester of
Versatic Acid (VEOVA), Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR), and Others
By Application: Tiling
& Flooring (Tile Grouts, Tile Adhesives, and Others), Mortar (Repair
Mortars, Decorative Mortars, Waterproofing Mortars, and Others), Insulation
System (Thermal Insulation Systems, EIFS Systems, and Others), Plastering (Sodium
Perborate and Sodium Percarbonate), Organic Derivatives (Wall Putty, Gypsum,
Cement, and Others) Cement Renders, and Others
By End-Use Industry:
Residential Buildings (Independent Homes, Row Houses, Large Apartment Buildings,
and Others), Commercial Buildings (Airports, Educational Institutes, Shopping
Malls, Supermarkets, Hotels, School, and Others), Industrial Buildings (Oil
& Gas, Power Plants, Solar Energy, and Others), and Others
By Geography: North
America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (U.K, Germany, France, Italy,
Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Belgium, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China,
Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan,
Malaysia and Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile,
and Rest of South America), Rest of the World (Middle East, and Africa)
Key Takeaways
Asia-Pacific dominates the redispersible polymer powder market, owing to the increasing manufacturing & construction activities in the region due to various government initiatives such as 100 smart cities and Housing for all by 2022 in APAC.
Redispersible polymer powders are copolymer emulsions that have been transformed by a set of processes, such as high temperatures and pressures, spray drying, and surface treatment, into powdered thermoplastic resin materials.
Huge investments are being made in the infrastructure sector to stimulate the economy, owing to which the demand for cement, dry-mix mortars, tiling, and plastering are projected to increase. This will boost the use of redispersible polymer powder for residential as well as non-residential buildings.
Redispersible polymer demand is constantly increasing due to its advantages in the construction industry, such as improved water retention and workability, strong dry-mix mortar strength development, higher flexural strength and flexibility, and strong resistance to impact and abrasion.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, all construction and building activities are stopped until the pandemic, no new orders can be taken over and no existing order can be completed, which has a significant impact on the market for redispersible polymer powder.
Figure: Asia-Pacific Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Revenue, 2020-2026 (US$ Billion)
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Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By Type
The vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) segment held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020, owing to its affordable cost and superior properties. VAE redispersable powders (RDPs) are easy to ship, store (excellent storage stability), handle, and more. Vinyl acetate homopolymer the powder is extensively utilized in applications such as the formulation of construction materials such as tile adhesives, grouts, finishing plasters, troweling compounds, dry-mix mortar, and sealing slurries. The vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) based redispersible powders are especially recommended for blending with inorganic binders such as cement, gypsum, and hydrated lime, or as a sole binder for the manufacture of construction adhesives. Thus, the increasing application and extensive properties of vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) based redispersible polymer powder is the major factor boosting the market growth during the forecast period.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By Application
The tiling & flooring segment held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during 2021-2026. The powdered thermoplastic resin materials such as redispersible polymer powder resins are soft and flexible because of their relatively high ethylene contents due to which they are widely used in the tiling & flooring application. Redispersible polymer powder-based tiling & flooring are easy to work with, environmentally friendly, easy to apply, and offer flexible, long-lasting performance of tiled areas. They provide enhanced adhesive strength, high sag resistance, increased stability of freeze-thaw, and very good working properties. Also, the product aids in improving surface aesthetics, leveling, abrasion resistance, flexural & tensile bonding strength, wet strength values, plastic behavior, sag resistance, and more. Thus, it is anticipated that the market will be driven over the forecast period owing to the extensive properties that redispersible polymer powder offers.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By End-Use Industry
The residential construction segment held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 6.8% during 2021-2026. Redispersible polymer powders are extensively used in various chemical construction applications, such as self-leveling flooring compounds, composite external thermal insulation systems, tile adhesives, screeds, plasters, dry-mix mortars, repair mortars, grouts, slurries for cement sealing, and more. Redispersible polymer powders for inorganic materials such as gypsum and hydrated lime are used as cement and plaster modifiers or as a binder resin. As the sole binder resin for construction adhesives, formulators also use redispersible polymer powder. Improvements in workability and water retention, plasticity, dispersion, and freeze stability are the benefits of incorporating redispersible polymer powder in dry-mix formulations. As a modifier, redispersible polymer powder improves flex strength, crack resistance, adhesion, abrasion and impact resistance, and water repellency, owing to which redispersible polymer powder is extensively employed in the residential construction sector.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By Geography
Asia-Pacific held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020 up to 42%, owing to the increasing residential and commercial buildings in the region. Due to economic reforms and the increasing per capita income of individuals, construction and building activities are increasing in countries such as India, China, and Singapore. The growth of the population is leading to a need for more residential and commercial sectors. The construction industry in India grew by 5.6% during 2016-20, compared to 2.9% during 2011-15, according to Invest India. And in terms of value, the construction industry is expected to record a 15.7% CAGR to reach $738.5 billion by 2022. The Chinese construction industry is forecast to grow at an annual average of 5% in real terms between 2019 and 2023, according to the International Trade Administration (ITA). Thus, with the increasing building and construction activity in the region, the demand for powdered thermoplastic resin materials such as redispersible polymer powder will also increase, which is anticipated to drive the redispersible polymer powder market in the Asia Pacific region during the forecast period.
R
edispersible Polymer Powder Market
Drivers
Increasing Government Initiative Bolstering the Growth of Construction Industry
The building and construction industry is flourishing in various regions as governments are spending heavily on expanding the building and construction industry. In September 2017, the France government launched an investment plan – “Grand Plan d’Investissement” over the following five years. Of the EUR 57.1 billion investment intended, EUR 20 billion will be committed to the construction sector. According to the Australian trade and investment commission, the Singapore government spends at least S$2 billion on public infrastructure each month. In addition, the Government-wide program for a Circular Economy, aimed at developing a circular economy in the Netherlands by 2050 is boosting the construction sector in the country. Furthermore, the building and construction activities are also increasing owing to the various government initiatives such as Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). And redispersible polymer powders are largely used in the construction sector to enhance the strength of these buildings by improving the chemical properties of dry-mix mortar and other dry mix products. Thus, such government investments and initiatives in the construction industry act as a driver for the market.
Extensive Characteristics of Redispersible Polymer Powder
The extensive characteristic of redispersible polymer powder when used in construction mixtures is one of the key factors driving the growth of the global redispersible polymer powder market. For the improvement of bonding strength, counter bending and tensile strength, impact resistance, wear resistance, durability, cracking of material prevention, and freeze-thawing stability, powdered thermoplastic resin materials such as redispersible polymer powder are significantly preferred by construction engineers. When assorted with water, these powdered organic binders can be re-dispersed in water into novel emulsions having essentially the same properties. As a result, the application of redispersible polymer powder has become a must in today's construction industry. This has increased its sales significantly and thus has positively acted on the growth of the overall redispersible polymer powder. Construction has increased globally and builders are bound to use wall reinforcement agents to improve the life and quality of walls, which has created a significant demand for redispersible polymer powder copolymer emulsions. Factors like these have created ample opportunities for growth for the global redispersible polymer powder market and thus act as its driving factors.
Challenges
Fluctuations in Prices of Raw Materials
The price fluctuations associated with raw materials of redispersible polymer powder will limit the market growth. Ethylene is a major raw material that is a by-product of naphtha used to produce redispersible powder. A rise in the naphtha prices owing to the volatility in crude oil prices will directly increase the prices of the product. According to, BP Statistical Review of World Energy, in the recent year there is been an augment in the cost volatility of crude oil, such as the cost fell from $98.95 in 2014 to $52.39 in 2015 and then augmented from $43.73 in 2016 to $71.31 in 2018. Other raw materials, such as acrylic resin, acetic acid, and vinyl acetate monomer, have also witnessed a surge in prices over recent years. Constantly changing pricing dynamics will affect the production costs and is likely to hamper the redispersible polymer powder market demand. Thus, the unstable market for raw materials represents a major restraint to the stability of the redispersible polymer powder market.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market
Landscape
Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the redispersible polymer powder market. Major players in the redispersible polymer powder market are BASF SE, Celanese Corporation, Dow Inc., Wacker Chemie AG, Ashland Inc., Synthomer plc, Organik Kimya San. Tic. A.S., VINAVIL S.p.A., Dairen Chemical Corporation, Shanxi Sanwei Group Co., Ltd., Bosson Union Tech Co., Ltd, Acquos Pty Ltd., Kuban Polymer, Archroma, and Guangzhou Yuanye Industrial.
Acquisitions/Technology Launches
In April 2020, Celanese Corporation acquired Nouryon’s redispersible polymer powders business offered under the Elotex® brand (Elotex business). As part of the acquisition, Celanese has acquired all of Nouryon's global redispersible polymer powder production facilities across Europe and Asia.
Relevant Reports
Report Code: CMR 0184
Report Code: CMR 0093
Mixing two-component flexible cementitious sealing slurries on-site immediately before use may soon become a thing of the past. A redispersible polymer powder has been developed that enables the formulation of one-component products. Polymer powders of this type can also be used successfully, in other ‘elastic' applications, such as highly flexible tile adhesives
The effects of polymer dispersions on the physical and chemical properties of flexible cementitious sealing slurries are well known.
1The resulting products have been used for many years as surface-protection systems.
2Second-generation sealing slurries of this type are characterized by their high polymer fraction with the polymer-cement (p/c) ratio being typically 0.8 or more. The polymer, which ensures that the membrane remains flexible down to low temperatures, must have a very low glass-transition temperature (T
g) (typically in the region -5 to -60°C). The technical properties of this type of building material are described elsewhere.
1-2Until recently, all commercially available low-temperature flexible sealing slurries were two-component systems. This meant that, immediately prior to use, the user had to mix a powdered component with a liquid component on-site. Both logistic considerations (reduction in freight volume, no need to protect against freezing during storage, simplified disposal of containers) and the improved handling properties (ready-made powdered product that can be mixed to the required consistency by simply adding water, thus making preparation more reproducible and less prone to error), led to considerable effort in developing a suitable single-component cementitious slurry product. The main difficulty in this development work was the availability of a powdered polymer that exhibited adequate low-temperature flexibility and good processing properties, especially with regard to the drying of the slurry coat after application.
The aim of this article is twofold: to explain the difficulties in producing a redispersible powder with adequate low-temperature flexibility, and to present a new solution to this problem, including a description of the associated physical and chemical characteristics. The use of powdered products of this kind in other "elastic" applications, such as flexible tile adhesives, will also be discussed.
Redispersible powders
3-7are usually made by carefully drying aqueous polymeric suspensions in a spray drier.
8Typically, drying temperatures are 120-200°C at the drier entrance and 60-80°C at the drier exit (the cooling being due to evaporation of the water of dispersion). At such high drying temperatures there is a risk that a soft polymer (e.g., one with a T
gwell below 0°C) will undergo irreversible particle-particle coalescence and film formation during the drying process. Initial deterioration of this type often results in formation of undesirable large size agglomerates and poor redispersion properties when water is added on the job site. However, since it is only the redispersible fraction of a dispersion powder that modifies the properties of the building material (a fact especially evident whenever the dispersion powder alone is responsible for binding
9), poor redispersibility can only be compensated for by the undesirable step of increasing the amount of powder used.
Generally, premature film formation of the polymer particles can be prevented by including hard, water-soluble additives (spray additives) to the dispersed binding agent prior to the drying step (see Figure 1).
The spray additive distributes itself between the continuous aqueous phase and the surface of the dispersed particles. Since the spray dries within seconds, the distribution of particles at that time becomes frozen in, with the spray additive acting as an inter-particle spacer. Irreversible coalescence of the polymer particles is thus prevented. If the dried powder is subsequently mixed with water again, even low-level shear is sufficient to cause the spray additive to dissolve completely, releasing the essentially unchanged primary dispersion particles. The polymer powder is thus re-dispersible again.
The validity of this model has been established with microscopic measurements. Fluorescence microscopy using a confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM) is a non-destructive optical technique that can generate high-resolution images of very thin, well-defined sections of a prepared specimen. The method is, therefore, especially suited to imaging the interior of particles in the dispersion powder.
Figure 2 shows a CLSM image of a BASF product after embedding in silicone oil. In addition, a powder sample was ground in a mortar at -120°C and the fragments examined in a scanning electron microscope.
Four model polymer dispersions were prepared using a standard semi-batch polymerization process. The dispersions differed in their styrene-acrylate ratio and therefore had correspondingly different T
gs. All other experimental parameters were kept constant to assist the comparison of results.
The spray additives used included an aryl sulfonate-based low-molecular-weight condensation product and a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with a degree of saponification of approx. 88% and a weight-average molecular mass of approx. 26,000 g/mol.
Spray additive solutions were stirred into the dispersions and mixtures were then adjusted to a solids content of 30% using added deionized water. Spray drying was performed in a laboratory apparatus with maximum 2 kg material/hr throughput capacity, using a binary nozzle atomizer under standard conditions.
A qualitative assessment was made of the redispersibility of the polymer powders based on the amount of sediment that formed during a 72-hour redispersion period with a solid fraction of 30% w/w.
To compare the flexibility of the polymer powders, air-dried films were tested using a tensile strain experiment. All powders were redispersed in water in the ratio 30% w/w and left to form a film at room temperature. The free polymer films achieved their final hardness within two weeks at the most. Film samples were pulled in a commercial tensometer at temperatures of 25 to -5°C, until fracture.
At a temperature of 25°C, the elongation at break of these redispersion films -and thus their elasticity - was essentially independent of the Tg. Effects first become observable at lower temperatures. At -5°C, redispersible powders with a Tg above approx. 10°C are essentially inflexible. Soft powders with a Tg under about 5°C are still elastic at this temperature, the extent of elasticity being determined by the spray additive (see Figure 3).
The fact that the redispersion powder with a Tg of -33°C at a test temperature of -5°C is not more flexible than that with a Tg of -16°C is presumably a result of a small amount of prior film formation during the spray drying process.
In contrast, the maximum tensile strength (stress) is solely determined by the difference between the glass transition temperature of the polymer and the measurement temperature, and it falls monotonically as a function of decreasing Tg (see Figure 4). The type of spray additive used has no significant effect on the tear strength.
The qualitative property of a polymer film known as ‘flexibility' is associated with the material's tensile strength and its elongation at break. However, this behavior is best interpreted in terms of the temperature dependence of the film's tensile modulus. The tensile modulus can be interpreted as the initial gradient of the stress-strain (load-extension) curve from a simple tensile loading test, and comprises an elastic part (storage modulus E') and a viscous part (loss modulus E").
To measure these quantities, the initial dispersions and the polymer/spray additive mixtures were left to form a film at room temperature both before and after spray drying. The temperature dependence of the polymer film's storage and loss moduli were then determined in a dynamic mechanical analyzer.11
The influence of the aryl-sulfonate-based spray additive is demonstrated in Figures 5-6.
The low-molecular-weight (hard) aromatic spray additive is fully miscible with the styrene-acrylate copolymer; as a result, the tensile moduli of the polymer film at temperatures above the polymer T
gis increased by several orders of magnitude. Eventually, an essentially temperature-independent region (plateau) is achieved due to the physical crosslinking of the dispersion polymer particles by the spray additive. This phase structure is also retained after spray drying; the temperature dependence of E' and E" are practically identical before and after spray drying. The redispersion film, therefore, demonstrates the desired rubber-like elasticity that is responsible for the flexibility and strength observed in the elongation at break experiment.
Very different behavior is observed when the partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol spray additive is used. The much greater molecular mass of the polyvinyl alcohol means that this additive is effectively immiscible with most copolymers, including the styrene-acrylate copolymers used in the present study. The two polymer phases, therefore, remain separated in the mixture; as a result, a second glass transition - that of the polyvinyl alcohol - is observed at around 60-70°C. In this temperature range, the tensile moduli decrease with increasing temperature (see Figure 6).
The absence of physical crosslinking means that there is only minimal cohesion within the redispersion film when subjected to thermal or tensile stress. The low level restoring forces are also manifest in the low flexibility observed in the tensile strain test (see Figure 3).
These experimental observations are of direct relevance to product applications characterized by a high polymer fraction and a desired high degree of low-temperature flexibility. Examples of such applications are flexible sealing slurries and flexible tile adhesives, both of which are discussed in greater detail in the following two sections.
Each of the six redispersible powders described was used to manufacture a single-component (‘one-pack') sealing slurry using the simplest possible formulation (see Table 3).
The polymer-cement ratio (p/c) was 0.8, with total polymer content of approximately 17% in all dry mixtures. Mixing water level was adjusted to produce a slurry with a consistency suitable for application with a roller.
Once mixed for use, each sealing slurry was spread wet-on-wet in two to three coats onto an inert polyethylene sheet (application rate: 3 kg/m2), left to dry for 24 hours and then peeled off as a film. The films were then stored for a further 14 days in a standard reference atmosphere. The tensile breaking strength and the elongation at break of each slurry film was then measured at room temperature, 10°C and -5°C (see Figures 7-8).
The room temperature tests demonstrate the decreasing tensile tear strength and the increasing elongation at break of the sealing slurries as the T
gdecreases. The reason why the polyvinyl alcohol/acrylate powders exhibit lower tensile strength and reduced elongation at break compared to the aryl sulfonate containing samples is that the former has a lower cohesion due to the incompatibility of the polyvinyl alcohol and the acrylate copolymer.
As the investigations of the elongation at break at 10°C and, in particular, at -5°C show, a sealing slurry will only exhibit sufficient flexibility if the Tg of the polymeric component is far enough below the measurement temperature. However, the price paid for this effect is the significant reduction in the inherent strength of such a product (see the results for the softest polymer in Figure 7). Even at the lower measurement temperatures, the polyvinyl alcohol-containing acrylate powders are again characterized by their lower tensile strengths and lower extensibility compared to the aryl sulfonate samples.
From the results discussed in this section, the sealing slurry with the most balanced set of properties in terms of inherent strength and low-temperature flexibility is the aryl sulfonate redispersible powder with a glass transition temperature of -16°C.
Two aryl-sulfonate-modified acrylate powders with T
gs of +14°C and -16°C (A1 and C1, respectively) were used in the preparation of powdered flexible tile adhesives. Testing of the corresponding polyvinyl-alcohol-modified powders was not possible because the bond strengths of the corresponding tile adhesive formulations were far too low.
As with the sealing slurries, the simplest possible recipe was used for the investigations of the polymer-modified cementitious tile adhesives (see Table 4).
To understand the effect of polymer content in the formulation, the polymer-cement ratio of the dry mixture was varied between 0.04 and 0.31, corresponding to a polymer fraction of between approx. 1.5 and 12% w/w in the tile adhesive. For comparison purposes, a common, commercially available EVA-based polymer powder recommended for this purpose was also tested (Tg = -5°C; contains polyvinyl alcohol; EVA = ethylene vinylacetate).
The amount of mixing water required was that which gave the best workability coupled with sufficient stability of the tile on the test substrate. As shown in Figure 9, the amount of water required was found to decrease with increasing p/c with the acrylate powder systems but was approximately constant with the EVA-based powder. As expected, the differences between the two product groups are marginal at very low polymer fractions.
Tile adhesive bond strengths were determined using the old DIN 18 156 standard (tile pulloff test) on samples with p/c ratios of 0.04 and 0.23 (corresponding to a polymer fraction of 1.5% w/w and 10% w/w, respectively). Bond strengths were measured under four conditions: after 28 days dry storage at room temperature ("standard reference atmosphere"); after 28 days in the standard reference atmosphere followed by additional high-temperature storage at 70°C; after 7 days in the standard reference atmosphere and then 21 days wet storage; and after 7 days in the standard reference atmosphere followed by freeze-thaw cycling.
The failure pattern observed during these tests was always either cohesive failure or concrete substrate breakout and never adhesive failure. The measured bond strengths, therefore, represent minimum values and reflect the inherent strength of the tile adhesive. Their magnitude may, however, also be a result of the reduced amount of water required by these modified materials.
The bond strength results shown in Figure 10 demonstrate that the differences between the three test powders are slight at low polymer fractions. At the higher polymer level tested (p/c = 0.23), in spite of the lower T
gand high inherent flexibility, C1 yielded bond strengths that were indeed somewhat less than the higher T
gpolymer A1 but, importantly, were comparable to the harder commercial EVA-based powder - with its much weaker ability to impart flexibility.
As the experiments on the sealing slurries showed (see Figure 8), the addition of a sufficient quantity of soft acrylate powder C1 results in a dramatic increase in the flexibility of the cementitious compound material. The lower inherent strength of the polymer is the reason for the reduced bond strength compared with the harder polymer A1 (see Figure 10). This effect is compensated to some extent by the reduced amount of water required by the acrylate-containing formulations (see Figure 9). It is noteworthy that, compared with the EVA-based product, the two acrylate-containing powders offer significant advantages when subjected to the particularly critical freeze-thaw cycling test.
The choice of the right acrylate powder for flexible and highly flexible tile adhesives depends upon the desired material properties. If a high inherent strength is of primary importance for an application, then the harder powder A1 is certainly preferable. If the user attaches greater weight to a product with good (low-temperature) flexibility and adequate inherent strength (e.g., when tiling on a substrate that may be subject to movement), a softer powder such as C1 is the material of choice.
The present work provides insights to the challenges associated with manufacturing soft redispersible polymer powders (i.e., ones that are flexible at low temperatures). By using a new spray drying additive technology, the elastic properties of a soft acrylate dispersion can be retained in the resulting redispersible acrylate powder. Powder products of this type can be used successfully in ‘elastic' applications such as flexible cementitious sealing slurries and (highly) flexible tile adhesives. In the latter, high bond strengths are combined with excellent resistance to freeze-thaw stress and exceptionally good flexibility, even at low temperatures.
.
1 Angel, M.; Denu, H.-J. Dichtungsschlämmen für den Betonoberflächenschutz [Sealing slurries for protecting concrete surfaces].
Farbe&Lack103 (1997), No. 8, p. 92.
2 Volkwein, A..; Petri, R.; Springenschmid, R. Oberflächenschutz von Beton mit flexiblen Dichtungsschlämmen - Teil 1 [Concrete surface protection using flexible sealing slurries - Part 1]. Betonwerk und Fertigteiltechnik 54 (1988), No. 8, p. 30. b) Volkwein, A..; Petri, R.; Springenschmid, R. Oberflächenschutz von Beton mit flexiblen Dichtungsschlämmen - Teil 2 [Concrete surface protection using flexible sealing slurries - Part 2]. Betonwerk und Fertigteiltechnik 54 (1988), No. 9, p. 72.
3 Schulze, J. Redispersionspulver im Zement [Redispersible powders in cement]. TIZ-Fachberichte 109 (1985) No. 9, p. 698.
4 Rietz, U.; Dispersionspulver, Herstellung und Verwendung [Redispersible powders: manufacture and use]. Chem. Tech. makromol. Stoffe (FH-Texte, 12. Koll. FH Aachen) 53 (1987), p. 85.
5 Walters, D.G. VAE Redispersible-Powder Hydraulic-Cement Admixtures. Concrete Int. 14 (1992) No. 4, p. 30.
6 Tsai, M.C.; Burch, M.J.; Lavelle, J.A. Acrylic Dry Polymer Modified High Solids Cementicious Coatings. Proc. Water-Borne Higher-Solids Powder Coat. Symp. (1993), p. 322.
7 Denu, H.-J.; Pakusch, J. Ein neues Dispersionspulver mit integrierter Bindemittel- und Verlaufsfunktion [A new redispersible powder with integrated binding and leveling properties]. European Coatings Show (Nürnberg 1999) Bauchemiekongreß.
8 Armbruster, W. Die Zerstäubungstrocknung [Spray drying]. Chem. App. Verfahrenstechnik 93 (1969) No. 12, p. 469.
9 Dörr, H.; Lohmann, W. Ohne Wasser geht's auch - optimales Formulieren und Produzieren von Dispersions-Pulverfarben. [Doing without water - optimized formulations and the production of dispersible powder pigments]. Farbe&Lack 101 (1995), No. 8, p. 708.
10 Richardson, M.J. Comprehensive Polymer Science Vol. I. Hrsg. C. Booth, C. Price, Pergamon Press Oxford (1989), p. 867.
11 Zosel. A. Lack- und Polymerfilme - viskoelastische Qualitätsmerkmale [Paint and polymer films - viscoelastic quality characteristics). Hrsg. U. Zorll, C.R. Vincentz Verlag Hannover (1996), p. 21.
12 Mächtle, W. Coupling Particle Size Distribution Technique. Angew. Makromol. Chem. 162 (1988), p. 35.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Overview
Redispersible polymer powder market size is forecast to reach $3.3 billion by 2026, after growing at a CAGR of 6.2% during 2021-2026. The redispersible polymer powder improves the water retention of dry-mix mortar and forms a film to reduce evaporation of water owing to which it is extensively utilized in the residential and commercial construction industry. When mixed with water, these powdered organic binders can redisperse into new emulsions with essentially identical properties to the original copolymer emulsions. The increasing requirement of redispersible polymer powders in the booming building & construction sector and its wide usage in maintenance projects is leading to the high growth of the redispersible polymer powder market. In addition, the government initiatives such as “Housing for All” and “Smart City Mission” are flourishing the construction sector, which is anticipated to play a key role in driving the redispersible polymer powder market during the forecast period.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market COVID-19 Impact
However, the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak is having a huge impact on the building and construction industry globally. Covid-19 has exposed challenges for the redispersible polymer powder market by impacting the construction sectors. There has been a temporary suspension of building and construction activities in various regions. In Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2020, for example, construction output in Great Britain fell by a record 35.0% compared with Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2020. This value decline was due to the Corona Virus pandemic. Major economies of various regions are affected due to pandemic and resulted in a slowdown in the manufacturing activities of residential buildings owing to which there is the declination in the market revenue. With the decrease in building and construction the operation, the demand for powdered organic binders such as redispersible polymer powder has significantly fallen, which is having a major impact on the redispersible polymer powder market.
Report Coverage
The report: “Redispersible Polymer Powder Market – Forecast (2021-2026)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the redispersible polymer powder Industry.
By Type: Acrylic, Vinyl
Acetate-Ethylene (VAE), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer (EVA), Vinyl Ester of
Versatic Acid (VEOVA), Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR), and Others
By Application: Tiling
& Flooring (Tile Grouts, Tile Adhesives, and Others), Mortar (Repair
Mortars, Decorative Mortars, Waterproofing Mortars, and Others), Insulation
System (Thermal Insulation Systems, EIFS Systems, and Others), Plastering (Sodium
Perborate and Sodium Percarbonate), Organic Derivatives (Wall Putty, Gypsum,
Cement, and Others) Cement Renders, and Others
By End-Use Industry:
Residential Buildings (Independent Homes, Row Houses, Large Apartment Buildings,
and Others), Commercial Buildings (Airports, Educational Institutes, Shopping
Malls, Supermarkets, Hotels, School, and Others), Industrial Buildings (Oil
& Gas, Power Plants, Solar Energy, and Others), and Others
By Geography: North
America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (U.K, Germany, France, Italy,
Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Belgium, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China,
Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan,
Malaysia and Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile,
and Rest of South America), Rest of the World (Middle East, and Africa)
Key Takeaways
Asia-Pacific dominates the redispersible polymer powder market, owing to the increasing manufacturing & construction activities in the region due to various government initiatives such as 100 smart cities and Housing for all by 2022 in APAC.
Redispersible polymer powders are copolymer emulsions that have been transformed by a set of processes, such as high temperatures and pressures, spray drying, and surface treatment, into powdered thermoplastic resin materials.
Huge investments are being made in the infrastructure sector to stimulate the economy, owing to which the demand for cement, dry-mix mortars, tiling, and plastering are projected to increase. This will boost the use of redispersible polymer powder for residential as well as non-residential buildings.
Redispersible polymer demand is constantly increasing due to its advantages in the construction industry, such as improved water retention and workability, strong dry-mix mortar strength development, higher flexural strength and flexibility, and strong resistance to impact and abrasion.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, all construction and building activities are stopped until the pandemic, no new orders can be taken over and no existing order can be completed, which has a significant impact on the market for redispersible polymer powder.
Figure: Asia-Pacific Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Revenue, 2020-2026 (US$ Billion)
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Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By Type
The vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) segment held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020, owing to its affordable cost and superior properties. VAE redispersable powders (RDPs) are easy to ship, store (excellent storage stability), handle, and more. Vinyl acetate homopolymer the powder is extensively utilized in applications such as the formulation of construction materials such as tile adhesives, grouts, finishing plasters, troweling compounds, dry-mix mortar, and sealing slurries. The vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) based redispersible powders are especially recommended for blending with inorganic binders such as cement, gypsum, and hydrated lime, or as a sole binder for the manufacture of construction adhesives. Thus, the increasing application and extensive properties of vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) based redispersible polymer powder is the major factor boosting the market growth during the forecast period.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By Application
The tiling & flooring segment held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during 2021-2026. The powdered thermoplastic resin materials such as redispersible polymer powder resins are soft and flexible because of their relatively high ethylene contents due to which they are widely used in the tiling & flooring application. Redispersible polymer powder-based tiling & flooring are easy to work with, environmentally friendly, easy to apply, and offer flexible, long-lasting performance of tiled areas. They provide enhanced adhesive strength, high sag resistance, increased stability of freeze-thaw, and very good working properties. Also, the product aids in improving surface aesthetics, leveling, abrasion resistance, flexural & tensile bonding strength, wet strength values, plastic behavior, sag resistance, and more. Thus, it is anticipated that the market will be driven over the forecast period owing to the extensive properties that redispersible polymer powder offers.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By End-Use Industry
The residential construction segment held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 6.8% during 2021-2026. Redispersible polymer powders are extensively used in various chemical construction applications, such as self-leveling flooring compounds, composite external thermal insulation systems, tile adhesives, screeds, plasters, dry-mix mortars, repair mortars, grouts, slurries for cement sealing, and more. Redispersible polymer powders for inorganic materials such as gypsum and hydrated lime are used as cement and plaster modifiers or as a binder resin. As the sole binder resin for construction adhesives, formulators also use redispersible polymer powder. Improvements in workability and water retention, plasticity, dispersion, and freeze stability are the benefits of incorporating redispersible polymer powder in dry-mix formulations. As a modifier, redispersible polymer powder improves flex strength, crack resistance, adhesion, abrasion and impact resistance, and water repellency, owing to which redispersible polymer powder is extensively employed in the residential construction sector.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market Segment Analysis
- By Geography
Asia-Pacific held the largest share in the redispersible polymer powder market in 2020 up to 42%, owing to the increasing residential and commercial buildings in the region. Due to economic reforms and the increasing per capita income of individuals, construction and building activities are increasing in countries such as India, China, and Singapore. The growth of the population is leading to a need for more residential and commercial sectors. The construction industry in India grew by 5.6% during 2016-20, compared to 2.9% during 2011-15, according to Invest India. And in terms of value, the construction industry is expected to record a 15.7% CAGR to reach $738.5 billion by 2022. The Chinese construction industry is forecast to grow at an annual average of 5% in real terms between 2019 and 2023, according to the International Trade Administration (ITA). Thus, with the increasing building and construction activity in the region, the demand for powdered thermoplastic resin materials such as redispersible polymer powder will also increase, which is anticipated to drive the redispersible polymer powder market in the Asia Pacific region during the forecast period.
R
edispersible Polymer Powder Market
Drivers
Increasing Government Initiative Bolstering the Growth of Construction Industry
The building and construction industry is flourishing in various regions as governments are spending heavily on expanding the building and construction industry. In September 2017, the France government launched an investment plan – “Grand Plan d’Investissement” over the following five years. Of the EUR 57.1 billion investment intended, EUR 20 billion will be committed to the construction sector. According to the Australian trade and investment commission, the Singapore government spends at least S$2 billion on public infrastructure each month. In addition, the Government-wide program for a Circular Economy, aimed at developing a circular economy in the Netherlands by 2050 is boosting the construction sector in the country. Furthermore, the building and construction activities are also increasing owing to the various government initiatives such as Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). And redispersible polymer powders are largely used in the construction sector to enhance the strength of these buildings by improving the chemical properties of dry-mix mortar and other dry mix products. Thus, such government investments and initiatives in the construction industry act as a driver for the market.
Extensive Characteristics of Redispersible Polymer Powder
The extensive characteristic of redispersible polymer powder when used in construction mixtures is one of the key factors driving the growth of the global redispersible polymer powder market. For the improvement of bonding strength, counter bending and tensile strength, impact resistance, wear resistance, durability, cracking of material prevention, and freeze-thawing stability, powdered thermoplastic resin materials such as redispersible polymer powder are significantly preferred by construction engineers. When assorted with water, these powdered organic binders can be re-dispersed in water into novel emulsions having essentially the same properties. As a result, the application of redispersible polymer powder has become a must in today's construction industry. This has increased its sales significantly and thus has positively acted on the growth of the overall redispersible polymer powder. Construction has increased globally and builders are bound to use wall reinforcement agents to improve the life and quality of walls, which has created a significant demand for redispersible polymer powder copolymer emulsions. Factors like these have created ample opportunities for growth for the global redispersible polymer powder market and thus act as its driving factors.
Challenges
Fluctuations in Prices of Raw Materials
The price fluctuations associated with raw materials of redispersible polymer powder will limit the market growth. Ethylene is a major raw material that is a by-product of naphtha used to produce redispersible powder. A rise in the naphtha prices owing to the volatility in crude oil prices will directly increase the prices of the product. According to, BP Statistical Review of World Energy, in the recent year there is been an augment in the cost volatility of crude oil, such as the cost fell from $98.95 in 2014 to $52.39 in 2015 and then augmented from $43.73 in 2016 to $71.31 in 2018. Other raw materials, such as acrylic resin, acetic acid, and vinyl acetate monomer, have also witnessed a surge in prices over recent years. Constantly changing pricing dynamics will affect the production costs and is likely to hamper the redispersible polymer powder market demand. Thus, the unstable market for raw materials represents a major restraint to the stability of the redispersible polymer powder market.
Redispersible Polymer Powder Market
Landscape
Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the redispersible polymer powder market. Major players in the redispersible polymer powder market are BASF SE, Celanese Corporation, Dow Inc., Wacker Chemie AG, Ashland Inc., Synthomer plc, Organik Kimya San. Tic. A.S., VINAVIL S.p.A., Dairen Chemical Corporation, Shanxi Sanwei Group Co., Ltd., Bosson Union Tech Co., Ltd, Acquos Pty Ltd., Kuban Polymer, Archroma, and Guangzhou Yuanye Industrial.
Acquisitions/Technology Launches
In April 2020, Celanese Corporation acquired Nouryon’s redispersible polymer powders business offered under the Elotex® brand (Elotex business). As part of the acquisition, Celanese has acquired all of Nouryon's global redispersible polymer powder production facilities across Europe and Asia.
Relevant Reports
Report Code: CMR 0184
Report Code: CMR 0093