With the mushrooming usage of fluoropolymer materials in the aerospace, electrical and electronics, and automotive applications, their sales are predicted to skyrocket in the coming years. Fluoropolymers are extensively used in the electrical and electronics industry, especially in the coating of automotive cables, electronic cables, and data communication cables. On the other hand, in the automotive industry, thermoplastic and elastomer forms of fluoropolymers are heavily used, on account of their ability to provide resistance to lubricants, fuels, and high temperatures.
Fuel and vapor management hoses, fuel tank filler necks, wire insulations, seals, O-rings, and diaphragms are the automotive components in which fluoropolymers are extensively used. The expansion of the electronics industry, the soaring sales of automobiles, and the rapid infrastructure development in the developing nations of Asia-Pacific are also contributing toward the ballooning global demand for fluoropolymer materials. Furthermore, the increasing purchasing power of people residing in this region is boosting the sales of fluoropolymer materials.
This is causing the boom of the global fluoropolymer materials market. Fluoropolymer materials are basically fluorocarbon-based polymers that consist of solid carbon-fluorine bonds. Fluoropolymers have a semi-crystalline structure and thermoplastic characteristics, which means that these materials become viscous or liquid at a specific temperature. After reaching that temperature, these materials can be shaped and molded as required. In addition to this, fluoropolymer materials are also highly resistant to acids, solvents, and bases.
Fluoroelastomers, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are the most commonly used types of fluoropolymer materials across the world. Amongst these, the usage of the PTFE was found to be the highest during the last few years. This material is extensively used in the chemical processing and electrical and electronics industries. In the future years, the usage of fluoroelastomers will rise rapidly, as per the estimates of P&S Intelligence, a market research company based in India.
Industrial processing, building and construction, electrical and electronics, and automotive and transportation industries are the major application areas of fluoropolymer materials. Amongst these, the usage of the fluoropolymer materials was the highest in the electrical and electronics industry in the past. This was because of the high requirement for these materials in wire and cable insulation, semiconductor fabrication, jacketing, and lithium-ion batteries. This industry will witness a sharp rise in the usage of fluoropolymer materials in the future.
Globally, the fluoropolymer materials market recorded the highest growth in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in the years gone by. Moreover, the sales of fluoropolymer materials are predicted to shoot-up in this region in the forthcoming years. This will be because of the rapid industrialization in the region. Apart from this, the expansion of the electronics, automotive, and construction industries is also propelling the demand for fluoropolymer materials in the region.
Hence, it can be said without any hesitation that the demand for fluoropolymer materials will rise enormously all over the world in the future years, mainly because of their growing usage in the electrical and electronics and automotive industries.
