Chemical Separation Membranes Market

Introduction

Separation membranes are very thin fibers produced out of polymers, cross-linked to give rise to nano-sized pores, and are used to filter out unwanted particles from the useful ones. Chemical separation includes only those membranes which are used to separate two or more different types of gases or liquids. These are available in various types, depending on the functionality and the raw material used to manufacture them. The chemical separation membranes market is segmented on the basis of membrane type, application, and end user industry. On the basis of application, the chemical separation membranes market is segmented as membrane distillation, membrane liquid extraction, gas/liquid separation, gas/liquid contacting, gas/gas separation, pervaporation, and zero liquid discharge. All the application segments are further sub-segmented as hollow fiber and flat sheet. In terms of volume, the hollow fiber segment constitutes a much larger share in the chemical separation membranes market than the flat sheet segment. The growth in the oil & gas industry, packaging inks, and automotive sector is expected to boost the growth of the chemical separation membranes market.

Currently, most manufacturers are making major investments in the research and development of separation membranes. Technological innovation in membranes is expected to buttress the stability of the chemical separation membranes market in the competitive backdrop of other emerging separation technologies. Amongst all the end use industry segments, the electronics & semiconductors, inks & coatings, and building & construction segments are anticipated to exhibit high growth over the forecast period.

The development of better quality membranes that give companies a competitive edge over other membranes in the market is the key focus of manufacturers. For example, in the gas contacting application, manufacturers are met with the issue of concentration polarization, which impedes the bubble-free contacting of gas in a liquid medium. Moreover, the operation of mechanical mixing devices is often expensive and energy consuming. Mechanical mixers are sometimes not feasible in small-scale applications, which calls for the need for a better technology to address these issues.

In terms of value, the global chemical separation membranes market is expected to represent an incremental opportunity of US$ 759.6 Mn by 2018 end over 2017. By application segment, the gas/liquid extraction segment is expected to register a CAGR of 9.1% in the chemical separation membranes market.

The PTFE membranes type segment has a relatively high market share amongst the membrane type segments. The APAC region is expected to gain 201 BPS during the forecast period.

Drivers & Restraints

The cutting operations for pipelines made of plastic as well as metal can be easily done with waterjet cutting machines. Additionally, the oil & gas industry has a vast network of pipelines integrated with membrane systems, and hence, this factor is estimated to boost the sales of waterjet cutting machines in the oil & gas sector, and, in turn, propel the demand for chemical separation membranes in the global market.

Increased production in terms of volume while maintaining low costs of production is challenging, and is likely to hamper technology deployment.

Lack of uniform testing standards and metrics which are essential for quantitative evaluation and for developing innovative membrane solutions is hindering the growth of the separation membranes market.

A newly launched product has to be demonstrated to establish consumer reliability. These procedures make the entry of a new membrane product quite difficult in the market.

Lack of integrity between researchers, end users, system designers, and manufacturers has led to the provision of imperfect solutions. Some solutions are even off target due to the lack of clear performance targets.

Analysis by Region

On the basis of region, the market in North America dominated the global chemical separation membranes market in 2017. Europe is expected to gain significant market share in revenue terms by 2025 end. Due to robust growth in industrialization in countries like China and India, these countries are projected to exhibit significant CAGRs during the forecast period in the chemical separation membranes market.

Global Chemical Separation Membranes Market – By Membrane Type

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