Perfluoropolyether (PFPE) industry has high technical barriers and my country’s market continues to expand

Perfluoropolyether (PFPE) is a synthetic polymer that is liquid at room temperature, with the chemical formula (CF2O)n. Perfluoropolyether appears as a colorless and transparent liquid with no special odor. It is soluble in oxygen-containing solvents such as ether, alcohol, and ketone, but insoluble in water. Perfluoropolyether has the advantages of good chemical stability, good low-temperature fluidity, and wide operating temperature range. It has broad application prospects in machinery manufacturing, aerospace, electronic and electrical, household appliances, nuclear industry and other fields.

The perfluoropolyether industry has high technical barriers. The main synthesis methods include anionic catalyst synthesis and photocatalytic polymerization. The anionic catalyst synthesis method refers to using perfluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) as the raw material and fluorine ions as the catalyst to obtain perfluoropolyether through a polymerization reaction; the photocatalytic polymerization method refers to using hexafluoropropylene or tetrafluoropropylene under ultraviolet irradiation. Ethylene is used as the raw material, and the finished product is obtained through oxidation and polymerization. At present, the core technology of perfluoropolyether is monopolized by leading overseas companies, and my country’s demand is highly dependent on imports.

Perfluoropolyether is a perfluoropolymer compound with a special structure. Perfluoropolyether lubricating oil, perfluoropolyether lubricating oil, perfluoropolyether thermal fluid, perfluoropolyether surfactant, perfluoropolyether Coolant, etc. are its end products. Perfluoropolyether lubricating oil has the advantages of long lubrication cycle and high temperature resistance, and is a mainstream product in the perfluoropolyether market.

Perfluoropolyether is widely used in machinery manufacturing, aerospace, electronic and electrical, household appliances, nuclear industry and other fields. In the aerospace field, perfluoropolyether lubricants can be used to manufacture aircraft mechanical parts and engines, which can protect aircraft; in the nuclear industry, perfluoropolyether can be used to manufacture lubricated ultracentrifuge bearings. According to the “2023-2028 China Perfluoropolyether (PFPE) Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report》 shows that with the continuous improvement of the prosperity of the downstream industry, the scale of my country’s perfluoropolyether market has further expanded, reaching 410 million yuan in 2022.

The world’s leading perfluoropolyether companies include Japan’s Daikin Industrial Co., Ltd. (DAIKIN), the U.S. 3M Company, the U.S. DuPont (DuPont), the U.S. Dow Chemical Company (DOW), the Italian Montefluos Company, and the Belgian Solvay Group (Solvay). wait. At present, my country’s perfluoropolyether industry is still in its infancy, and local companies are enthusiastic about research and development, but there are few companies with large-scale production capabilities. Juhua Co., Ltd., Weikai New Materials, Great Wall Lubricant, Hesif, etc. are the main manufacturers of perfluoropolyether in my country.

Industry analysts said that in recent years, as the country attaches great importance to the development of high-tech industries, the market demand for perfluoropolyether has continued to grow. , the industry development trend is improving. Due to factors such as high technical barriers, there are few companies in my country with large-scale production capabilities for perfluoropolyether. In the future, with in-depth research and technological advancement, the number of participants in my country’s perfluoropolyether market is expected to further grow.