Cyclohexylbenzene market demand is small, but there is huge room for future development

Cyclohexylbenzene (CHB), also known as phenylcyclohexane, has a high boiling point, a freezing point close to room temperature, and special physical and chemical properties. It is an important chemical intermediate with high added value and is used in liquid crystals, plastics, coatings, Lithium batteries, adhesives and other fields all play important roles.

An important use of cyclohexylbenzene is as an overcharge protectant for lithium batteries. When the lithium battery is overcharged, the voltage will rise rapidly. At this time, cyclohexylbenzene will undergo a polymerization reaction under the action of electrochemistry. The potential of the polymerization reaction is lower than the potential of the anode material decomposition, so it has the function of protecting the electrode. At the same time, it generates The polymer will coat the electrodes and prevent further charging to prevent overcharging. In addition, in the field of liquid crystal display, cyclohexylbenzene is widely used in the production of TFT liquid crystal materials due to its stable physical and chemical properties and superior photochemical properties.

Although cyclohexylbenzene can be oxidized to prepare cyclohexanone and phenol, synthesize thin film transistor liquid crystal materials, and be used as a high-boiling point solvent, penetrant, and additive for lithium battery electrolytes, etc., however, due to the high price of raw materials and catalysts in production, it is difficult to use cyclohexylbenzene. Due to issues such as recycling and reuse, the price of cyclohexylbenzene is relatively high. Therefore, the product is not regarded as the first choice application material in downstream application fields, and the market demand for cyclohexylbenzene is small. According to the“China Cyclohexylbenzene (CHB) Industry Market Monitoring and Future Development Prospects Research Report 2022-2026” released by the Industrial Research Center, in 2021, China’s cyclohexylbenzene industry demand will be 158.34 tons, with a growth rate of 5.8%.

From the perspective of industrial production, due to limited market demand and increasing environmental protection requirements, the number of cyclohexylbenzene manufacturers in China is not large. Zhongneng Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., Hebei Sinochem Fuheng Co., Ltd., Changzhou Jintan Jinnuo Co., Ltd., Shanghai Feikai Materials Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing Qisheng Chemical Co., Ltd., etc. have large-scale production capabilities, but their output scale is relatively limited. Most companies only produce low-purity products, and the level of industry competition is relatively relaxed.

Industry researchers said that the prospects of the lithium battery market are generally optimistic, global new energy vehicle sales growth is certain, and there is strong demand for lithium batteries. Large, in addition to automobiles, the demand for lithium batteries from smart equipment, industrial automation, power tools, consumer electronics, etc. will also continue to remain high, which means that the market value of lithium batteries will be further improved, and the lithium battery industry will continue to grow in the long term. Maintaining growth will inevitably drive strong demand for cyclohexylbenzene. According to the additional usage of 2% to 5%, the future development of the lithium battery industry will definitely bring market growth to cyclohexylbenzene. In addition, cyclohexylbenzene is one of the important raw materials for the synthesis of TFT liquid crystal materials. As the liquid crystal materials industry continues to grow, the development prospects of the cyclohexylbenzene industry are broad.