Europe Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a semi crystalline thermoplastic engineering polymer. It was first developed by Britain’s Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). PBT has properties similar to PET and is used in the automotive and electrical & electronics industries.
The demand for PBT in Europe in 2021 was more than 200 thousand tons, accounting for more than 15% of the regional demand. In terms of PBT demand by application, Electrical & Electronics segment dominates the market accounting for more than 40% of the total demand. PBT is commonly used in the manufacture of insulators, connectors, terminal boards, cable liners, sensor housings, sockets, etc. PBT's extremely high electrical resistance and dielectric strength help to protect electrical and electronic components by providing a guard against breakdown in power circuits. Many PBT grades are designed for electrical and electronic parts which have enabled numerous applications in both signal and power uses.
In the household and consumer applications, PBT is used for applications like iron handles, bases, oven door handles, housings, motor brackets and closure panels. Due to its appearance and performance, PBT components are also used in making office furniture.
DuBay Polymers is a joint venture between Laxness and DuPont, operates a 100 thousand tons plant in Hamm-Uentrop, Germany. Recently the company announced a force majeure due to an outage of the purified terephthalic acid raw material. In 2017, BASF SE expanded the engineering plastics capacity of PA and PBT with the new capacity to be 70 thousand tons. The company recently launched PBT Ultradur® B4335G3 HR HSP – a type of PBT which will provide protection to the electronic applications.
Rising demand in the automobile industry
The demand for PBT in the automotive industry accounts for more than 25% of the global demand which translates to more than 300 thousand tons in 2021.
PBT is used in the interior and exterior applications, especially in electric systems in the automotive industry. The rising demand for lightweight automobiles is also boosting the Europe PBT market.
PBT weighs almost 50% lesser than plastic components made from other materials, therefore providing more than 30% improvement in fuel efficiency, which is a key factor in the automotive industry.
PBT alloys are widely used in body exterior and safety applications which include airbag covers, containers brake, fuel line clips, cable liners, and power distribution boxes.
The most common applications include windshield wiper covers, mirror housings, vents, handles, fans, fuel system components, connectors, sensor housings, fuse boxes, actuator cases, power relays, switches, motor components, and ignition system components.
The continuous growth of the automotive sector and associated elevating demand for lightweight automobiles are also boosting the growth of this sector.
Rising demand for substitutes of PBT
The demand for PBT is decreasing due to the substitute products being available in the market. Various manufacturers are shifting their focus to provide reliable substitutes of PBT. Shell Chemicals is engaged in fabricating Polytrimethylene Terephthalate (PTT) as a substitute of PBT. PBT and PTT have similar qualities, which include heat deflection temperature, tensile strength, etc.
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