Catalysts market attracts chemical start-ups

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2003
• Weight: 36 KB
• Volume: 2003
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1351-4180
• DOI: 10.1016/s1351-4180(03)00807-9

✦ Synopsis

and is expected to grow to almost $13.5 bn by 2007, or 4.6%/y. Royalties and fees from technology process licensing in refining, chemicals, and polymers are over $4 bn/y. Environmental catalysts are the biggest segment in the merchant catalyst market, accounting for 27% of the 2001 market. Polymerization catalysts are second, with nearly 22%, then comes refining (21%), petrochemicals (20%), and fine chemical and intermediates and others (10%). Pharma/fine chemicals and environmental sectors are expected to grow at near or above 8%/y for the next 6 years. The petrochemicals sector, however, will post zero growth over the period, while the refinery sector is slated to grow at almost 2%/y. The polymers segment is expected to grow at around 6%/y. The use of combinatorial catalysis for discovery and optimization of catalytic performance is expected to have a significant effect on the rate at which new catalysts are developed. Singlesite and selective oxidation catalysis will enable improved efficiencies and selectivities to be achieved and create possibilities for the catalysis of new reactions.