There are development opportunities in the triacetate film (TAC) industry, but it is difficult to enter the market

Triacetate cellulose film (TAC) is an important raw material in the liquid crystal display industry. It is in high demand as a protective film for polarizers used in LCD panels. Triacetate cellulose film is produced by acetylation of cotton or wood fiber. According to the degree of acetylation of the hydroxyl groups on the cellulose chain, it can be divided into diacetate cellulose film and triacetate cellulose film. Triacetate cellulose film has good light transmittance, breathability, and mechanical properties, making it an irreplaceable raw material in polarizers. As LCD screens have gradually developed in the direction of high definition, large size, and thinness in recent years, the demand for cellulose triacetate film has continued to rise, which is conducive to the development of the cellulose triacetate film industry.

Currently, the companies that produce triacetate cellulose films in the world include Eastman Chemical of the United States and Daicel Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. of Japan, both of which dominate the global market. my country’s triacetate cellulose film industry started late, and it was not until 2010 that the localization of triacetate cellulose film for LCD was achieved. In industrial production, the synthesis method of triacetate cellulose film mainly includes the heterogeneous method, which is produced by reaction of cotton pulp and acetic anhydride as raw materials. In the early days, the production process of cellulose triacetate films used low-temperature synthesis. However, with the continuous development of the market, LCD’s quality requirements for cellulose triacetate films have increased. Therefore, Daicel and Eastman, as leading companies, have gradually explored medium and high-temperature processes. . Domestic cellulose triacetate films for LCDs are mainly produced using medium-to-high-temperature processes. Currently, Hui’an Chemical Industry in northern Xi’an is also developing high-temperature processes, but industrial production has not yet been achieved.

According to the “2020 Global TAC Film Industry Market Status Research Report” released by the Industrial Research Center, due to the continuous improvement of market requirements, The production process and raw materials of triacetate cellulose film are also constantly being upgraded, and they are gradually developing towards high quality. Initially, triacetate cellulose films mainly used cotton pulp as the main raw material. Later, wood pulp with an alpha-cellulose content of about 90% was gradually developed for production. At present, Eastman Company is also gradually using wood pulp for production, but domestic Imported high-purity pulp products are still used.

Due to the high technical threshold and high price of cellulose triacetate film production process, and the fierce price competition in the display panel industry in recent years, some film manufacturers are trying to find new materials to replace them. Currently, PMMA, PET, and COP have achieved partial substitution. For example, PMMA and PET are used in small-size screens, while COP is not only used in small-size screens, but also in optical lenses. Overall, cellulose triacetate film has room for substitution, but it will still take a long time to achieve full replacement.

Industrial analysts said that there is a high demand for triacetate cellulose films in LCDs. In recent years, with the intelligent development of traditional domestic equipment, With the development of technology, the demand for LCD applications continues to rise, which is conducive to the development of the triacetate cellulose film industry. In terms of production, the technical threshold for the production of triacetate cellulose film is relatively high. The current market is mainly occupied by foreign companies, and domestic raw materials rely on imports. There are attempts to replace triacetate cellulose film in LCD applications with other materials, but it has not yet been popularized.