Triisobutylaluminum (TIBA) can be used as a polymerization catalyst. my country’s industry concentration needs to be improved

               Triisobutylaluminum (TIBA), also known as tris(2-methylpropyl)aluminum, has a chemical formula of C12H27Al and is an organic compound. Triisobutylaluminum appears as a colorless and transparent liquid with a strong musty smell and is soluble in benzene. Triisobutyl aluminum is chemically reactive and flammable and is widely used in the fields of organometallic compounds, olefin polymers, synthetic resins, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibers and other fields.

Aluminum powder is the main raw material of triisobutyl aluminum. my country is a major aluminum producer and consumer, and its aluminum output has ranked first in the world for many years. Aluminum powder is a commonly used metal powder with the advantages of good gloss, lightweight, good dispersion, and low production cost. It is widely used in packaging materials, ceramic materials, piezoelectric devices, chemical synthesis and other fields. According to statistics from the China Nonferrous Metal Processing Association, my country’s output of aluminum processing materials, including aluminum powder, will reach 44.7 million tons in 2021, a year-on-year increase of 6.2%. The sufficient supply of raw materials has laid a good foundation for the development of my country’s triisobutyl aluminum industry.

According to the “2023-2028 China Triisobutyl Aluminum (TIBA) Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report span>》shows that triisobutylaluminum can be used as a polymerization catalyst, reducing agent and high-energy raw material, and is widely used in the fields of organometallic compounds, olefin polymers, synthetic resins, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibers and other fields. The synthetic rubber field is the largest demand end for triisobutyl aluminum, which can be used as a polymerization catalyst for butadiene rubber. As the COVID-19 epidemic policies are gradually relaxed, my country’s butadiene rubber manufacturers have resumed work and production, driving their output to recover. In 2022, my country’s butadiene rubber output will reach 1.516 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.1%. With the accelerated development of the butadiene rubber industry, the market space for triisobutyl aluminum has further expanded.

The major global producers of triisobutyl aluminum include Gulbrandsen of India, Albemarle Chemical Company of the United States (ALB), Akzo Nobel of the Netherlands, Chemtura of the United States, etc. There are many participants in my country’s triisobutyl aluminum market, including Jiangsu Puluosi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Nantong Runfeng Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Suihua Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Dongying Taibell Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., Shandong Dongfang Hongye Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Huangshi Boer Chemical Co., Ltd., Wuhan Kanos Technology Co., Ltd., etc. At present, my country’s triisobutyl aluminum market is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises, and the industry concentration is low.

Industry analysts said that as a commonly used polymerization catalyst, triisobutylaluminum is widely used in the field of butadiene rubber. The industry is developing rapidly, and my country’s triisobutyl aluminum market space continues to expand. The main raw material of triisobutyl aluminum is aluminum powder. my country is a major producer of aluminum powder. The advantages of raw materials provide favorable conditions for the development of triisobutyl aluminum industry. It is expected that in the future, as the level of technological innovation of local enterprises continues to improve, the concentration of my country’s triisobutyl aluminum industry will increase.