INDIA SULPHONATED NAPHTHALENE FORMALDEHYDE MARKET ANALYSIS

Market Challenges And Opportunities

Drivers

One of the key factors expected to stimulate market growth during the forecast period are the advantages of sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde over other plasticizers. Blending sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde with lignosulfonates improves its slump retention characteristics. Use of sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde enables fast mixing of concrete by improving flow properties. It is a non-hazardous and environment-friendly product. Sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde is known as a second-generation superplasticizer, a versatile product for formulation and compatible with admixtures. It improves rheological properties of concrete such as flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and compressibility, as well as used as a dispersing agent. The relative cost of sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde is low and it supports the use of fly ash, silica, and slag as cementious supplementaries, making it most widely used superplasticizer in India as well internationally.

Market Restraints

Availability of substitute products can restrict the market growth. Sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde is most commonly used as superplasticizer in the cement industry. However, other super plasticizing chemicals such as polycarboxylate ether, lignosulphonates, and sulphonated melamine product typealdehyde (SMF) are available in the market. Lignosulphonates produces high range water reduction at high doses. Lignosulphonate salts of sodium and calcium, hydroxycarboxylic acids, and carbohydrates are few examples in this category. Sulphonated melamine product typealdehyde (SMF) produces high initial slump and are suitable for cold climate and also suitable where concreting time is short like in case of precast concrete. The costs of sulphonated melamine formaldehyde and polycarboxylic ether are almost similar, followed by sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde. In terms of relative cost, lignosulphonates are cheaper than sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde. Thus, availability of different alternatives for sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde is restraining growth of the market.