Isooctanol is 2-ethylhexanol, which is an alcohol compound. Isooctanol has a colorless and transparent liquid appearance and is slightly viscous. Isooctanol has extremely low solubility in water and can be miscible with most organic solvents. It is an important organic chemical raw material. It is mainly used in the production of plasticizers, surfactants, lubricating oil additives, mineral processing agents, diesel engine fuel additives, solvents and dispensing, rust inhibitor esters, etc.
The preparation process of isooctanol mainly includes carbonyl synthesis and acetaldehyde acetation. The carbonyl synthesis method uses gas phase acrylic and synthesis gas as raw materials and rhodium as catalyst to generate mixed butyraldehyde (n-butyraldehyde and isobutyraldehyde). After condensation of n-butyraldehyde, it is hydrogenated, and then refined by distillation, rectification and other processes; acetaldehyde acetation is the main raw material of acetaldehyde, which is prepared by condensation, dehydration and hydrogenation. At present, the carbonyl synthesis method using propylene as the main raw material is the mainstream preparation process of isooctanol industry in our country at this stage.
Before 2010, isooctanol plants were mainly concentrated in Sinopec Group and China National Petroleum Corporation. After 2013, the market entered a period of capacity expansion. Since 13 years, the market has successively put into production 17 sets of plants. The production time is all over the 7-year period of 19 years. Since 2019, the market has not added new capacity. At present, the domestic production capacity of octanol is 2.64 million tons, mainly distributed in Northeast China, Shandong, East China and South China. The production capacity of Shandong is about 1.42 million tons, accounting for 53%. It is the main concentration area of octanol production capacity.
In 2020, affected by the global epidemic, macro inflation and insufficient start-up of peripheral devices, downstream DOTP demand surged, DOTP capacity expansion increased the consumption of octanol, and in the past two years, no new production capacity of octanol, octanol prices have hit new highs, driven by high profits of octanol, to stimulate the enthusiasm of the industry's investment, one after another, manufacturers announced the production of butanol, it is expected that the market will add about 3 million tons of butanol capacity in the later stage.
The downstream of isooctanol products is relatively concentrated, mainly in the plasticizer and acrylic octyl ester industries. DOP and DOTP in the plasticizer industry are the largest downstream of octanol, accounting for more than 85% of the total downstream demand for octanol. Octyl acrylate accounts for about 8%, and others are also used in isooctyl thioglycolate, trioctyl trimellate, DOA plasticizer, lubricating oil additives, surfactants and other industries.
Among the downstream products of isooctanol, the fastest growing is the DOTP industry. Affected by the epidemic, the amount of PVC gloves has increased, and the expansion of the production capacity of PVC gloves has triggered an increase in the demand for DOTP. At the same time, DOTP, as an environmentally friendly plasticizer, has been popularized in medical products, films, children's toys, flooring and other industries, and the demand for DOTP has also increased. It has now surpassed the traditional plasticizer DOP and become the largest downstream product of octanol.
Octanol and plasticizers are widely used as raw materials in production and life. Under the action of many favorable factors, the octanol industry that has been tested by the market will still have phased market conditions in the middle of the year! The current Hualu Hengsheng butanol plant is running stably, the octanol production is normal, and the product delivery is orderly. Hualu Hengsheng is willing to work with everyone to make progress hand in hand and jointly promote the healthy and healthy development of the industry!
