Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) production continues to increase, and rubber antioxidants are the largest downstream application area

Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), also known as 4-methyl-2-pentanone and methyl isopentyl ketone, has a chemical formula of C6H12O and is an organic compound. Methyl isobutyl ketone appears as a colorless and transparent liquid, is easily soluble in organic solvents such as ether and ethanol, and is slightly soluble in water. Methyl isobutyl ketone has the advantages of good chemical stability and high solubility, and is widely used in petrochemical, aerospace, metal smelting, medicine, automobile manufacturing and other fields.

The production process of methyl isobutyl ketone includes acetone synthesis method and isopropyl alcohol method. The acetone synthesis method can be subdivided into acetone one-step method and acetone three-step method. The one-step acetone method refers to using a bifunctional catalyst to react acetone and hydrogen gas under high temperature conditions, and then through condensation, separation, distillation and other processes to produce high-precision methyl isobutyl ketone. The one-step acetone method has the advantages of simple production process, short time consumption, and low production cost, and is the mainstream production process of methyl isobutyl ketone in the world.

According to the “2022-2027 Global Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK) Industry In-depth Market Research and Key Area Research Report》shows that my country’s methyl isobutyl ketone industry started late but is developing rapidly. As the severe situation of the COVID-19 epidemic has been brought under control, many manufacturing companies have resumed work and production, which has led to the gradual recovery of my country’s methyl isobutyl ketone production. In 2021, my country’s methyl isobutyl ketone output reached 86,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 16.2%. With continuous innovation in production technology, it is expected that my country’s methyl isobutyl ketone output will exceed 100,000 tons by 2024.

Methyl isobutyl ketone has a wide range of applications, and rubber antioxidants are its largest demand end, accounting for 52.3% of the demand. The rapid development of the tire industry has brought broad market space for rubber antioxidants. According to statistics from the China Rubber Industry Association, my country’s rubber antioxidant production will reach 415,000 tons in 2021, a year-on-year increase of 13.0%. Benefiting from strong market demand, my country’s apparent consumption of methyl isobutyl ketone continues to grow. In 2021, my country’s apparent consumption of methyl isobutyl ketone reached 124,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 18.7%.

my country is the world’s largest consumer of methyl isobutyl ketone. Restricted by factors such as technical barriers and shortages of raw materials, China’s demand is highly dependent on imports. However, in recent years, my country’s imports of methyl isobutyl ketone have declined due to factors such as Sino-US trade friction. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, my country’s imports of methyl isobutyl ketone reached 13,000 tons from January to July 2021, a year-on-year decrease of 14.9%.

Industry analysts said that the main manufacturers of methyl isobutyl ketone in my country include Zhejiang Ningbo Zhenyang Chemical Company, Jiangsu Zhenjiang Li Changrong Chemical Company, PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Company, etc. Methyl isobutyl ketone has excellent performance. As the main raw material of rubber antioxidant, the market demand is strong. However, at present, my country is highly dependent on the import of methyl isobutyl ketone, and local companies urgently need to increase investment in research and development to accelerate the localization of products.