Ion Exchange Membrane Market Size and Forecasts (2021 - 2031), Global and Regional Share, Trends, and Growth Opportunity Analysis

MARKET ANALYSIS

An Ion Exchange Membrane is a semi-permeable membrane that facilitates the transportation of certain dissolved ions and blocks other neutral molecules and ions. They are electrically conductive. They are generally used in chemical recovery applications and desalination. An ion exchange membrane is generally made up of inorganic or organic polymer with ionic side groups such as ion exchange resins. The surging demand for these membranes in the wastewater treatment industry is expected to fuel the growth of the ion exchange membrane market.

GROWTH DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Rising awareness of wastewater treatment is fueling the growth of the ion exchange market to a large extent. The increased demand from the healthcare sector due to applications of ion-exchanged resins in managing complications related to chronic kidney diseases is escalating the market's growth. Further, a large quantity of wastewater is generated from the healthcare sector; therefore, ion-selective permeable membranes are used for wastewater management and to make water reusable for manufacturing medicines. Ion exchange membranes are also largely used in several electrochemical applications, including batteries, electrodialysis, fuel cells, sensors, etc. Apart from this, the expansion of the industrial gas processing industry fuels the market's growth as companies take measures to purify contaminated water released from the industries.

However, exposure to non-ionized organic matter or bacteria can contaminate ion exchange membranes, which hampers the growth of the ion exchange membrane market. A decline in the market's growth resulted from the temporary halt in economic activities due to the impact of Covid-19. Further, the requirement for high investment in ion exchange membranes challenges the growth of the ion exchange membrane market.

REPORT SEGMENTATION AND SCOPE

The "Global Ion Exchange Membrane Market Analysis to 2031" is a specialized and in-depth study with a major focus on the global market trends and growth opportunities. The report aims to provide an overview of the global market with detailed market segmentation by type, application, end-use, and geography. The global ion exchange membrane market has been witnessing high growth over the recent past and is expected to continue this trend during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the consumption of ion exchange membrane worldwide along with their demand in major regions and countries. In addition, the report provides the qualitative assessment of various factors affecting the ion exchange membrane market performance in major regions and countries. The report also includes a comprehensive analysis of the leading players in the ion exchange membrane market and their key strategic developments. Several analyses on the market dynamics are also included to help identify the key driving factors, market trends, and lucrative opportunities that would, in turn, aid in identifying the major revenue pockets.

Further, ecosystem analysis and Porter’s five forces analysis provide a 360-degree view of the global ion exchange membrane market, which helps understand the entire supply chain and various factors affecting the market growth.

SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS

The global ion exchange membrane market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and end use. Based on type, the ion exchange membrane market is segmented into cation exchange membranes (CEM), anion exchange membrane (AEM), bipolar membrane, and charge mosaic membrane (CMM). On the basis of application, the market is classified as electrolysis, chromatographic separations, desalination, wastewater treatment, and others. The global ion exchange membrane market is categorized on the basis of end-use into, food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, ceramics, and others.

Based on the type, the cation exchange membranes witness substantial growth in the forecasted time frame due to their prominence in zinc-battery applications. They are made up of fluorinated polymers and show conductivity due to the presence of negatively charged sulphonate groups by transferring protons. They are used in electrodialysis. Cation exchange membranes are strong acid polymer membranes and contain a significant amount of sulphonic acid groups. They show excellent thermal/chemical durability and ion conductivity. Therefore, surging applications of cation exchange membranes in different ion exchange membrane applications will propel the growth of the ion exchange membrane market.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

The report provides a detailed overview of the global ion exchange membrane market with respect to five major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America. Asia Pacific is predicted to dominate the ion exchange membrane market in the forecasted timeframe owing to the surging demand for ion exchange membranes in different end-use industries in the region. The demand for water conservation and re-used water is increasing in Asia Pacific countries such as China, India, and others. The surging applicability of ion exchange membranes in many applications, such as electrodialysis, wastewater treatment, and desalination in India and Japan, will fuel the growth of the market. In addition, the favorable government policies related to water treatment in developing countries of the region are augmenting the market’s growth in APAC.

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

Partnership, acquisitions, and new product launches were found to be the major strategies adopted by the players operating in the global ion exchange membrane market.

• April 2023: The Chemours Company (“Chemours”) (NYSE: CC), a global chemistry company, and TC Energy, a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure, have executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the potential development of two electrolysis-based hydrogen production facilities at or near Chemours’ Washington Works and Belle manufacturing sites in West Virginia.

The agreement covers the companies’ interest in developing, constructing, and operating clean hydrogen production facilities and associated infrastructure. The proposed development includes using established proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers manufactured in America and utilizing Chemours’ NafionTM ion exchange membranes.

• December 2022: The Delhi-based renewable project consultant will invest $50 million in the Gujarat facility to manufacture anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzers for green hydrogen generation. The project has received $1 million from Real Time Accelerator Fund as an angel investor in Greenzo.

IMPACT OF COVID/IMPACT OF GEOPOLITICAL SCENARIO/IMPACT OF RECESSION

In 2021, the outbreak of COVID 19 across the world impacted a number of chemical manufacturing companies. However, owing to the coronavirus crisis, the ion exchange membrane market’s growth has been impacted positively.  Due to the increased transmission of coronavirus through sewage water and drinking water during the pandemic, the surge for clean water for nutrition, food and health has increased. During the pandemic, companies came up with investment strategies in cost-efficient ion exchange membrane technologies and revived their strategies related to business expansion. Various non-profit organizations and government bodies took steps to generate awareness regarding water security and safety that led to the high demand of ion exchange membrane and hence escalated the market growth.

Also, the ongoing geopolitical scenario may result in decreased investments in public-private partnership (PPP) projects, which can hinder the development of new wastewater projects. For instance, the government of China is taking initiatives to attract investments in its sewage treatment projects.

However, the complicated relationship between macro and micro-risk factors and constantly changing characteristics in the PPP factors make it very difficult for the stakeholders to make decisions with enough certainty of success and might have a strong effect on the administration and sustainability of PPP projects.

Moreover, in the US, like other industries, the wastewater industry is experiencing several challenges concerning surging fuel costs, unavailability of labor, and equipment delays. However, with the constantly increasing demand for clean water in multiple industrial, residential, and commercial applications, global investments in wastewater treatment plants are positioned to grow in the coming years. Further, the companies operating in the wastewater industry might suffer from the present economic conditions. For instance, the US central banks have increased their interest rates to curb inflationary conditions. The persistence of such conditions might impact the companies’ liquid and credit availability as well as inefficiency in accessing capital markets. This will impact the overall wastewater industry and, thus, might hamper the growth of the ion exchange membrane market.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE AND KEY COMPANIES

Some of the key players operating in the ion exchange membrane market include 3M, Merck KGaA, Evergreen Technologies Pvt. Ltd., DuPont de Nemours, Inc., LANXESS, Liaoning Yichen Membrane Technology Co. Ltd, ResinTech, Saltworks Technologies Inc., ION EXCHANGE, Ionomr Innovations Inc., Membranes International Inc., FUJIFILM Corporation, SnowPure, LLC, AGC Chemicals Americas Inc., and MEGA A.S., among others.

Ion Exchange Membrane Report Scope