Tributyl citrate (TBC) is an environmentally friendly plasticizer. my country’s industry concentration needs to be improved.

Tributyl citrate (TBC), also known as tri-n-butyl citrate and 3-hydroxy-3-carboxyglutarate, has a chemical formula of C18H32O7 and is an ester compound. Tributyl citrate appears as a colorless and transparent liquid with a fruity aroma. It is miscible with most organic solvents and slightly soluble in water. Tributyl citrate has the advantages of high boiling point, strong weather resistance, low volatility, and low toxicity. As an environmentally friendly plasticizer, it can be used to produce chlorinated alkylene copolymers, cellulose resins, polyvinyl chloride and other products.

Tributyl citrate can be produced by direct esterification, using n-butanol and citric acid as its main raw materials. Citric acid is an important organic acid that is widely used in food additives, acidity regulators, organic synthesis and other fields. my country is the world’s largest producer and exporter of citric acid, accounting for nearly half of the world’s output. In 2022, my country’s citric acid production will reach 2.136 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 11.2%. At present, my country’s citric acid is mainly exported, and the local market demand is weak. The sufficient supply of raw materials has laid a good foundation for the development of the tributyl citrate industry.

Acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) is a downstream product of tributyl citrate. Acetyl tributyl citrate can be produced by a co-acetylation-esterification method, which uses tributyl citrate, n-butanol and acetic anhydride as the main raw materials. Acetyl tributyl citrate is a less toxic plasticizer than tributyl citrate and is widely used in medical products, children’s toys and meat product packaging. The global acetyl tributyl citrate market size will reach US$190 million in 2022, setting a record high. The accelerated development of downstream industries will drive further growth in market demand for tributyl citrate.

According to the “2023-2028 China Tributyl Citrate (TBC) Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report span>》shows that tributyl citrate is an environmentally friendly plasticizer and is widely used in the production process of plastic products such as chlorinated alkylene copolymers, cellulose resins and polyvinyl chloride. In recent years, with the accelerated development of the packaging industry, my country’s demand for plastic applications has continued to grow. In this context, the market space for tributyl citrate will further expand.

At present, my country’s tributyl citrate industry has low concentration and lacks leading companies in the market. This is the main challenge facing the development of the industry. The main manufacturers of tributyl citrate in my country include Aidibei Biotechnology, Huifengda Chemical, Raymond New Materials, Jiaao Environmental Protection, Lingchuang Environmental Protection Materials, etc.

Industry analysts said that benefiting from the increased prosperity of the environmentally friendly plasticizer industry, the market demand for tributyl citrate is increasingly strong. Driven by positive factors such as sufficient supply of raw materials and improved technological maturity, my country’s tributyl citrate production capacity and output have continued to increase. However, at present, the concentration of my country’s tributyl citrate industry is low. It is expected that companies with high-quality product capabilities will occupy a larger space in the market in the future.