Inkwood Research estimates that the global conductive polymer market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.58% during the forecast period, generating an estimated revenue of $6.61 billion by 2028. The base year considered for the market study is 2018, and the forecasted period is between 2019-2028.

The global conductive polymer market growth is driven by: 

• Growing demand for electronic products
• High usage of conducting polymers in solar cell manufacturing
• Rise in electric mobility

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The demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) has been steadily growing in recent years. An increase in environmental concerns led to surging pollution levels, which is encouraging people to switch to electric mobility. According to Edison Electric Institute (EEI), Electric Vehicle (EV) sales have grown by 81% between 2017 and 2018. The United States generated a majority of these sales, and as of March 2019, more than 1.18 million electric vehicles were on the road, in the country. The purchase of electric vehicles is expected to escalate as a result of numerous people preferring electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles over their conventional and internal combustion engine-powered counterparts. The implementation of favourable government regulations is also promoting the adoption of electric vehicles across various regions. Conductive polymers are widely used in automobile and electric vehicle components such as capacitors, batteries, and sensors, which is expected to offer lucrative opportunities for the growth of the conductive polymer market.

In 2019, the anti-static packaging & coating was the leading segment in the application category across the global conductive polymer market with a revenue share of 23.39%. Conductive polymers are used in anti-static packaging on account of their ability to protect against electrostatic discharge in electronic components and energy storage devices. Rising trends of using high impact and frequency electronic devices have been a significant factor contributing to the growing demand for anti-static dissipative polymers. They are also employed in EPA (Electrostatic Discharge Protected Areas), which is used in circuit boards of various electrical equipment. This allows manufacturers to reduce cost, consistency in surface resistivity, recyclability, and cleanliness. Moreover, these factors also help promote the growth of conductive polymers in anti-static packaging. Conductive polymer demand for providing static control in electronic components is expected to witness a significant rise owing to the increasing need for ultra-thin and compact devices in the electronics sector.

Conversely, the polymer capacitor segment in the application category is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR of around 6.65% during the forecast period. Conductive polymer capacitors have been experiencing consistent growth due to rising demands from the electrical and electronics sector. They are utilized in various energy storage devices, by virtue of their safety, reliability, longevity, and stability. The increasing use of electronics in various industrial applications has resulted in a growing demand for capacitors. Industrial applications such as power inverters, specialty lighting, and motor drives are vital applications that would witness an increase in penetration over the next eight years. Expansion of the manufacturing sector in emerging economies like India and China, is expected to be a prominent feature of the market.

On the other hand, the growth of the global conductive polymer market is restricted by the high cost of production and volatile raw material prices. The primary factor hindering the growth of the conductive polymer market is the high cost of production, including manufacturing processes and raw materials. Consequently, the production volume of the conducting polymer is expected to fall. Although not on a large scale, this factor is expected to impact the market during the forecast period negatively. However, various companies are focusing on developing new technologies for manufacturing conductive polymers. This may reduce the cost of conductive polymers and anticipatedly increase production volumes shortly.

The report scope on the global conductive polymer market includes the segmentation analysis on the basis of type and application.

Market by Type:

• Polyaniline (PANI)
• Polypyrrole (PPY)
• Polyphenylene Vinylenes (PPV)
• Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)
• Polyacetylene
• Others

Market by Application:

• Anti-static packaging & coating
• Photographic Film
• Solar Cell
• Display Screen
• Polymer Capacitor
• LED Lights
• Others

Geographically, the global conductive polymer market has been segmented into four major regions:

• North America: the United States & Canada
• Europe: the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Belgium, Poland and Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific: China, Japan, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia & New Zealand and Rest of Asia Pacific
• Rest of World: Latin America, the Middle East & Africa

Geographically, Asia Pacific is the largest market with a market share of 31.60% in terms of revenue in 2019. Due to rapid growth in industrial sectors such as automotive and electronics, China and India are among the most emerging economies across the region. Conductive polymer is widely utilized in the manufacturing of electronic circuit boards, batteries, actuators, and sensors used in electric vehicles. The development of these industries propels the demand for conductive polymer, thereby driving the growth of the market across Asia Pacific. There has been an increase in the need for energy across China and India, due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. This is anticipated to fuel the use of solar energy, which would eventually increase the demand for solar cells. Moreover, conductive polymers are widely used in manufacturing organic solar cells. Thus, a surge in demand for solar cells across the region is anticipated to drive the growth of the conductive polymer market.

On the other hand, Europe is predicted to be the fastest-growing region with a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. Globally, Europe is a hub for manufacturing automotive and aerospace as well as defense equipment. Conductive polymer is widely used in sensors and capacitors to make electronic circuit boards, which are used in fighter jets and submarines. Therefore, defense-equipment manufacturing giants such as British Aerospace Engineering, Dassault, and Eurofighter GmbH in the region are expected to increase the demand for conductive polymer. The aerospace and defense industry’s development is anticipated to drive the demand for conductive polymer, and these factors are projected to augment the growth of the conductive polymer market across the European region.

Key players involved in the global conductive polymer market are:

• Agfa-Gevaert NV
• Kemet Corporation
• Merck KGaA
• 3M Company
• Covestro AG
• Others

In January 2018, Agfa and Ferrbatt entered into an agreement for the distribution of Solar PV Backsheet. In November 2017, Heraeus Holding GmbH launched new conductive polymers, that reduce 50% of screen glare of displays. Moreover, transmission and conductivity have been improved for conductive display layers.

Key findings of the global conductive polymer market: 

• The Asia Pacific region dominates the global conductive polymer market by capturing the largest market share of around 31.60% in 2019.
• The Europe conductive polymer market is predicted to grow at the highest CAGR of xx% during the forecast period of 2019 to 2028.
• Increasing demands from the automotive and aerospace sectors have augmented the growth of the market.
• Advancements in miniaturization of electronic components are boosting the conductive polymer market growth.