Nanoclays Market Expected to Reach $2.0 Billion by 2031—Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Nanoclays Market," The nanoclays market was valued at $581.90 million in 2021, and is estimated to reach $2 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 13.3% from 2022 to 2031.

Nanoclay is a component made up of phyllosilicates, which are compounds made up of oxygen, silicon, and other elements that are degraded from natural sources and are chemically processed. Nanoclays, also known as layered silicates, is an extensively used and researched nanoagent used to make nanocomposites for food packaging.

The global nanoclays market growth is majorly attributable to its wide applications in various industries such as water treatment, food & beverage packaging, automotive, biomedical, paints & coatings, and others. Moreover, surge in use of nanoclays in packaging sector is expected to drive the market growth during the forecast period. Perishable food products spoil rapidly, even under refrigerated conditions. Nanoclay-based active films are cutting-edge solutions to expand the storage period of such food products. In food packaging films and coatings, nanoclays are used as reinforcing agents. Nanoclays, along with bio-extracts and essential oils are integrated into both bio-based and synthetic polymers to manufacture nanocomposites with improved antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The reinforcement of nanoclays improves the mechanical barrier, and thermal properties of the films. Nanoclays-based films containing essential oils improve the barrier characteristics of nanocomposites synergistically, extending the shelf life of packaged food goods. These exhibit increased antimicrobial effectiveness against foodborne pathogens and prevent lipid oxidation.

However toxic nature of nanoclays is projected to hinder the expansion of the market. On the contrary, increased demand for nanoclay in paints and coatings is expected to offer ample growth opportunities for the nanoclays industry. Nanoclays are thixotropic additives used to enhance the rheology of paints and inks. These are used in paints and coatings to improve the macro- and micro-hardness, abrasion, scratch and weather resistance. Nanoclays particles are added to paints to improve scratch resistance and to protect the paint against corrosion. Nanoclays indoor and outdoor paints contain biocides and chemicals to guard against microbiological, physical, and chemical degradation.

The nanoclays market is segmented into product, application, and region. On the basis of product, the market is categorized into montmorillonite, kaolinite, smectite and others. On the basis of application, the market is fragmented into water treatment, food & beverage packaging, automotive, biomedical, paints & coatings, and others. Water treatment is the fastest growing segment. Nanoclays are found to be very effective and efficient for water filtration. Nanoclays minerals are used in water treatment as adsorbents for the adsorption of numerous harmful substances such as heavy metals, dyes, antibiotics, biocide compounds, and other organic chemicals. Nanoclays can be used directly or indirectly for bioremediation of hazardous metal ions, organic and inorganic solutes, and microorganisms in surface water, groundwater, and wastewater. The nanoclays are very porous, absorbing water like a sponge while resisting dissolved salts and other contaminants. Region wise, the market is studied across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. Asia-Pacific is projected to register a robust growth during the forecast period. The nanoclays market share is analyzed across all significant regions and countries. Nanoclays is widely used in Asia-Pacific to improve the mechanical qualities of thermoplastics, allowing them to be used in engineering applications such as car bumpers, gears, and so on. Nanoclays are rapidly being used in automobile components and packaging due to their reinforcing effects, low cost, commercial availability, high stability, and relative simplicity of processing in conjunction with the polymer matrix.  

The major players operating in the global nanoclays market include American Elements, Attogene Corporation, BASF SE, Dow Chemical Company, Elementis PLC, Evonik Degussa GmbH, Huntsman International LLC, Kowa Company Ltd, Laviosa Corporate, Mineral Technologies, Nanografi Nano Technology, Nanoshel LLC, SABIC, Southern Clay Products Inc, and Sun Chemicals.

COVID-19 Analysis:

Emergence of COVID-19 pandemic moderately impacted nanoclays market worldwide. Initially, significant disruptions in raw material transportation and shutdown of the end-use industries, such as food & beverage and paints and coatings, resulted in drop in demand for nanoclays during the pandemic.

Further, COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced the automotive industry, due to large-scale production interruptions in Europe, disruption in Chinese parts exports, and shutdown of assembly factories in the U.S. Moreover, in 2020, global motor vehicle production declined by 15.4% from the previous year, due to travel restriction measures.

However, nowadays, the demand for nanoclays has grown in the packaging industry as it can provide antimicrobial properties to food packaging. The most common nanoclays materials used in food packaging are montmorillonite (MMT), zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs) coated silicate, kaolinite, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), and titanium dioxide (TiO2NPs). Rising levels of packaging of food may help COVID-19 patients successfully combat the virus, which is likely to propel the nanoclays market during the COVID-19 crisis.

Key findings of the study: 

• By product, the kaolinite segment was the highest revenue contributor to the market in 2021
• By application, the food and beverage packaging segment was the highest revenue contributor to the market in 2021, growing with a CAGR of 12.9%.
• By region, Asia-Pacific was the highest revenue contributor in 2021
• China was the highest revenue contributor to the market in 2021, growing with a CAGR of 14.0%.
• South Korea and Japan are expected to witness considerable CAGRs of 13.6% and 12.5% respectively, during the forecast period.