The polyacrylic acid market has seen considerable growth due to a variety of factors.
• The market for polyacrylic acid has seen significant expansion in recent years. It is forecasted to increase from $3.56 billion in 2024 to $3.8 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%.
The historical growth trend can be linked to a surge in demand for personal care products, expanded uses of polyacrylic acid, growth in disposable income, a rise in adhesives and sealants industry, and supportive regulations.
The polyacrylic acid market is expected to maintain its strong growth trajectory in upcoming years.
• In the upcoming years, the polyacrylic acid market size is projected to experience robust growth. The market is anticipated to reach $4.9 billion in 2029 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5%.
Factors contributing to this growth during the forecast period include strengthened consumer awareness, growth of the cosmetic industry, increased urbanization, expansion in infrastructure projects, and the blossoming beauty and personal care sectors. The forecast period will also see significant trends such as the creation of superabsorbent polymers, technological advancements, enhanced polyacrylic acid formulations, generation of new polyacrylic acid versions, and improved formulations.
The polyacrylic acid market is projected to expand due to the increasing demand for personal care items. These products encompass a wide array of personal grooming, hygiene, and beauty essentials such as skincare, haircare, oral care, and cosmetics. The mounting clientele for these products can be attributed to the escalating consumer cognizance concerning hygiene, personal grooming, self-care, and changing beauty trends. Polyacrylic acid is commonly employed in these care products due to its moisture-holding, thickening, and emulsifying attributes that improve the texture and stability of formulations like creams, lotions, and gels. The Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA), a UK-based association representing the cosmetic and personal care industry, disclosed that the color cosmetics sector's sales surged from 118,178 units in 2022 to 123,056 units in 2023, indicating an approximate growth of 4.1%. Simultaneously, the skincare branch saw a hike from 456,401 units in 2022 to 460,868 units in 2023, a rise of roughly 1.0%. As such, the escalating demand for personal care products is likely to stimulate the growth of the polyacrylic acid market.
The polyacrylic acidmarket covered in this report is segmented –
1) By Type: Copolymer, Homopolymer, Terpolymer
2) By Physical State: Liquid Polyacrylic Acid, Powder Polyacrylic Acid
3) By Grade: Industrial Grade, Cosmetic Grade, Pharmaceutical Grade
4) By Application: Thickeners, Dispersing Agents, Conditioners, Emulsifiers, Anti-Scaling, Ion Exchangers, Clarifying Agents
5) By End User: Water Treatment, Personal Care, Detergents And Cleaners, Other End Users
Subsegments:
1) By Copolymers: Acrylic Acid/Acrylate Copolymers, Acrylic Acid/Maleic Acid Copolymers, Acrylic Acid/Styrene Copolymers
2) By Homopolymers: Polyacrylic Acid (PAA), Polyacrylic Acid Salts, Cross-Linked Homopolymers
3) By Terpolymers: Acrylic Acid/Acrylate/Maleic Acid Terpolymers, Acrylic Acid/Acrylate/Styrene Terpolymers, Acrylic Acid/Butyl Acrylate/Styrene Terpolymers
Prominent enterprises in the polyacrylic acid market are concentrating on high-performance additives like modified polymers to amplify their product performance and secure formulation stability. These modified polymers have been chemically or physically altered to bolster their features such as durability, flexibility, or thermal stability, thereby improving performance in certain applications. For example, Lubrizol Life Science Beauty, a division of The Lubrizol Corporation, a US-based personal care and beauty solutions provider, introduced Carbopol SC-800 polymer, a substance related to polyacrylic acid, in August 2023. This polymer, which is a hydrophobically modified cross-linked polyacrylic acid polymer, serves as an efficient thickening and stabilizing solution for mild, sulfate-free cleansers like shower gels, shampoos, and facial cleansers. It outperforms other polymers in terms of clarity, thickening efficiency, and suspension properties. It gives formulators the liberty to elevate skin cleansing formulations. Moreover, foam generation studies reveal that this polymer upholds foam volume and quality, ensuring the preferred lather in rinse-off beauty products without sacrificing performance.
Major companies operating in the polyacrylic acid market are:
• PetroChina Company Limited
• BASF SE
• Dow Chemical Company
• Saudi Basic Industries Corporation
• Merck KGaA
• Solvay S.A.
• Arkema S.A.
• Huntsman Corporation
• The Lubrizol Corporation
• SNF Group
• Kemira Oyj
• Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd.
• Ashland Global Holdings Inc.
• Toagosei Co. Ltd.
• Protex International
• Polysciences Inc.
• Gelest Inc.
• Anhui Newman Fine Chemicals Co. Ltd.
• Maxwell Additives Pvt. Ltd.
• AVA Chemicals Private Limited
• Polymer Source Inc.
• Shandong ThFine Chemical Co. Ltd.
• Glentham Life Sciences Limited
• Acuro Organics Limited
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the polyacrylic acid market in 2024. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the polyacrylic acid market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.