Acrylic acid
A propylene-derived acid that makes acrylate esters for paints and adhesives, and superabsorbent polymers for diapers.
Commodity chemicals · Derivatives & intermediates · No. 44
- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 7 Mt a year (2025, indicative)
- 1.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 291611
The same propylene acid that binds your wall paint also soaks up the liquid in every disposable nappy.
Chart: Illustration: Acrylic acid
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
Propylene and air pass through two reactors in a row: the first makes acrolein, the second acrylic acid. Over 99% of world capacity uses this route.
Three things to know
- About half of acrylic acid becomes esters for water-based paints and adhesives; about a third becomes nappy superabsorbent.
- World sales were about $12.0 billion in 2024, forecast to reach about $18.2 billion by 2034.
- It freezes at 13 C but can polymerise violently if overheated, so it ships in temperature-controlled tanks at 15-25 C.
The journey
- 1 PropyleneAbout 0.7 t per tonne acid
- 2 AcroleinFirst oxidation stage at about 330 C
- 3 Acrylic acidSecond stage over molybdenum-vanadium, 260 C
- 4 Esters or SAPButyl acrylate, or neutralised and cross-linked
- 5 End productsPaints, adhesives, nappies, detergents