# Bisphenol A: Production route

Two phenols, one acetone, and the purity battle

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/routes/

What this tab covers How it is made: the main production routes or, for product families, the main product types and technologies, compared on share of supply, inputs per tonne, plant scale, yield, co-products and unit cost.

Essentially all BPA is made by acid-catalysed condensation of phenol and acetone, now almost always over sulphonated ion-exchange resins rather than hydrochloric acid. Plants differ mainly in purification, which sets whether the product is polycarbonate grade or epoxy grade. Most large plants sit next to phenol-acetone units and polycarbonate plants. Alternatives to BPA itself, such as isosorbide or other bisphenols, are substitutes rather than routes.

#### Routes compared

| Route | Share of supply | Inputs per tonne | Typical scale | Yield | Co-products | Unit cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Ion-exchange resin catalysed condensation (polycarbonate grade)** | about 90% (indicative) | about 0.84 t phenol, 0.26 t acetone, steam and power (indicative) | 150-300 kt/yr; new Chinese units 0.20-0.27 Mt/yr (GlobalData) | about 95% on phenol (indicative) | o,p-BPA isomers and tars recycled or cracked back to phenol | feed about 0.84 x phenol + 0.26 x acetone plus about $100-150/t conversion (indicative) |
| **Epoxy-grade BPA** | about 10% (indicative) | similar | smaller | similar | similar | slightly lower |
| **HCl-catalysed condensation (older)** | small (indicative) | similar | old plants | high | acid wastes | higher maintenance |

#### How each route works
**Ion-exchange resin catalysed condensation (polycarbonate grade)**

Excess phenol and acetone react over a sulphonated polystyrene resin with a thiol promoter. The BPA-phenol adduct is crystallised, separated and stripped of phenol to give high-purity BPA. Licensors include Badger (Stellar), Mitsubishi Chemical, Idemitsu-Chiyoda and Covestro.

Mature and efficient; margins tied to phenol-acetone.
 GlobalData 2025; indicative **Epoxy-grade BPA**

Same chemistry with less purification; slightly lower purity is acceptable for epoxy resins.

Cheaper; not suitable for optical polycarbonate.
 indicative **HCl-catalysed condensation (older)**

Hydrochloric acid catalyst with corrosion-resistant equipment. Largely replaced by resins.

Corrosion and waste.
 indicative Unit economics are indicative ranges from the sources named; costs move with feedstock and energy prices, plant size and region.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/correlation/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bisphenol_a/links/index.md)