Plasticisers: Feedstocks
Why the alcohol price decides what a plasticiser costs
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.A plasticiser is about two-thirds alcohol and one-third acid by weight, so the price of 2-ethylhexanol (from propylene and syngas) or isononanol (from butenes) sets most of the cost. The anhydride comes from o-xylene or p-xylene. Integrated oxo-alcohol producers set the floor.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Ethylhexanol (or isononanol) | 0.67 t 2-EH per t DOP or DOTP; 0.69 t INA per t DINP (stoichiometry) | alcohol | about 55-65% (indicative) | stoichiometry; indicative |
| Phthalic anhydride (from o-xylene) | 0.38 t per t DOP (stoichiometry) | acid | about 25-30% (indicative) | stoichiometry; indicative |
| PTA (for DOTP) | 0.43 t per t DOTP (stoichiometry) | acid | about 25-30% (indicative) | stoichiometry |
| Oil Crude oil | indirect | ultimate carbon source | indirect | chem_master feeds |
| Gas Natural gas | not published | esterification heat | small | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Producers with their own oxo-alcohols and anhydride (BASF, ExxonMobil, Evonik Oxeno, Korean and Chinese majors) are lowest cost; non-integrated esterifiers such as many Indian plants buy 2-EH and live on a thin conversion margin.
Raw materials on the commodity table
Oil Crude oilWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| PVC PVC | flexible PVC takes 80-90% of plasticisers |
| Adh Adhesives and sealants | plasticisers in sealants and adhesives |