Future Development Trends of Phenolic Resin Industry

1. The semiconductor industry is improving, and the domestic substitution of electronic phenol formaldehyde is accelerating

      Phenolic resin and phenolic based special epoxy resin are currently the most widely used and widely used materials in the electronics industry. Phenolic resin is mainly used in the fields of chip (IC) manufacturing, printed circuit board (PCB), flat panel display (FPD), etc. due to its unique properties such as high temperature resistance, flame retardancy, smoke generation, etc., as well as good heat resistance, dimensional stability, excellent electrical performance, and good mechanical processing compared to epoxy resin cured products.

2. Further increase the market share of environmentally friendly and safe enterprises

      During the production process of phenolic resin, toxic substances such as free aldehydes are produced, which can pollute the environment. In recent years, with the consideration of reducing pollution and improving supply, China has continuously raised environmental protection requirements for synthetic resin production enterprises. The greening of phenolic resins is one of the important development trends in the future, mainly in the directions of low phenol, low aldehyde, low ammonia, dust-free, and homogenization. These improved resins can reduce the release of pungent gases, improve performance, and reduce safety hazards. In the future, many production enterprises with insufficient investment in environmental protection and non-standard production processes will gradually exit the market, while high-quality enterprises that value environmental protection and safety will further increase their market share.

3. Development in the direction of high performance and high added value

       In recent years, domestic and foreign enterprises have focused more on the research and development of high-performance and high value-added modified products, involving the study of the properties of phenolic resins themselves and the comprehensive performance research when applied as composite materials. They modify the brittleness and mechanical properties of phenolic resins while improving processing technology. The performance and cost of modified phenolic resin are further optimized, and its application is more extensive.

       Phenolic resin can be used not only in the chemical industry, but also in the field of chip manufacturing. According to different application fields, phenolic resins can be divided into two categories: electronic grade phenolic resins and industrial grade phenolic resins. Electronic grade phenolic resin is mainly used in the manufacturing of products such as copper-clad laminates, epoxy sealants, and photoresist. At present, phenolic resin enterprises in China are still mainly concentrated in the chemical industry, and the production capacity in the electronic grade phenolic resin field with high technical requirements is relatively small. Domestic demand still relies on imports.