Sodium Hydroxide Market Insights: 2024 and Beyond

1. 2024 Production and Sales Overview

Based on the latest available data, the specific global production and sales figures of caustic soda (CAS#1310 - 73 - 2) in 2024 have not been fully compiled yet. However, looking at the situation in China, which is a major player in the global caustic soda market, from January to November 2024, the production of caustic soda (in terms of 100% equivalent) reached 39.805 million tons, showing a year - on - year growth of 5.9%. According to information from Sohu News, the total production of caustic soda in 2024 is expected to be 41.08 million tons, a 2.5% increase compared to the previous year. This growth trend reflects the stable demand for caustic soda in various industries around the world.

2. Product Application Directions

Industrial Applications

• Paper Industry: Caustic soda plays a crucial role in the production of paper and cellulose pulp. It helps with the swelling and decomposition of cellulose fibers, enhancing the strength and whiteness of paper products.

• Textile and Dyeing Industry: In the textile and dyeing industry, it is used as a desizing agent for cotton fabrics, a scouring agent, and a mercerizing agent. It can effectively remove impurities and pigments from cotton, making the fabric softer, whiter, and more lustrous.

• Chemical Industry: It serves as a fundamental raw material in the production of numerous chemicals, such as borax, sodium cyanide, formic acid, oxalic acid, and phenol. Additionally, it is a key reagent in basic analytical chemistry.

• Petroleum Industry: In the refining of petroleum products, caustic soda is used to remove acidic impurities and sulfides. It is also used in oilfield drilling muds to adjust the pH value and viscosity.

• Metallurgical Industry: In the production of aluminum, caustic soda is used to dissolve bauxite. For zinc and copper, it helps with surface treatment by removing oxides and oil stains.

Daily Life Applications

• Cleaning Products: It is an important ingredient in the production of soaps and synthetic detergents. Through the saponification reaction, it reacts with fats to form soap. In household cleaners such as oven cleaners and drain cleaners, it can effectively remove grease and scale.

• Food Industry: Food - grade caustic soda is used as an acid neutralizer, a peeling agent for citrus fruits and peaches, a detergent for empty bottles and cans, as well as a decolorizing and deodorizing agent.

Other Applications

• Environmental Protection: Caustic soda is used in the treatment of acidic wastewater and exhaust gases, as well as in soil remediation. It can neutralize acidic substances and reduce the concentration of harmful substances. It also plays a role in waste treatment, decomposing organic matter, neutralizing acids, and absorbing harmful substances in flue gas.

• Pharmaceutical Industry: It is used in the preparation of pharmaceutical intermediates or raw materials. It can also act as a solubilizer to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of drugs.

  
  

3. Latest Research Trends

• Production Technology Improvement: On December 12, 2024, Shandong Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. obtained a patent for a “marine solid caustic soda liquefaction device”. This device, composed of components such as a marine watermaker, a stirring tank, and a liquid caustic soda storage tank, addresses technical issues related to the storage, leakage, and waste of liquid caustic soda on ships.

• Environmental Protection Research: Researchers are exploring the combination of caustic soda with biotechnology, new catalyst technologies, and membrane technologies to improve its efficiency in water treatment and exhaust gas treatment while reducing environmental impacts. For example, combining microbial degradation of organic pollutants with caustic soda treatment in wastewater treatment, or using nanomaterials and photocatalysis in combination with caustic soda for exhaust gas treatment.

• New Energy Applications: Caustic soda can be used as an electrolyte additive in lithium - ion batteries to improve battery performance, reduce internal resistance, enhance charge - discharge efficiency, and extend cycle life. In fuel cells, it can be used in the preparation of alkaline ion - exchange membranes to improve the conductivity and chemical resistance of fuel cells.

• Materials Research: Using dissolved pulp as raw material, studies are being conducted on the effect of adding hydrogen - bond acceptors to caustic soda solutions on their ability to dissolve cellulose. The aim is to improve the low - temperature dissolution theory and promote the application of the caustic soda/additive water - based dissolution system in cellulose - based special packaging films.

4. Other Aspects

Safety and Protection

Storage and Transportation

Market Outlook

In conclusion, caustic soda remains a vital chemical product with a wide range of applications, continuous technological advancements, and a dynamic market in 2024 and in the future.