World Analysis – Acrylonitrile

Long-term outlook to 2060

Acrylonitrile is an essential monomer used in the production of a wide range of plastics, fibers, rubbers, and specialty chemicals. Key downstream applications include acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins, both of which can be compounded with additives to deliver tailored performance attributes, making them highly versatile across numerous end-use sectors. Acrylic fibers typically contain at least 85% acrylonitrile by weight, while modacrylic fibers contain between 35% and 85%. Acrylonitrile is also used to produce adiponitrile, a critical precursor to hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) and ultimately nylon 6,6, an important engineering plastic and fiber material.

Additional derivatives include nitrile rubber (NBR) and nitrile latex (NBL), both copolymers of acrylonitrile and butadiene, which are used extensively in automotive parts, industrial applications, and protective gloves. Acrylamide, produced through the hydration of acrylonitrile, is further polymerized into polyacrylamides used in water treatment, enhanced oil recovery, and various industrial processes.

Commercial acrylonitrile production is dominated by the ammoxidation of propylene. In this process, chemical-grade propylene (CGP), ammonia, and air, sometimes enriched with oxygen, are fed into a fluidized-bed catalytic reactor. This route also generates valuable coproducts: hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and acetonitrile. Hydrogen cyanide is typically consumed on-site in downstream chemical synthesis, such as sodium cyanide, methionine, or methyl methacrylate (MMA). Acetonitrile, depending on market conditions and plant configuration, is either purified for sale or disposed of.

Effective utilization of coproducts is critical to the overall economics and competitiveness of an acrylonitrile facility. Strong integration, efficient coproduct handling, and optimization of feedstock costs remain key factors in determining profitability across the global acrylonitrile value chain.

Long-term outlook to 2060

The World Analysis—Acrylonitrile offers an in-depth examination of the global acrylonitrile market, providing comprehensive analysis and strategic insights into the key developments that will shape the long-term supply, demand, trade, and pricing outlooks. This service equips industry participants with the analytical foundation needed to navigate market volatility and anticipate structural shifts across the acrylonitrile value chain.

Subscribers gain access to a full suite of reports, data files, analytical tools, and visualization modules, available online and downloadable from our website, including:

• A strategic report outlining critical insights and the future trajectory of global and regional markets

• Online Data Browser access to supply, demand, and capacity databases

• Continuously updated company/shareholder capacity listings, capacity integration analysis, and rankings of top producers/consumers, including surplus/deficit capacity profiles

• A comprehensive Data Appendix (Excel) featuring supply/demand and capacity tables, plus a dashboard with standard visualizations for all countries and regions

• Excel data files with long-range supply/demand graphics and price forecasts through 2060, along with detailed trade grids showing country- and region-level trade flows with 5- and 10-year projections

• An interactive online dashboard visualizing capacity, integration, supply/demand balances, trade flows, and price, cost, and margin forecasts

• Explanatory Notes detailing data sources, methodology, assumptions, units, conversion factors, and full World Analysis deliverables

• Energy and macroeconomic assumptions used in the long-term outlook

• Price assessment methodology and forecasting framework

In addition to acrylonitrile, capacity and brief textual analysis are provided for the following products:

• ABS resin
• Acrylamide
• Acrylic fiber
• Adiponitrile
• Nitrile rubber
• SAN resin

This World Analysis provides detailed intelligence on capacities, production, demand, and trade across all major producing and consuming countries, regions, and global hubs. While robust data collection underpins the historical and forward views, the true value of the service lies in the expert interpretation and market analysis applied by our global team.

Data verification is a central pillar of our approach. Direct engagement with key industry participants ensures that our conclusions reflect real-world market behavior and deliver the most accurate, realistic forward outlook for the global acrylonitrile industry.

Long-term outlook to 2060