Hydrogen peroxide is a compound that combines oxygen and hydrogen and is widely used in various industry verticals. The compounds have various properties such as anticorrosive and efficient bleaching properties, which makes them highly suitable for paper and pulp and healthcare industries.
Hydrogen peroxide market share growth
Hydrogen peroxide is also used in various personal hygiene and healthcare applications. It is used to treat skin, as an antiseptic for minor cuts and burns, and in mouthwashes to remove mucus and other oral irritations.
Hydrogen peroxide is widely used in propylene oxide (HPPO) processes, peracetic acid production, flame retardants, herbicide production, and organic peroxide initiators. It is an integral part of the chemical industry, which has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years due to increased private sector participation and geographic expansion of major contributors. However, health concerns regarding H 2 O 2 exposure are expected to be a major detriment to the growth of hydrogen peroxide market share.
Pulp and paper end-user industry is the major contributor to the hydrogen peroxide market revenue
The paper and pulp industry is the largest hydrogen peroxide market segment, accounting for more than 35% of the total share. Hydrogen peroxide is used as a versatile bleaching agent in chemical pulp, mechanical pulp bleaching sequences and paper for recycling printing ink removal. It is one of the most important chemicals applied in the multi-stage process of bleaching kraft pulp. The application of hydrogen peroxide enhances the brightness level of paper by emitting small amounts of halogenated compounds. Used as a special bleaching agent for the brightening of sulfite pulp.
Mechanical pulp derived from traditional wood milling processes is also bleached to very high brightness levels with H 2 O 2. It is used in combination with caustic soda to stabilize and buffer and as a chelating agent to sequester heavy metal traces in wood pulp.
In paper recycling, the removal of printing inks is paramount when fibers are reused in the production of household paper or printing paper. Fiber whitening is accomplished primarily with hydrogen peroxide. Small amounts of hydrogen peroxide are sufficient to improve brightness and prevent alkaline yellowing.
Chemical synthesis is another important application area for the hydrogen peroxide market, which will grow at a significant CAGR of over 6.3% during the assessment period. Hydrogen peroxide is an economical and eco-friendly oxidant with various applications in the chemical industry. Due to its low molecular weight, this product is an effective oxidizer by weight. It has the advantage of being soluble in water, organic solvents, or the substrate itself.
Asia Pacific will account for more than 50% of revenues in 2026, with a maximum growth rate of 5.8% from 2020 to 2026. Growing demand for hydrogen peroxide from paper, pulp and chemical businesses is a key reason for this growth.
Rapid industrialization and urbanization in countries including India and Indonesia are driving the growth of the manufacturing sector comprising mainly chemical manufacturing and processing companies. Moreover, increasing use of paper in tissue and food packaging is also likely to accelerate the trend of hydrogen peroxide market in paper and pulp converting during the forecast timeframe in the region. In addition, growing HPPO plants in the region will positively impact the growth of the product market in the region over the projected time span.
