With the increasing demand for oversized and open-cell panels, the demand for non-TAC films that are more durable than TAC films is also increasing rapidly. Non-TAC protective films that have been mass-produced in the market include PET, COP, PMMA and other materials. The proportion of TAC films in polarizers replaced by PMMA films, PET films, and COP films has continued to increase.
However, in the future, the supply of non-TAC films (such as PMMA films, PET and COP films) will be 16% shorter than demand. The increase in new production lines will only prevent the supply gap from further expanding, and the shortage level will remain at 15%.
PMMA film
Among non-TAC films, the largest proportion is PMMA films. According to the Chemical Industry Daily report, in 2017, its market share has reached about 50%. However, only PMMA film suppliers such as Sumitomo Chemical and LG Chemical cannot meet the market demand, so there are predictions made by relevant industry insiders that the market share of PMMA film will drop to 42.5% in 2021.
PET film
In terms of PET films, most of the suppliers of PET substrates for high-end optical-grade protective films are Japanese companies, and their production capacity has not yet achieved stable supply.
In December last year, Toyobo developed a flex-resistant optical PET film, which is expected to replace the PI film for glass covers of foldable mobile phones. It is reported that the performance of this new type of film of Toyobo is close to that of CPI film for foldable mobile phone cover, but compared with CPI film, it can reduce the cost of cover film material by about 10%.
In addition, it is reported that South Korea's SKC Group has also completed the development of PET films and is preparing to enter the PET film market.
COP film
Although there are many materials for non-TAC films for manufacturers to choose from, some in the industry believe that COP films are the most likely materials to replace TAC films.
Usually one LCD type polarizer needs to use two TAC functional films, and the polarizer in OLED has undergone certain structural changes. One of the TAC films may be replaced by a COP film, which may cause demand for TAC films. It has declined, but at the same time it will drive a substantial increase in demand for COP films.
Currently, Japan's ZEON Corporation is committed to the production and development of COP films. It is understood that the film produced by Japan's ZEON Corporation uses the characteristics of transparency, low water absorption and heat resistance of cyclic olefin polymers (COP) to suppress external light reflection of organic EL screens. Companies developing tilt stretch technology.
In addition, in April this year, it was reported that ZEON Corporation of Japan developed a Cycloolefin Polymer (COP), which is transparent, soft, and has excellent water resistance. . This product also has many functions that other resins do not have, such as light resistance, heat resistance, and hydrolysis resistance.
PVA film
Besides, another PVA film for polarizers is also in strong demand. PVA film is a key material that is difficult to replace with other materials, especially in the need for a more economical wide-angle polarizer production line with downstream high-generation panel production lines.
The representative of PVA film manufacturers is Kuraray Japan.
In February 2018, Kuraray announced that the company will increase the production of PVA films for optical films. It is expected that this time it will invest more than 10 billion yen (about 592 million yuan) for the production line in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture. Production will begin at the end of 2019. By then, the company's PVA film production capacity will increase by 14% compared to now, reaching a production capacity of 264 million square meters per year.
At present, Kuraray's PVA film production bases are mainly the Saijo City plant in Ehime Prefecture and the Kurashiki City Plant in Okayama Prefecture, with production capacities of 132 million square meters per year and 100 million square meters per year, respectively.
The PVA film of Chinese company AHWW has entered the supply chain system of some domestic polarizer manufacturers.
It is understood that AHWW has already realized "5 million square meters / year of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) optical film production line" for industrialization. And in order to achieve product chain support and common development, in April this year, the main factory building of the "7 million square meters polarizer project" has officially started at the Anhui Weiwei Project Base in Hechao New City, Hefei, Anhui Province.
The construction period of this project is 12 months. After completion, it can produce 7 million square meters of PVA optical film with a width of 3400mm and a thickness of 40-75μm. .