Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a colorless mineral acid that is highly corrosive and extremely strong. It is the primary component of gastric acid and has numerous industrial applications. Metal cleaning and pickling, chemical processing, sugar refining, wastewater treatment, and oil well acidizing are some of its primary applications. In addition to the production of chlorides, fertilizers, and dyes, hydrochloric acid is used in the photographic, textile, and rubber industries.
The global hydrochloric acid market is projected to grow from USD 2.5 Billion in 2022 to USD 3.4 Billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period. The major driving factors for the growth of the hydrochloric acid market are steel pickling, production of inorganic compounds, pH control and neutralization, regeneration of ion exchangers, and increase demand for water & wastewater treatment.
Hydrochloric acid is a colourless liquid and depending upon the concentration, the boiling point ranges from 110 °C (383 K), 20.2% solution to 48 °C (321 K), 38% solution. This strong acid is highly corrosive and must be handled with appropriate safety precautions. Hydrochloric acid is extensively used in steel, ore processing, oil well acidizing, and food industries. In the steel industry, it runs operations in a pickling unit that helps remove impurities such as carbon and rust. The demand for hydrochloric acid is increasing due to the steel industry growth in developing countries such as China and India.
The hydrochloric acid market is fragmented in nature with key players being BASF SE (Germany), Covestro AG (Germany), Olin Corporation (US), Westlake Chemical Corporation (US), Occidental Petroleum Corporation (US), Formosa Plastics Corporation (Taiwan), Tata Chemicals Limited (India), AGC Chemicals (Japan), ERCO Worldwide (Canada), Detrex Corporation (US), among others.
