Acetic Acid

The manufacture of acetic acid consumed 7.3% of the 111.8 million metric tonnes of methanol produced in 2024. Acetic acid is a well-developed intermediate used in several successful commercial chemical processes as both chemical intermediate and solvent. Eventual applications for acetic acid derivatives include latex emulsion resins for paints, adhesives, paper coatings, textile finishing agents, cellulose acetate fibres, cigarette filter tow and cellulosic plastics. It is also found in ocean water, oilfield brines, rain and at trace concentrations in many plant and animal liquids. Acetic acid is central to all biological energy pathways and, in its pure form, is corrosive and characterised by its sharp odour, burning taste and harmful blistering properties.

Other names for acetic acid include glacial acetic acid, ethanoic acid, ethylic acid, methane carboxylic acid and vinegar acid.

Like formaldehyde, acetic acid follows several pathways leading to significant commercial final goods. The table below describes the major derivatives of acetic acid and their intended uses: 

Major acetic acid derivates uses

From this list, drivers for acetic acid are mostly non-durable and disposable goods (e.g. paints, adhesives, cigarette consumption, aspirin, fibres, plastic bottles).

Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) and Terephthalic acid (TPA) have played an important role in global acetic acid demand growth. VAM has benefitted from strong consumer demand globally and TPA demand has been accelerating following the growth of polyester demand, primarily for plastic-bottle production but also in fibre applications. The other major consumers of acetic acid also show positive, although slower, growth.

Markets

The charts below break down the regional distribution of acetic acid supply and demand. Asia, led by China, has provided the most demand growth for acetic acid in recent history. This is particularly the case for TPA, as China has been adding significant polyester production capacity to meet rapidly growing demand associated with its WTO participation and is investing upstream in new TPA capacity. Additionally, acetate esters (oxygenated solvents) are growing in China as reductions in chlorinated and hydrocarbon solvents are enacted. Outside Asia, demand growth has been much more moderate, ranging from flat to slightly positive.