NORWALK, Conn. - The U.S. market for sol-gel processing of ceramics and glass will be worth $330 million this year, and is expected to reach $500 million by 2011. This represents 8.7 percent average annual growth rate (AAGR).

The global market for sol-gel products in 2006 was $1 billion, and is forecast to increase to $1.4 billion by 2011 with an AAGR of 6.3 percent, according to a technical market research report, “Sol-Gel Processing of Ceramics and Glass” VM016E from BCC Research in Norwalk, Conn.

Optical and electronic applications are the fastest growing market segments from 2006 to 2011, at an annual average growth rate ranging from 12 to 15 percent. High growth rates are also expected for chemical and biomedical applications-between 9 and 11.5 percent per year.

The sol-gel process is for making ceramic and glass materials, involving the transition of a system from a liquid “sol” (mostly colloidal) into a solid “gel” phase. The sol-gel process helps fabricate ceramic or glass materials in a wide variety of forms: ultra-fine or spherical shaped powders, thin-film coatings, ceramic fibers, microporous inorganic membranes, monolithic ceramics and glasses, or extremely porous aerogel materials.

New market segments are emerging in biomedical applications such as bone grafting materials and drug therapy products, as well as in chemical applications like gas separation membranes.

In terms of global regional market share, the U.S. currently has about 32 percent of the world market, and is expected to increase this market share by 2011 to 36 percent. A major growth area is organic/inorganic materials for optical and biomedical applications; a significant number of research groups currently working on such materials.

Although the U.S. has become the global leader in research and development, Japan is able to commercialize sol-gel technology and market products more quickly than the U.S. can. The total number of U.S. patents has been declining in the projection period from 1999. European competition to the U.S. is mainly from Germany.

For more information contact BCC Research online at www.bccresearch.com.