Technological Development Trends and Market Prospects
Technological Development Trends
Breakthroughs in Precision Control Technology
In recent years, the application technology of diatomaceous earth in the sulfuric acid industry has been developing towards precision and intelligence. Technological breakthroughs are mainly concentrated in the field of directional pore channel control. In 2025, the laboratory successfully achieved large-scale production with a pore size distribution dispersion of <0.3nm. This breakthrough is of great significance for improving the performance of catalyst supports, enabling precise control of pore size and distribution to meet the needs of different catalytic reactions.
In the next five years, the industry will show two major development trends:
Technological Dimension: Precision control technology of micropore structure and surface functionalization modification technology will drive exponential improvement in product performance. It is estimated that by 2030, the market share of diatomaceous earth-based catalyst supports will exceed 5 billion yuan.
Application Dimension: Driven by the dual-carbon strategy, the annual growth rate of the diatomaceous earth-based carbon dioxide capture material market is expected to remain above 25%. This expands new areas for the application of diatomaceous earth in the sulfuric acid industry.
Development of Green Production Technology
Increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements have driven the development of green production technology for diatomaceous earth. Policy documents such as the "Opinions on Promoting the Production and Application of Green Building Materials" clearly state the need to support the development of high-performance, environmentally friendly diatomaceous earth building materials and encourage enterprises to adopt clean production technologies and energy-saving and environmentally friendly equipment.
Specific green production technologies include:
Clean production processes: Utilizing closed-loop production systems to reduce dust emissions; using circulating water systems to reduce water consumption; and employing waste heat recovery technology to improve energy efficiency.
Environmentally friendly product development: Researching and developing biodegradable diatomaceous earth materials, as well as diatomaceous earth adsorbent materials that can effectively treat industrial wastewater and waste gas.
Waste resource utilization: Utilizing waste generated during the production process, such as using low-grade diatomaceous earth to prepare building materials and recovering waste acid for the production of by-products.
Intelligent production technologies
The application of intelligent technologies in diatomaceous earth production is accelerating:
Digital mine construction: It is estimated that by 2025, 5G + Industrial Internet technology will cover 45% of large-scale enterprises, with the digitalization rate of mining exceeding 60%. Through digital technology, precise control of the mining process can be achieved, improving resource utilization. Intelligent Manufacturing Technology: In the diatomite processing stage, artificial intelligence technology is used to optimize production process parameters, achieving automated control and online quality monitoring of the production process.
Green Processing Technology: The Ministry of Science and Technology has established a special project on "Common Key Technologies for Low-Carbon Processing of Non-Metallic Minerals" in the "14th Five-Year Plan" National Key R&D Program, supporting the development of new processes such as microwave calcination and fluidized bed low-temperature activation. In 2025, the microwave calcination technology in the laboratory stage achieved a 40% reduction in energy consumption and shortened the calcination cycle to one-third of that of traditional rotary kilns. It is expected to complete pilot-scale verification and enter the industrialization and promotion stage before 2027.
Market Application Prospects
Market Size and Growth Forecast: According to the "White Paper on Technology Development in the Diatomite Industry" released by the China Non-Metallic Minerals Industry Association in 2024, the diatomite industry is in a period of rapid development. In 2023, the industry's R&D intensity increased to 3.1%, focusing on breakthroughs in fine-particle separation technology and efficient enrichment technology for low-grade ores.
Market size forecasts indicate
Catalyst support market: The market share of diatomaceous earth-based catalyst supports is projected to exceed 5 billion yuan by 2030. This is mainly due to the stable growth of the sulfuric acid industry and increasing environmental protection requirements.
Emerging application markets:
Carbon dioxide capture materials: Driven by dual carbon targets, the annual growth rate of the diatomaceous earth-based carbon dioxide capture materials market is expected to remain above 25%.
New energy sector: The application of diatomaceous earth in new energy fields such as lithium batteries and solar cells is expanding.
Environmental protection sector: Its application in environmental protection fields such as wastewater treatment and waste gas purification is continuously expanding.
Regional market development characteristics
The Chinese diatomaceous earth market exhibits distinct regional characteristics:
Resource distribution: China's diatomaceous earth reserves reach 400 million tons (accounting for 20% of the global total), with Changbai Mountain in Jilin and Tengchong in Yunnan as the core production areas.
Industrial Layout:
Northeast China: Centered on Jilin, a complete industrial chain has been formed from mining to deep processing.
Southwest China: Centered on Yunnan, focusing on the development of high-end diatomite products.
East China: Represented by Zhejiang, possessing advantages in diatomite fine processing technology.
Market Demand:
Traditional Demand: Traditional chemical industries such as sulfuric acid, fertilizers, and pesticides remain the main demand areas.
Emerging Demand: Demand from emerging industries such as environmental protection, new energy, and biomedicine is growing rapidly.
Technological Innovation Directions: Future technological innovation in diatomite within the sulfuric acid industry will mainly focus on the following directions:
Functional Modification Technology
Surface Functionalization: Introducing specific functional groups onto the surface of diatomite through chemical modification to enhance its binding ability with active components.
Pore Structure Control: Developing technologies to precisely control pore size and distribution to meet the needs of different catalytic reactions.
Composite Material Development: Integrating silicon... Diatomaceous earth can be combined with other functional materials to develop novel materials with synergistic effects.
Green Preparation Technologies:
Low-Temperature Activation Technology: Develop activation technologies under low-temperature conditions to reduce energy consumption.
Acid-Free Modification Technology: Research modification methods that do not use strong acids to reduce environmental pollution.
Recycling Technology: Develop recycling technologies for diatomaceous earth waste to improve resource utilization.
Intelligent Application Technologies:
Online Monitoring Technology: Develop online monitoring systems for catalyst performance to adjust operating parameters on time.
Big Data Analysis: Utilize big data technology to analyze the relationship between diatomaceous earth performance and application effects to optimize product design.
Artificial Intelligence: Employ artificial intelligence technology to predict the application performance of diatomaceous earth and guide product development.
Summary
Diatomaceous earth technology is developing towards precise control, green production, and intelligentization. Large-scale precise pore size control is expected to be achieved by 2025, and green and intelligent technologies such as microwave calcination are under development. The market prospects are broad; the market for diatomaceous earth-based catalyst carriers is projected to exceed 5 billion yuan by 2030, and the carbon dioxide capture material market is growing at an annual rate of over 25%, with emerging application areas continuing to expand. my country has abundant diatomaceous earth resources and a clear regional industrial layout. Future innovation will focus on functional modification, green preparation, and intelligent application technologies.
