Inorganic Ceramic Ultrafiltration Membrane Market By Type (Flat-sheet Membrane, Tubular Membrane) By Application (Water Treatment, Biology & Medicine, Chemical Industry, Food & Beverage) and Region - Global Forecast to 2026

The global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market was valued at approximately US$ 1.5 Bn in 2017, and is expected to register a CAGR of over 10.6%. The report offers in-depth insights, revenue details, and other vital information regarding the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market and the various trends, drivers, restraints, opportunities, and threats in the target market till 2026. The report also offers insightful and detailed information regarding the various key players operating in the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market, and their financials, apart from strategies, acquisitions & mergers, and market footprint. The global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and region.

A membrane is a thin layer of semi-permeable material that separates substances when a driving force is applied across the membrane. Membrane processes are increasingly used for removal of bacteria, microorganisms, particulates, and natural organic material, which can impart color, tastes, and odors to water and react with disinfectants to form disinfection byproducts. Ceramic membranes utilize a porous inorganic membrane layer of silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide or zirconium oxide over a porous support such as alpha alumina rather than a polymeric barrier layer. Ultrafiltration ceramic membrane filtration process involves two parts: a tubular ceramic membrane formed by a porous support (α-alumina), and a tube reactor chamber 10 m long and 5 cm in diameter to generate electrocoagulation.

A major factor driving growth of the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market is increasing use of inorganic ceramic membrane in wastewater treatment plants due to its enhanced thermal and chemical resistance property, which helps to separate oil, grease, from waste water from various industrial sectors, and these also help to produce safe and clean drinking water. In addition, use of inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membranes help to produce clean and safe drinking water, with no added chemicals as a coagulant and disinfectant. Inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membranes are bio inert, high abrasion resistant, highly durable, bacteria resistant, and chemically stable, which make it ideal for use across various industry verticals.

Moreover, robustness of inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membranes as compared to polymer and other membranes has been resulting into increasing usage of the former across various industrial applications and wastewater treatment plants and facilities across the globe. Also, ceramic membranes are expected to last 20 membrane substrate years as compared to typical 7–10 years with polymeric membranes, leading to lower lifecycle costs than polymeric membranes. Inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membranes have relatively higher chemical resistance and pressure ratings, and are much more cost-effective over the total lifecycle as compared to polymeric systems.

Inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membranes have wide range of application in various industries such as in the metal industry majorly used to treat water/oil emulsions, recover heavy metals, and treatment of wastewater form glass and glass fiber production, in the chemical industry used in product separation and cleaning, catalyst separation, desalinization of products, and recovery of dyes, in textiles or pulp & paper industries used in fractionation, concentration, isolation, and sterilization of enzymes, proteins, and antibiotics, disposal of fat emulsions, and separation of yeast. In addition, in the food industry it offers various advantages such as food safety, environmental friendliness, and ease of cleaning and sterilization, in the pharmaceuticals industry helps to cut operating costs in drug plants, require less maintenance, cleans easily, and have greater lifespan, and in the dairy industry, used to concentrate milk proteins in milk and whey, and for protein standardization of milk intended for dehydration of milk for cheese, yoghurt, and other products.

However, high cost associated with installation of inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membranes as compared to polymer and other membranes made from organic materials is expected to restrain growth of the global market to a certain extent over the forecast period. In addition, added expenditures for manufacturing membranes that improve regeneration capacity in catalyzed filters, owing to the need for separate steps to sinter membrane. Moreover, difficulties in proper sealing of membranes in modules operating at high temperatures, extremely high sensitivity of membranes to temperature gradient, leading to membrane cracking, and low permeability of highly selective membranes at medium temperatures may restraint the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membranes market.

Increasing adoption of ceramic membranes for water purification, especially in the US, coupled with growing awareness about various benefits of inorganic ceramic membranes are major factors driving growth of the North America market currently. Moreover, increasing R&D activities into ceramic membrane technologies coupled with adoption of ceramic membranes in treatment of oilfield produced water are other major factors expected to boost growth of the North America market over the forecast period. In contrast, increasing investments by prominent companies to boost overall production capacity, with the objective of fulfilling growing demand for clean and purified water in the region, is another major factor expected to propel adoption of ceramic membrane systems in the region and is expected to register highest CAGR during the forecasted years.

Market Analysis by Type:

On the basis of type, tubular membrane segment is expected to contribute major revenue share in the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market and is expected to witness highest CAGR of over 10%, in terms of revenue over the forecast period, owing to its ability of tubular ceramic membranes to withstand aggressive temperature and extreme pH conditions.

Market Analysis by Application

Among all the application segments, biology & medicine is expected to register highest CAGR of over 10%, owing to variety of applications in the biology & medical industry, that helps to cut operating costs in drug plants, require less maintenance, cleans easily, and have greater lifespan.

The water treatment dominates the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market in terms of revenue contribution and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period.

Market Analysis by Region:

North America market is expected to dominate the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market, and is expected to account for largest market revenue as compared to that of markets in other regions. Driving factors for growth of the market are rising demand for clean and purified water, increasing applications of ceramic membranes, and developments in ceramic membrane technologies that are relatively cheaper than predecessors.

Asia Pacific market is expected to witness the highest CAGR growth of over 11% in the global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane market during the forecast period, High adoption of ceramic ultrafiltration membranes, especially for water filtration in Japan and China, coupled with increasing availability of cost-effective ceramic membranes in countries in the region.

Market Segmentation of Global inorganic ceramic ultrafiltration membrane Market:

Segmentation by type:

• Flat-sheet Membrane
• Tubular Membrane

Segmentation by application:

• Water Treatment
• Biology & Medicine
• Chemical Industry
• Food & Beverage
• Other Application (textile industry, metal finishing, and power generation)

Segmentation by region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa