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This section provides an overview for photoacid generators as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 6 photoacid generator manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked photoacid generator companies as of February, 2025: 1.MDPI, 2.Hampford Research, 3.Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd..
Table of Contents
Photoacid generators (PAGs) are compounds that release acid upon exposure to light, such as ultraviolet (UV) light. This acid then catalyzes reactions, commonly used in photocation polymerization initiators and photoresists for photolithography. Sulfonium salts are typical PAGs, with epoxy resins as a frequent curing material. The reaction initiation by PAGs is controlled by specific light irradiation, not occurring under normal room lighting conditions.
PAGs have widespread applications, notably in curing photo-curable resins and photolithography, with growing demand due to advances in resin applications and photolithographic technology.
In the curing process of photo-curable resins, PAGs trigger polymerization reactions upon light exposure, hardening the resin. This technology is applied in coatings, can paints, and 3D printing materials, with epoxy resins being a common choice for their strong bonding properties and resistance to corrosion and electricity.
PAGs serve as photoresist materials in photolithography, critical for semiconductor and LCD production. They produce acid when exposed to patterned light, etching a substrate surface to create a desired pattern. Recent developments include chemical amplification types, where the generated acid acts as a catalyst for further reactions.
PAGs consist of onium compounds, such as sulfonium and iodonium ions, that absorb light and subsequently generate acid. Upon light absorption, these compounds undergo a process where the cationic part releases an electron, and the anionic part gains an electron, leading to acid production. This acid initiates polymerization reactions, transforming monomers into polymers or other target compounds.
Onium compound PAGs, including sulfonium and iodonium salts, are preferred for UV-curable resins and visible light-curable resins, respectively, based on their light absorption characteristics.
Nonionic PAGs, such as imidosulfonates and oximesulfonates, offer faster curing for UV-curable resins compared to onium PAGs, expanding the range of applications in resin technology.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Hampford Research was founded in 1982 in Stratford, USA, and is a manufacturer of specialty chemical solutions for analysis in the personal care, electronics, coatings, and dental industries. It makes energy-cured resins, photoinitiators, preservatives, and UV additives. The company owns equipment like Sandvik belt flakers, Littleford custom plow mixer, and Fitzmill industrial impact mill for optimizing its production processes. It also helps clients tweak chemical development methods and manufacture new compounds from existing formulas.
TCI America (TCI) was founded in 1946 and is a worldwide manufacturer of specialty organic chemicals. The company produces organic laboratory chemicals as well as pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and functional materials. TCI’s product segments include Chemistry, Life Science, Materials Science, Analytical Chemistry, and Custom & Bulk. For materials science, the company manufactures battery materials, nanocarbon materials, and magnetic materials. For life sciences, the company produces antibodies, reagents, and chemicals for cancer research. The company produces HLC, NMR, various chemicals, and resins and media for analytical chemistry.
FujiFilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, founded in 1922 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a manufacturer of laboratory chemicals, specialty chemicals, and clinical diagnostic reagents. The company has three business domains, namely laboratory chemicals, specialty chemicals, and clinical diagnostic reagents, and some of its products include biochemistry reagents, blood transfusion test drugs, battery materials, polymer-related materials, and general reagents. The products are useful in various fields, including electronic, cosmetic, polymeric, pharmaceutical, and medical care. It acquired Sibayagi Co. Ltd. in 2015 and provides custom manufacturing to meet customer requirements.
Through its subsidiaries, Heraeus Group serves many industries around the world including green power generation, telecommunications, agriculture, aerospace, medical, jewelry, and environmental protection. Heraeus Group companies create products including fiber optics, ceramics, custom metals, surgical equipment, special purpose lamps, and photovoltaics.
Millipore Sigma, formerly known as Sigma-Aldrich, was created in 175 through the merger of Sigma Chemical Company and Aldrich Chemical company and today is a subsidiary of Merck. Millipore Sigma is a life science and biotechnology company serving the industry with several products and services. Some of their product categories include peptide synthesis materials, biochemicals, building blocks, catalysts, chemical biology, chemical synthesis, flavors & fragrances, formulation, lab chemicals, lab safety, APIs, and stable isotopes. Services include characterization, contract manufacturing, custom products, software, support, testing, and mRNA development & manufacturing.
MDPI was founded in 1996 and is based in Basel, Switzerland. The company is a pioneer in scholarly, open-access publishing, featuring 417 peer-reviewed journals and 9 conference journals with over 115,000 academic contributors. The company’s journals fall into 10 subjects including biology, economics, medicine, physical sciences, and public health. The company’s pear review system is a dingle-blind assessment with at least two independent reviewers, followed by a final decision of acceptance or rejection by the editor-in-chief. Authors may appeal editorial decisions in case of rejection of articles.
Ranking as of February 2025
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MDPI |
34.9%
|
| 2 | Hampford Research |
20.6%
|
| 3 | Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. |
14.9%
|
| 4 | MilliporeSigma |
13.1%
|
| 5 | Heraeus Holding GmbH |
9.1%
|
| 6 | FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation |
7.4%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the photoacid generator page as of February 2025. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
2 | 40.0% |
|
United States of America
|
1 | 20.0% |
|
Germany
|
1 | 20.0% |
|
Switzerland
|
1 | 20.0% |
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