Carbon Capture Sorbent Patents: Who Leads, Filing Trends 2026
- Filing growth has flattened. annual filings rose from 25 in 2017 to a peak of 255 in 2024, but the 2022 midpoint of 205 shows the curve levelling off rather than accelerating into the most recent years.
- Separation processes dominate the claim map. B01D accounts for 1,282 of the records against this search, more than three times the next largest subclass (B01J, 361), meaning most competitive pressure sits in contactor and sorbent-bed design rather than catalysis.
- Momentum has reversed for several named leaders. assignees including ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG and The Regents of the University of California each show 0 filings in the latest year, a -100% YoY drop from prior activity.
Filing growth compares 2021 (122 records) with 2024 (255) — a three-year span. 2024 is the most recent year we treat as complete: publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so 2025 onwards are still filling in and any growth rate that ends there would understate the field. Top-5 share is the combined record count of the five largest assignees divided by all 1,369 records in scope (CR5), not by the ranked leaders only.
What this landscape covers
This dataset tracks 1,369 patent families filed between 2017 and 2026 against sorbent chemistries and process routes for carbon capture, using a search string anchored on amine-functionalised materials, regeneration energy, breakthrough capacity, cyclic stability and direct air capture, restricted to B01D53, B01J20 and C01B32. Publication for the most recent year is necessarily incomplete: filings typically take around 18 months to publish, so 2025 and 2026 counts will rise as records surface.
The scope favours physical and chemical sorbent engineering over adjacent process equipment, which is why separation-process filings (B01D) so heavily outweigh electrolytic (C25B) or thermal power (F01K) filings in the same corpus.
Filing trend and technology composition
Two views of the same 1,369-family corpus: how filing volume has moved year over year, and how that volume splits across IPC subclasses.
A peak in 2024, then a flattening curve
Filings climbed from 25 in 2017 to a peak of 255 in 2024. The midpoint year, 2022, already sat at 205 — closer to the peak than to the starting point — which signals a levelling of growth rather than continued acceleration. Combined with the 18-month publication lag, the apparent 2026 slowdown to 47 should be read cautiously rather than taken as an actual contraction.
Separation processes carry most of the claim weight
B01D (separation processes such as filtration and adsorption) covers 1,282 of the records, dwarfing B01J (chemical/physical processes and catalysis, 361) and C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, 232). Smaller counts in C25B, C07C, C01F, C02F and F01K mark adjacent process and materials routes that intersect the core sorbent claim space without being the primary battleground.
Shares are the percentage of the 1,369 records in scope. A patent can carry several IPC classes, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Go deeper on Carbon Capture Sorbents and Processes with Eureka
This page is one run against one query. Ask Eureka your own question about carbon capture sorbents and processes and every answer comes back with the patent numbers behind it.
Try EurekaKey patents and what they anchor
Carbon dioxide capture device and HVAC system having the same
A carbon dioxide capture device and an HVAC system are provided. The carbon dioxide capture device includes a direct air capture unit having a carbon dioxide filter, and an induction heating unit coupled with the direct air capture unit. The HVAC system includes the carbon dioxide capture device and a desiccant unit.Filed by Hamad Bin Khalifa University, published 2024-05-09 as US20240149208A1. It illustrates a growing pattern in this dataset: direct air capture components being claimed as integrated building-system elements rather than standalone units.
| # | Publication no. | Patent title | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US20090294366A1 | Removal of carbon dioxide from air | 142 |
| 2 | WO2007016271A2 | Removal of carbon dioxide from air | 130 |
| 3 | US20090081096A1 | Method and means for capture and long-term sequestration of carbon dioxide | 104 |
| 4 | US20200346165A1 | Systems and methods for carbon capture | 91 |
| 5 | WO2016005226A1 | Steam assisted vacuum desorption process for carbon dioxide capture | 85 |
| 6 | US20110088550A1 | Process and apparatus for carbon dioxide capture via ion exchange resins | 74 |
| 7 | US20100034724A1 | Carbon Dioxide Capture | 72 |
| 8 | US20170203249A1 | Steam assisted vacuum desorption process for carbon dioxide capture | 69 |
| 9 | US8088197B2 | Removal of carbon dioxide from air | 67 |
| 10 | WO2011049759A1 | Process and apparatus for carbon dioxide capture via ion exchange resins | 66 |
Citation counts favour older filings simply because they have had more time to accumulate citations inside this searched corpus — treat this as a measure of influence on later filers, not of current commercial relevance.
Each row carries its publication number; clicking a row searches Eureka by that number.
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Browse MCP servers →What the filing pattern signals
Read together, the trend, the IPC split and the citation table point to a field where the foundational claim space is well-trodden and recent activity has cooled among several historically active filers.
The curve is flattening, not accelerating
A midpoint year already at 80% of the eventual peak indicates the growth phase largely occurred earlier in the window. New entrants should expect a maturing claim landscape rather than open ground.
Separation-process claims dominate
Nearly all activity sits under B01D, meaning contactor design, sorbent-bed configuration and regeneration process claims are the areas most likely to encounter dense prior art.
Several prior leaders have gone quiet
ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG and The Regents of the University of California each show zero filings in the latest year after prior activity, a pattern worth checking against licensing or divestment moves rather than assuming abandonment.
Filing is concentrated in a handful of offices
The United States, WIPO/PCT and China together account for the bulk of receiving-office activity, with Europe, Canada and India trailing. Freedom-to-operate checks should prioritise these offices first.
Eureka can read the same corpus for gaps instead of for coverage: under-claimed branches adjacent to carbon capture sorbents and processes, with the prior art for and against each one.
Who is filing, and where the gaps sit
Ten co-assignee pairings link several of the more active filers, suggesting collaboration rather than pure competition among some of the largest names in this corpus. But recent-year momentum has reversed for a number of them, opening room for new entrants willing to work in less-claimed sub-areas.
Chevron U.S.A. Inc. + University of South Alabama
The strongest co-assignee link in this dataset pairs an energy major with a university research group, a pattern repeated at smaller scale between ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company and The Regents of the University of California (19 shared filings).
Robert Bosch GmbH still filing, but slowing sharply
Unlike several peers that dropped to zero, Bosch recorded 1 filing in the latest year — a steep decline from its prior pace but not a full stop, which may indicate a narrowing rather than an exit.
Shell International Research Maatschappij B.V. holds steady at zero
Shell's research arm shows no filings in the latest year with no YoY figure reported, distinct from assignees that fell sharply from an active base — worth checking whether activity has simply moved to a different filing entity.
| Assignee | Recent year | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Bosch GmbH | 1 | -92% |
| ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company | 0 | -100% |
| Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG | 0 | -100% |
| The Regents of the University of California | 0 | -100% |
| Shell International Research Maatschappij B.V. | 0 | — |
| Carbon Capture, Inc. | 0 | -100% |
| Climeworks AG | 0 | — |
| Chevron U.S.A. Inc. | 0 | — |
Where to take this analysis
The trend and assignee data point to specific next questions rather than a single conclusion.
Check freedom-to-operate in B01D first
With 1,282 of 1,369 records in this single subclass, any new sorbent-bed or contactor design should be screened against B01D prior art before anything else.
Explore B01D prior artVerify whether quiet assignees have moved filing entities
Several major names dropped to zero filings in the latest year. Confirming whether that reflects an actual pullback or a shift to a subsidiary or partner entity changes how the competitive picture reads.
Track assignee activityMap the co-assignee network before assuming pure competition
Ten identified co-assignee pairs show that some of the largest filers are collaborating, not just competing, which affects how licensing and blocking risk should be assessed.
Review collaboration patternsCommon questions on carbon capture sorbent patents
This dataset covers 1,369 patent families filed between 2017 and 2026 under a search focused on sorbent chemistries and capture processes. Annual filings rose from 25 in 2017 to a peak of 255 in 2024, with the most recent years understated because publication typically lags filing by around 18 months. The 2022 midpoint of 205 filings shows that most of the growth had already happened by the middle of the window rather than accelerating toward the end.
The ranking in this dataset is dominated by a mix of energy majors, industrial gas and equipment firms, and university research groups, several of which co-file together. Strong co-assignee pairings include Chevron U.S.A. Inc. with University of South Alabama, and ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company with The Regents of the University of California. However, recent-year momentum has reversed for a number of previously active filers, including several showing a full drop to zero filings in the latest year, so current leadership does not always match historical filing volume.
B01D, covering separation processes such as filtration and adsorption, accounts for 1,282 of the 1,369 records in this corpus — by far the largest share. B01J (chemical and physical processes, catalysis) and C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) follow at 361 and 232 respectively. Smaller counts in C25B, C07C, C01F, C02F and F01K mark adjacent process routes such as electrolytic conversion and thermal integration that intersect the core sorbent claim space without dominating it.
Growth has flattened rather than continued to accelerate. Filings rose from 25 in 2017 to a peak of 255 in 2024, but the 2022 midpoint already stood at 205 — close to the eventual peak — which indicates the steepest growth phase occurred earlier in the window. Combined with several major assignees showing sharp year-over-year declines, the data suggests a maturing rather than expanding claim landscape, though the most recent one to two years will look stronger once publication catches up.
The heaviest claim density sits in B01D separation-process filings, so sub-areas adjacent to that core but not fully absorbed by it look comparatively open. These include induction-heated regeneration units, HVAC-integrated direct air capture modules, desiccant-coupled sorbent cycling, and alkaline-earth sorbent formulations under C01F. A representative recent filing, US20240149208A1, illustrates one such direction by integrating a direct air capture unit into an HVAC system rather than claiming the sorbent chemistry alone.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.
Machine translation. Assignee and organisation names originally recorded in Chinese, Japanese or Korean have been rendered into English by an AI translation step so that the tables stay readable. These renderings are best-effort and may not match a company’s registered English name; the original name is what the underlying patent record carries, and it is what any Eureka query launched from this page uses.