Catalyst Materials Patent Landscape 2026
The catalyst materials space is led by a tight group of specialty chemical and emissions-control firms, with Johnson Matthey holding a commanding position ahead of Dow Global Technologies and BASF. Annual filing volume peaked in 2018 and has eased considerably since, signaling a maturing field where selective technology bets in adjacent branches carry the highest differentiation potential.
Johnson Matthey leads a concentrated specialist field
Johnson Matthey PLC tops the applicant ranking with 233 patent records, well ahead of second-ranked Dow Global Technologies LLC at 111 and third-ranked Rohm & Haas Co at 82. The top five filers together account for 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signaling meaningful but not extreme concentration.
A clear tier gap separates the top three from the rest: the fourth- and fifth-ranked applicants, BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC and Engelhard Corp, each hold fewer than 60 patent records. Below that, the ranking flattens quickly through mid-tier players such as Furukawa Electric and 3M Innovative Properties, each with 46–47 patent records.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson Matthey PLC | 233 | |
| 2 | Dow Global Technologies LLC | 111 | |
| 3 | ROHM & HAAS CO | 82 | |
| 4 | BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | 56 | |
| 5 | Engelhard Corporation | 55 | |
| 6 | Furukawa Electric Co Ltd | 47 | |
| 7 | 3M Innovative Properties Co | 46 | |
| 8 | UMICORE AG & CO KG | 29 | |
| 9 | EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING CO | 28 | |
| 10 | French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | 27 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Novomer Inc | 26 | |
| 12 | UOP LLC | 25 | |
| 13 | SABIC Global Technologies BV | 23 | |
| 14 | COUNCIL OF SCI & IND RES | 23 | |
| 15 | ABB Lummus Global Inc | 22 | |
| 16 | General Electric Co | 22 | |
| 17 | Corning Inc | 22 | |
| 18 | BASF Catalysts LLC | 20 | |
| 19 | SDC Materials Inc | 19 | |
| 20 | Johnson Matthey Japan | 18 |
Johnson Matthey’s lead, combined with its broad coverage across catalysis processes and separation, reflects a deliberate portfolio-building strategy in both automotive emissions and industrial catalysis. Challengers with narrower but deep positions — such as Dow-Rohm & Haas in acyclic-compound catalysis — can compete effectively within defined sub-domains.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are substantially under-reported due to standard patent publication lags of 18–24 months; those years should not be read as evidence of further decline. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2018 peak followed by sustained volume contraction, dominated by core catalysis classes
The annual filing trend reveals a field that surged to its high-water mark in 2018 and has contracted in each subsequent period, while the technology-composition chart confirms that a single IPC class — B01J, covering chemical and physical catalysis processes — accounts for the overwhelming majority of activity.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings climbed from 144 in 2017 to a peak of 169 in 2018, then fell sharply to 89 in 2019 and continued declining through the early 2020s. The 2023–2025 counts are partially suppressed by publication lag and should be treated as provisional minima rather than confirmed lows.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B01J (chemical/physical processes and catalysis) is the dominant branch by a large margin, reflecting the core positioning of this corpus. Secondary branches — C07C (acyclic and carbocyclic compounds), B01D (separation processes), F01N (exhaust treatment), and C01B (inorganic compounds) — represent meaningful but subordinate activity. Branches such as H01M (batteries and fuel cells), C25B (electrolytic production), and B82Y (nanotechnology) appear at very low counts, marking the frontier between established and emergent applications.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Sintering resistant zeolite supported metal cataly…
It is the objective of the present invention to provide a method for preparing a sintering resistant zeolite supported metal catalyst for catalytic methane oxidation that does not degrade by particle sintering and zeolite framework dealumination. This objective is achieved according to the present invention by a method for producing a precious metal/metal… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dual converter engine exhaust system for reducing … | 240 |
| 2 | Hydroconversion process and catalyst | 222 |
| 3 | Novel zeolite composite, method for making and cat… | 216 |
| 4 | Catalyst composition containing platinum and rhodi… | 176 |
| 5 | Catalysts, activating agents, support media, and r… | 157 |
| 6 | Catalysts, activating agents, support media, and r… | 151 |
| 7 | Supports for catalyst materials | 150 |
| 8 | Gasoline Engine Emissions Treatment Systems Having… | 141 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D positioning
The combination of a past-peak filing curve, concentrated leadership, and rich industry-academia co-filing points to a field where incremental core-catalysis work yields diminishing returns and differentiation increasingly depends on adjacent technical domains.
Declining phase — volume has retreated from the 2018 peak
The lifecycle stage is Decline, driven by annual filing volumes easing back from the 2018 peak of 169 filings. The overall corpus of 714 patent families reflects accumulated prior output rather than current momentum. New entrants must offer clear technical differentiation to justify resource allocation in a field where incumbents hold dense prior-art coverage.
Declining fieldTop-heavy ranking with a sharp tier gap after position three
Johnson Matthey, Dow Global Technologies, and Rohm & Haas together hold a disproportionate share of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. The gap between third and fourth place is substantial, and the mid-tier is fragmented across many single-digit holders. This structure implies that acquiring or licensing from a top-three holder is the fastest path to broad coverage; organic build-up from a low base faces a significant catch-up challenge.
Concentrated top tierIndustry-academia partnerships anchored by CNRS and Dow-Rohm & Haas
The most active co-filing pair is Dow Global Technologies LLC and Rohm & Haas Co with 82 jointly filed patent records — by far the largest collaborative link in the corpus. BASF Corp and BASF SE co-filed 24 records, reflecting intra-group coordination. France’s CNRS is the most networked academic partner, filing jointly with the National Institute of Applied Sciences Toulouse (10 records), the University of Strasbourg (7), the University of Caen (5), ENSICAEN (5), Centrale Lille (4), and the University of Lille (4). Dow also co-filed 6 records with the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
Industry-academia linksUS-centric filing with broad EPO and PCT secondary coverage
The United States is the primary filing jurisdiction, followed by Europe via EPO, WIPO PCT, China, Canada, and India. Japan and the United Kingdom round out a broad but US-anchored global footprint. China’s position at fourth suggests growing strategic interest from Asian applicants, while markets such as Brazil, Southeast Asia (Singapore), and Russia represent secondary-tier coverage that may be disproportionately thin relative to their manufacturing relevance.
US-led geographyGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Global Technologies LLC | Rohm & Haas Co | 82 |
| BASF Corporation | BASF SE | 24 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | National Institute of Applied Sciences Toulouse (INSA Toulouse) | 10 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | University of Strasbourg | 7 |
| BASF Corporation | Heesung Catalysts Corp | 6 |
| Dow Global Technologies LLC | Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | 6 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | University of Caen | 5 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | ENSICAEN | 5 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | Centrale Lille | 4 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | University of Lille | 4 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Johnson Matthey anchors the field; Furukawa Electric is the fastest-growing challenger
Two players define opposite ends of the momentum spectrum: Johnson Matthey maintains a stable, dominant position built on catalysis-process and separation-process coverage, while Furukawa Electric has nearly doubled its recent output from a mid-tier base.
Johnson Matthey PLC
Johnson Matthey leads the corpus with 233 patent records — more than double the second-ranked applicant. Its technology focus is distributed across catalyst morphology and structure (B01J 35), gas-phase separation (B01D 53), and metal-based catalysts (B01J 23), indicating a deliberately broad coverage strategy. Recent momentum is flat at 0%, suggesting the portfolio is in a maintenance rather than expansion phase.
families: 233Furukawa Electric Co Ltd
Furukawa Electric holds 47 patent records and is the standout momentum story among established mid-tier players, with recent filings up 90% versus the prior comparable period. Its focus is concentrated on zeolite-based catalysis (B01J 29), catalyst preparation methods (B01J 37), and catalyst structure (B01J 35), positioning it squarely in areas where automotive and industrial demand for selective catalytic reduction materials is active.
families: 47| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson Matthey PLC | 18 | ▬ 0% |
| BASF Corporation | 5 | ▼ -72% |
| BASF SE | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Dow Global Technologies LLC | 5 | ▼ -77% |
| Furukawa Electric Co Ltd | 19 | ▲ +90% |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | 5 | ▼ -72% |
Under-served branches at the boundary of catalysis and enabling technologies
Several IPC branches adjacent to the dominant B01J core show relatively sparse patent-record counts despite plausible technical and commercial connections to catalyst materials — suggesting they may reward targeted investigation by teams seeking differentiated positioning.
H01M · Batteries, cells and fuel cells
H01M appears with only 48 patent records in the corpus, a thin presence given the direct relevance of catalyst materials to proton-exchange membrane fuel cells and lithium-air battery electrodes. The adjacent branch is technically credible — platinum-group and non-precious-metal catalysts are central to oxygen-reduction reaction performance — and several mid-tier applicants in the corpus (Furukawa Electric, 3M) already have transferable catalysis expertise. An entry path exists through catalyst-layer and electrode-catalyst co-filings that bridge B01J and H01M classifications.
Search this in Eureka →C25B · Electrolytic production of compounds
C25B holds only 28 patent records in the corpus, despite the growing industrial importance of electrolyzer catalysts for green hydrogen production and CO2 reduction. The sparse coverage relative to the broader catalysis corpus indicates that electrochemical catalysis has not yet been systematically claimed by the dominant applicants here. Teams with existing expertise in metal and metal-oxide catalyst formulation are well-positioned to extend into C25B through water-splitting and CO2 electroreduction catalyst claims.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by catalysis sub-route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | B01J 23 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01J 35 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01J 37 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01J 29 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01D 53 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson Matthey PLC | Strong · 144 | Strong · 163 | Strong · 93 | Strong · 98 | Strong · 151 |
| BASF Corporation | Strong · 134 | Strong · 128 | Strong · 96 | Moderate · 49 | Strong · 108 |
| Dow Global Technologies LLC | Strong · 84 | Strong · 80 | Moderate · 29 | Absent | Absent |
| Engelhard Corporation | Strong · 41 | Moderate · 22 | Strong · 40 | Moderate · 21 | Strong · 60 |
| BASF SE | Strong · 49 | Moderate · 24 | Moderate · 24 | Strong · 80 | Absent |
| 3M Innovative Properties Co | Strong · 41 | Strong · 36 | Strong · 31 | Absent | Strong · 35 |
| Rohm & Haas Co | Strong · 57 | Strong · 79 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 714 patent families in scope. Applicant rankings are reported in patent records, which can exceed the family count because a single family may be counted in multiple filing jurisdictions.
Johnson Matthey PLC leads with 233 patent records, more than double the second-ranked applicant, Dow Global Technologies LLC, at 111 patent records.
Annual filings peaked in 2018 at 169 records, up from 144 in 2017. Activity fell sharply to 89 in 2019 and has continued to decline, consistent with a field in a declining lifecycle stage. Figures for 2025 and 2026 are provisional due to publication lag.
B01J (chemical and physical processes and catalysis) is the dominant branch by a wide margin, followed at a distance by C07C (acyclic and carbocyclic compounds), B01D (separation processes), F01N (exhaust treatment), and C01B (inorganic compounds).
The United States is the primary jurisdiction, followed by Europe via the EPO, WIPO PCT filings, China, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The portfolio has a distinctly US-centric primary filing strategy with broad secondary coverage.
Among established mid-tier applicants, Furukawa Electric Co Ltd stands out with a 90% increase in recent filings versus the prior comparable period, concentrating on zeolite-based and structured catalysts. Johnson Matthey’s recent trajectory is flat at 0%, while BASF Corp and CNRS have each seen recent declines of around 72%.
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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.
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