EDLC Electrode-Electrolyte Interface Patent Landscape
Nanotek Instruments Group leads a moderately concentrated field of 338 patent families, with the top five filers holding roughly one-fifth of the hundred largest filers’ combined output. The field is still expanding on a multi-year basis, though annual volume has eased from its 2017 peak, and recent-year counts remain understated by publication lag.
Nanotek leads a moderately concentrated field with a clear tier gap
Nanotek Instruments Group holds the top position with 31 patent families, more than double the next-ranked applicants — Panasonic Holdings and Urbix Inc, each at 12 patent families.
The top five filers collectively account for 22% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signaling moderate concentration: a dominant leader is followed by a cluster of mid-tier academic institutions and specialty firms that are close enough in scale to challenge in focused sub-areas.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nanotek Instruments Group LLC | 31 | |
| 2 | Panasonic Holdings Corporation | 12 | |
| 3 | Urbix Inc | 12 | |
| 4 | Vellore Institute of Technology | 9 | |
| 5 | Regents of the University of California | 9 | |
| 6 | COUNCIL OF SCI & IND RES | 9 | |
| 7 | Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University | 8 | |
| 8 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur | 8 | |
| 9 | Solvionic | 8 | |
| 10 | JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORP | 7 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals | 7 | |
| 12 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | 5 | |
| 13 | Nanotek Instruments Inc. | 5 | |
| 14 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras | 5 | |
| 15 | JSC Institute of Nuclear Materials | 5 | |
| 16 | Joint Stock Company Science and Innovations | 5 | |
| 17 | Tianjin University | 5 | |
| 18 | SAVEETHA INST OF MEDICAL & TECH SCI | 4 | |
| 19 | D. Y. Patil Education Society (Deemed University) | 4 | |
| 20 | PPG Industries Ohio Inc. | 4 |
Nanotek’s margin over the field, combined with its deep focus on capacitor-class IP, positions it as the de facto standard-setter for graphene-based electrode-electrolyte architectures; challengers are differentiating primarily through materials chemistry and application-specific formulations.
Filings from the most recent 18–24 months are likely under-counted due to standard patent publication lag; the most recent period should be treated as a floor, not a ceiling. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Multi-year growth continues despite an uneven annual pattern
Two charts capture the pace and composition of EDLC electrode-electrolyte interface patenting: an annual filing trend spanning 2017–2026 and a technology-branch breakdown showing where R&D effort is concentrated.
Annual filing trend
The three-year recent window sits 38% above the prior three-year window, confirming multi-year expansion. Annual volume peaked in 2017 and has since moved unevenly; 2025 shows a marked uptick, but 2025–2026 figures are further compressed by publication lag and should be read as minimums.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01G (Capacitors) dominates the IPC mix by a wide margin, reflecting the core capacitor engineering of EDLC interfaces. H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) and C01B (Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) form a secondary tier, while nanotechnology (B82Y) and metal compounds (C01G) appear at lower densities — signaling areas where coverage is thinner relative to technical relevance.
↗ 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.
All-solid-state-supercapacitor and a process for t…
The present invention discloses. all-solid-state supercapacitor (ASSP) with enhanced electrode-electrolyte interface which gives highest very high specific capacitance, areal capacitance and shows very low internal resistance (ESR). The invention particularly discloses the fabrication of all-solid-state supercapacitor by intercalation of solid state polymer… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Process for producing graphene foam supercapacitor… | 101 |
| 2 | Thermopolymerizable composition for battery use | 81 |
| 3 | Production process for a supercapacitor having a h… | 75 |
| 4 | Supercapacitor having an integral 3D graphene-carb… | 58 |
| 5 | Method for manufacturing a nano-structured electro… | 51 |
| 6 | Electric double-layer capacitor and method for man… | 50 |
| 7 | Activated carbon for electric double-layer capacit… | 48 |
| 8 | Vehicle comprising a bifunctional structural part | 43 |
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 investment decisions
Four structural reads — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — help engineers prioritize where effort is most likely to yield differentiated, defensible positions.
Growth stage with a maturing core
The lifecycle assessment places this field in Growth: the recent three-year window is 38% above the prior three-year window on a multi-year basis. However, annual volume has eased from the 2017 peak, suggesting the core capacitor-electrode sub-area is maturing while newer material classes are still ramping. Teams entering now should expect established prior art in graphene/activated-carbon electrodes and more open terrain in ionic-liquid and polymer electrolyte systems.
Growth · eased from 2017 peakOne clear leader, then a diverse mid-tier
Nanotek Instruments Group’s 31 patent families give it roughly 2.6× the output of either second-ranked applicant. Below the top three, the ranking disperses across academic institutions (Vellore Institute of Technology, University of California, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras) and specialty firms (Solvionic, JX Nippon Oil and Energy). This structure means that licensing negotiations for foundational electrode-electrolyte IP will almost certainly involve Nanotek, while application-specific or regional freedom-to-operate will depend on academic assignees.
Moderate concentrationLimited co-filing; two partnerships identified
Co-applicant activity is sparse. The most active collaboration is between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and John Keells Holdings, with two jointly filed patent families. Nanotek Instruments Group has co-filed with individual inventors Aruna Zhamu and Bor Z. Jang, each at one family — consistent with an inventor-led spinout model rather than a broad industry consortium. Teams seeking ecosystem partnerships will find few established co-development pathways and a largely independent filing landscape.
Sparse co-filingUS leads, India surging, China a strong third
The United States is the leading jurisdiction, followed closely by India and then China. Europe (EPO) and WIPO (PCT) filings provide a secondary international layer, while Japan, South Korea, and Israel represent smaller but active markets. India’s volume is notable relative to its tier in global EDLC manufacturing, reflecting the heavy academic filing activity from IITs and other research institutions. Applicants seeking broad protection should prioritize US, India, and China as the primary prosecution trio.
US · India · China top threeGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) | John Keells Holdings PLC | 2 |
| ZHAMU ARUNA | Nanotek Instruments Group LLC | 1 |
| JANG BOR Z | Nanotek Instruments Group LLC | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Nanotek dominates capacitor-class IP; challengers diversify into materials and electroplating
The top two players illustrate the contrast between a deep, focused portfolio and a newer, broader-materials approach. Both are anchored in H01G capacitor IP but diverge sharply in adjacent technology emphasis.
Nanotek Instruments Group
With 31 patent families, Nanotek Instruments Group holds roughly double the output of the next-ranked filers. Its technology focus is strongly concentrated in H01G 11 (Capacitors, 23 families), with minor extensions into C01B 32 (non-metallic inorganic compounds) and C04B 35 (ceramics). The inventor co-filing pattern with Aruna Zhamu and Bor Z. Jang points to an inventor-driven IP strategy centered on graphene-based electrode architectures. No momentum shift data places Nanotek among the recent-window new entrants, suggesting its position is established rather than rapidly accelerating.
patent families: 31University of California (Regents)
Holding 9 patent families, the Regents of the University of California is flagged as a new entrant in the recent filing window, signaling an accelerating research push. Its technology profile is notably distinct from Nanotek’s: H01G 11 capacitors anchor the portfolio, but C25D 17 and C25D 3 (electroplating and electroforming, 6 families each) represent a meaningful stake in surface-deposition methods for electrode fabrication — an angle that few other top filers are pursuing at comparable depth.
patent families: 9| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Regents of the University of California | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| Urbix Inc | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant capacitor core
Several IPC classes appear at low density relative to the dominant H01G capacitor branch, representing areas where patent coverage is thinner. Two are highlighted below for their technical adjacency and plausible entry paths; they are observations of relative sparsity, not validated commercial opportunities.
C01G · Compounds of other metals
With 18 patent records against H01G’s dominant count, metal-compound chemistry at the electrode-electrolyte interface is thinly covered. Transition-metal oxides and sulfides are technically relevant as pseudocapacitive materials that can augment double-layer charge storage — a well-established research direction. The sparse filing count suggests that applicants with proprietary synthesis routes for MnO2, RuO2, or MoS2 electrode coatings could establish defensible positions without immediately confronting dense prior art. Entry would require coupling materials synthesis expertise (C01G) with EDLC device integration (H01G).
Search this in Eureka →C08K · Use of additives in polymers
Only 13 patent records appear under C08K — polymer additive systems — despite the growing interest in solid and gel polymer electrolytes that improve safety and operating voltage in EDLCs. The low count may reflect that polymer electrolyte IP is being filed primarily under H01G or H01M, or it may indicate genuine under-coverage of formulation-level additive chemistry. Teams working on ionic-liquid-infused or nanoparticle-doped polymer electrolytes could find this branch relatively open, particularly if claims are structured around the additive composition rather than the device architecture.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ across technology routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01G 11 · Capacitors | H01G 9 · Capacitors | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C01B 32 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | B82Y 30 · Nanotechnology applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanotek Instruments Group LLC | Strong · 23 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 2 | Absent |
| Panasonic Holdings Corporation | Strong · 12 | Strong · 12 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation | Strong · 9 | Strong · 8 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Regents of the University of California | Strong · 11 | Absent | Moderate · 5 | Absent | Absent |
| Vellore Institute of Technology | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The analysis covers 338 patent families in scope globally. The United States is the leading filing jurisdiction, followed by India and China.
Nanotek Instruments Group leads with 31 patent families — more than double the next-ranked applicants, Panasonic Holdings and Urbix Inc, each with 12 patent families.
The lifecycle stage is Growth: the recent three-year filing window is 38% above the prior three-year window on a multi-year basis. However, annual volume has eased from the 2017 peak, and the most recent filing years are further understated by publication lag, so headline counts for 2025–2026 should be treated as minimums.
H01G (Capacitors) is the dominant class by a wide margin, reflecting core EDLC device engineering. H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) and C01B (Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) form a secondary tier, with nanotechnology applications (B82Y) and other metal compounds (C01G) at lower densities.
C01G (Compounds of other metals) and C08K (Use of additives in polymers) are relatively sparse — 18 and 13 patent records respectively — compared to the dominant H01G class. These branches are observations of relative sparsity; whether they represent viable R&D entry points depends on a team’s specific synthesis and formulation capabilities.
The most-cited work in the corpus covers graphene foam supercapacitor processes (101 citations), thermopolymerizable compositions for battery use (81 citations), supercapacitor production processes with high energy density (75 citations), and 3D graphene-carbon electrode architectures (58 citations). These represent the core prior art landscape any new filer must navigate.
Map your own EDLC electrode-electrolyte interface landscape
Join 18,000+ innovators using PatSnap Eureka to map any technology landscape: search 2B+ patents and papers, surface key assignees, and generate a report like this in minutes.
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.