EDLC Electrode Materials Patent Landscape 2026
The EDLC electrode materials field spans 2,752 patent families and has reached maturity, with annual volume easing from its 2017 peak and the top five filers holding a moderate share of the leading-filer cohort. Panasonic Holdings leads the ranking, but the field is notably plural — Chinese universities and U.S. research institutions are active challengers alongside established Japanese and American industrials.
Panasonic leads a fragmented field with no single dominant force
Panasonic Holdings Corp holds the top position with 80 patent families, followed by Honda Motor Co Ltd (64), Corning Inc (55), AGC Inc (55), and Elna Co Ltd (53). The top five filers account for 16% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers — a moderate concentration level that signals no single entity controls this space.
The tier gap between first and fifth place is relatively narrow (80 versus 53 patent families), indicating competitive parity across the leading cohort. A second tier of Chinese universities and U. S. research groups — including Guilin University of Electronic Technology (48), Nanotek Instruments Group (40), and Zhejiang University (38) — closes further on the front-runners, reflecting a genuinely distributed innovation base.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panasonic Holdings Corp | 80 | |
| 2 | Honda Motor Co Ltd | 64 | |
| 3 | Corning Inc | 55 | |
| 4 | AGC Inc | 55 | |
| 5 | Elna Co Ltd | 53 | |
| 6 | Kyocera AVX Components Corp | 48 | |
| 7 | Guilin University of Electronic Technology | 48 | |
| 8 | Beijing University of Chemical Technology | 42 | |
| 9 | Nanotek Instruments Group LLC | 40 | |
| 10 | Zhejiang University | 38 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Regents of the University of California | 38 | |
| 12 | FastCap Ultracapacitors LLC | 35 | |
| 13 | Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University | 34 | |
| 14 | South China University of Technology | 33 | |
| 15 | KOREA INST OF CERAMIC ENG & TECH | 31 | |
| 16 | FastCap Systems Corp | 30 | |
| 17 | Harbin Institute of Technology | 30 | |
| 18 | Donghua University | 30 | |
| 19 | Pocell Tech Ltd | 27 | |
| 20 | Fuzhou University | 26 |
The positions of Panasonic and Honda, both with deep focus on capacitor-classified patents, reflect long-term industrial commitment to EDLC electrode development. Meanwhile, the breadth of academic entrants signals that fundamental materials research remains a meaningful pathway for new players to accumulate IP.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are subject to publication lag and should be treated as provisional undercounts rather than evidence of accelerating decline. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Volume has eased from a 2017 peak; capacitor-class patents dominate but adjacent branches show depth
The annual filing trend and technology composition charts together reveal a field that peaked in 2017 and has since stabilised at lower annual volumes, while retaining a rich multi-branch technology mix anchored in capacitor engineering and extending into carbon chemistry, nanotechnology, and battery-adjacent materials.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings reached their highest recorded level in 2017 and have since plateaued at a lower but relatively stable range. The apparent step-down from 2018 onward reflects a genuine moderation in new-family creation rather than a single-year anomaly. Data for 2025 and 2026 are incomplete due to patent publication lag and should not be read as a continuing decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01G (Capacitors) is the dominant classification by a wide margin, confirming that core EDLC device engineering remains the primary filing target. C01B (Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds — principally carbon materials) is a substantial secondary branch, reflecting intense work on activated carbon, graphene, and carbon nanotube electrodes. H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) and B82Y (Nanotechnology applications) form a meaningful third tier, pointing to crossover work with energy-storage hybridisation and nanomaterial synthesis.
↗ 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.
Positive-electrode sheet for capacitor, manufactur…
A positive-electrode sheet for a capacitor includes a first active substance layer. The first active substance layer comprises a positive-electrode active material, a carbon electrode material, a positive-electrode conductive agent, and a positive-electrode binder. A method of manufacturing the positive-electrode sheet for the capacitor includes: mixing the… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric double-layer capacitor and carbon materia… | 175 |
| 2 | Supercapacitor using electrode of new material and… | 129 |
| 3 | Electric double-layer capacitor and method for mak… | 128 |
| 4 | Supercapacitor with high energy density | 119 |
| 5 | Electric double-layer capacitor and carbon materia… | 106 |
| 6 | 制备石墨烯气凝胶及石墨烯/金属氧化物气凝胶的方法 | 102 |
| 7 | Process for producing graphene foam supercapacitor… | 101 |
| 8 | 一种超级电容器用三维多孔石墨烯的制备方法 | 92 |
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 observations — maturity stage, concentration, co-development patterns, and geographic filing emphasis — define the strategic context for any new entrant or incumbent expanding their EDLC electrode materials portfolio.
A maturing field with stable, not shrinking, activity
The field is classified at the Maturity stage: annual filings have plateaued near the 2017 peak rather than continuing to climb. On a multi-year basis the corpus still represents sustained accumulated output, but the era of rapid year-on-year growth has passed. Differentiation through materials novelty — rather than volume — is likely the more productive R&D posture.
Life-cycle: MaturityModerate concentration with real room for challengers
The top five filers account for 16% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output, and the gap between the leader (80 patent families) and the fifth-ranked entity (53 patent families) is modest. This distribution means no incumbent has locked up the landscape. A focused materials-specific programme could realistically establish a top-20 position within a few years.
Top-5 share: 16%AGC and Elna are the most active co-filers; Honda anchors multiple supply-chain pairings
The most active co-filing pair is AGC Inc (formerly Asahi Glass) and Elna Co Ltd, who have jointly filed 53 patent families — a deep industrial partnership on separator and electrode materials. Honda Motor Co Ltd maintains active co-development with Kuraray Chemical (22 joint families) and smaller bilateral agreements with Kashima Oil, Daido Metal, Kuraray Co Ltd, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical. Beijing University of Chemical Technology co-files with State Grid Corp of China and China Electric Power Research Institute, bridging academic and utility interests.
Key pairs: AGC–Elna, Honda–KurarayChina is the primary filing jurisdiction by a wide margin
China accounts for the largest share of patent records among all jurisdictions, followed by the United States and Japan. India and Europe (EPO) form a secondary tier, with South Korea and WIPO PCT filings adding meaningful international coverage. The China-heavy filing pattern reflects both the volume of Chinese academic applicants in the ranking and the importance of the Chinese market for EDLC manufacturing. Entrants seeking broad protection should prioritise China, the United States, and Japan at minimum.
Lead office: ChinaGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AGC Inc | Elna Co Ltd | 53 |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | Kuraray Chemical Co Ltd | 22 |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | State Grid Corporation of China | 3 |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | China Electric Power Research Institute | 3 |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | Kashima Oil Co Ltd | 2 |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | Daido Metal Co Ltd | 2 |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | Kuraray Co Ltd | 2 |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co Inc | 2 |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | DAIDO METAL CO LTD | 2 |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Panasonic and Honda lead on industrial depth; Guilin University of Electronic Technology is the fastest-rising academic filer
The top two industrial players hold their positions through deep, sustained capacitor-classified portfolios spanning multiple decades. Among the momentum cohort, Guilin University of Electronic Technology and the Regents of the University of California have both entered the tracked recent window as new entrants, while FastCap Systems and Kyocera AVX Components show declining recent-period activity.
Panasonic Holdings Corp
Panasonic Holdings Corp tops the ranking with 80 patent families, concentrated almost entirely in H01G 11 and H01G 9 (Capacitors), with minor D01F 9 (chemical filament and fibre) coverage. This breadth-within-capacitors profile reflects a long-standing industrial programme across EDLC device architecture and electrode materials. Momentum data for Panasonic is not separately broken out in the recent-trend evidence, indicating a stable rather than surging recent trajectory.
families: 80Guilin University of Electronic Technology
Guilin University of Electronic Technology holds 48 patent families, with primary focus in H01G 11 (Capacitors) and a secondary emphasis on C01B 32 (carbon materials including graphene) and B82Y 30 (nanotechnology applications). Its momentum trend is flagged as a new entrant in the most recent tracked window, indicating a rapid build-up from a small prior base. This carbon-materials and nanotechnology emphasis positions it as a technically differentiated challenger relative to the industrial leaders.
families: 48| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| FastCap Systems Corp | 8 | ▼ -43% |
| Guilin University of Electronic Technology | 16 | ▲ new entrant |
| Kyocera AVX Components Corp | 3 | ▼ -77% |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | 3 | ▼ -73% |
| Regents of the University of California | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
Battery-hybrid materials and metal-compound electrodes are under-served adjacent branches
Several IPC branches co-occurring with the dominant capacitor class carry meaningful technical overlap with EDLC electrode materials but remain at low share within the corpus, suggesting they are under-served relative to their potential role in next-generation devices.
H01M · Battery and fuel-cell electrode crossover
H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) appears in the corpus but at a share of roughly 6% of the dominant class volume, indicating limited overlap between EDLC electrode research and the rapidly expanding lithium-ion and solid-state battery electrode literature. Given that hybrid supercapacitor-battery architectures are an active area of device engineering, this branch represents an under-served space where electrode materials researchers could extend EDLC-origin IP into battery-adjacent applications. Entry requires expertise in intercalation chemistry alongside double-layer mechanisms.
Search this in Eureka →C01G · Metal-compound electrode precursors
C01G (Compounds of other metals — principally transition-metal oxides and hydroxides used in pseudocapacitive electrodes) carries only about 1% of the dominant class volume despite the well-established role of materials such as manganese dioxide and nickel hydroxide in high-energy EDLC and hybrid capacitor electrodes. This sparsity may reflect that pseudocapacitive work is classified elsewhere, but it also points to a genuine gap in systematic IP coverage for metal-compound precursor synthesis optimised for EDLC electrode processing. Realistic entry paths include sol-gel synthesis, hydrothermal processing, and atomic-layer deposition routes.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route across capacitor, carbon, and nanotechnology branches
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01G 11 · Capacitors | C01B 32 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | H01G 9 · Capacitors | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | B82Y 30 · Nanotechnology applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic Holdings Corp | Strong · 80 | Absent | Strong · 79 | Absent | Absent |
| Honda Motor Co Ltd | Strong · 65 | Absent | Strong · 50 | Absent | Absent |
| AGC Inc | Strong · 55 | Absent | Strong · 53 | Absent | Absent |
| Elna Co Ltd | Strong · 53 | Absent | Strong · 53 | Absent | Absent |
| Corning Inc | Strong · 54 | Moderate · 14 | Absent | Emerging · 7 | Absent |
| FastCap Systems Corp | Strong · 57 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 7 | Emerging · 10 |
| Guilin University of Electronic Technology | Strong · 48 | Moderate · 17 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The evidence corpus contains 2,752 patent families in scope for EDLC electrode materials, filed across all major jurisdictions.
Panasonic Holdings Corp holds the top position with 80 patent families, focused primarily on H01G-classified capacitor and electrode patents.
The field is classified at the Maturity stage. Annual filings peaked in 2017 and have plateaued at a lower but relatively stable level since. The most recent data points (2025–2026) are subject to publication lag and should not be read as evidence of further decline.
China is the lead filing jurisdiction by a wide margin, reflecting both the volume of Chinese academic applicants in the ranking and the scale of China’s EDLC manufacturing base. The United States and Japan form the next tier.
AGC Inc and Elna Co Ltd are the most active co-filing pair with 53 jointly filed patent families. Honda Motor Co Ltd maintains the broadest co-development network, with active bilateral partnerships including Kuraray Chemical (22 joint families), Kashima Oil, Daido Metal, Kuraray Co Ltd, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical.
The top-cited works in the corpus relate to electric double-layer capacitor carbon materials (175 and 106 citations respectively), a new-material supercapacitor electrode (129 citations), a high-energy-density supercapacitor (119 citations), and graphene aerogel and three-dimensional porous graphene preparation methods for supercapacitors (102 and 92 citations respectively).
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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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