EDLC Supercapacitor Electrode Materials Patent Landscape
The EDLC and supercapacitor electrode materials field encompasses 4,945 patent families and is in a mature phase, with annual filings plateaued near their 2018 peak rather than continuing to climb. Activity is fragmented across a large pool of mostly academic filers in China, with Panasonic Holdings leading the top-100 applicants by patent families.
Panasonic leads a fragmented field dominated by Chinese universities
Panasonic Holdings Corp holds the top position with 107 patent families among the ranked applicants, followed closely by Guilin University of Electronic Technology at 93 and Honda Motor Co. at 78. The top five filers account for 14% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, signaling a moderately fragmented competitive structure rather than a winner-takes-all market.
No single entity commands a decisive lead: the gap between the first-ranked applicant (107 patent families) and the twentieth-ranked applicant (Fastcap Ultracapacitors LLC at 41 patent families) is relatively narrow, and Chinese universities fill positions 2, 4, 6, 8, and most of the top twenty. This academic-heavy composition is unusual compared with semiconductor or battery landscapes where industrial assignees dominate.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panasonic Holdings Corp | 107 | |
| 2 | Guilin University of Electronic Technology | 93 | |
| 3 | Honda Motor Co. Ltd. | 78 | |
| 4 | Jiangsu University | 76 | |
| 5 | AGC Inc. | 73 | |
| 6 | Zhejiang University | 63 | |
| 7 | Kyocera AVX Components Corp | 59 | |
| 8 | Beijing University of Chemical Technology | 59 | |
| 9 | Corning Inc. | 57 | |
| 10 | Elna Co. Ltd. | 56 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | South China University of Technology | 54 | |
| 12 | Donghua University | 54 | |
| 13 | Jilin University | 52 | |
| 14 | Shanghai Institute of Technology | 50 | |
| 15 | Fuzhou University | 48 | |
| 16 | Dalian University of Technology | 47 | |
| 17 | Tongji University | 45 | |
| 18 | Guangdong University of Technology | 44 | |
| 19 | HARBIN UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 42 | |
| 20 | FastCap Ultracapacitors LLC | 41 |
Panasonic’s and Honda’s positions as the two leading non-academic filers suggest that established Japanese electronics and automotive companies retain meaningful IP depth in core capacitor architectures, even as Chinese universities drive volume. Entrants lacking strong H01G foundations will face a crowded baseline but may find differentiated footholds in adjacent material classes.
The most recent 18–24 months of filings are subject to publication lag and likely under-represent actual 2024–2025 activity; interpret the apparent 2024–2025 trough with caution. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings plateaued after a 2018 peak; capacitor IPC class overwhelmingly dominant
The annual filing trend and the technology-class composition together reveal a field that is structurally mature at its core but retains meaningful secondary branches in carbon chemistry and nanotechnology.
Annual filing trend
Filings peaked at 747 patent families in 2018, then stepped down to a plateau in the 400–550 range through 2023–2024. The 2025 and 2026 figures (410 and 78 respectively) are materially incomplete due to publication lag and should not be read as a further decline. The multi-year window shows a net reduction of 8% in recent growth, consistent with a mature field rather than an emerging one.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01G (Capacitors) is the dominant IPC class by a wide margin, reflecting deep focus on electrode architecture and dielectric layers. C01B (Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, primarily carbon materials) ranks second, underscoring the centrality of activated carbon and graphene precursors. B82Y (Nanotechnology applications) and H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) appear as meaningful secondary branches, pointing to crossover work in nano-structured electrodes and hybrid energy storage. Polymer-related classes (C08G, C08L, C08J, C08K) collectively indicate a growing body of binder and electrolyte-adjacent work.
↗ 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 | 361 |
| 2 | Electric double-layer capacitor | 226 |
| 3 | Electric double-layer capacitor and carbon materia… | 175 |
| 4 | Supercapacitor using electrode of new material and… | 129 |
| 5 | Electric double-layer capacitor and method for mak… | 128 |
| 6 | Supercapacitor with high energy density | 119 |
| 7 | Electric double-layer capacitor and carbon materia… | 106 |
| 8 | Bifunctional electrode for an electrochemical cell… | 104 |
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 structure means for electrode-materials R&D investment
Four structural observations shape where IP risk is concentrated and where room remains for differentiated research programs.
Field is mature; core capacitor architecture is heavily covered
The lifecycle stage is Maturity: annual filings have plateaued near the 2018 peak of 747 patent families and have not resumed a growth trajectory. Incremental improvements to standard activated-carbon electrodes or conventional EDLC cell designs now enter a congested space with high prior-art density. R&D investment is best directed toward differentiated material chemistries or hybrid architectures rather than core EDLC cell configurations.
Lifecycle: MatureTop-five filers hold 14% share of the top-100 — moderate fragmentation
With the top five applicants capturing 14% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, no single player controls the agenda. The field is split between a handful of Japanese industrial players (Panasonic, Honda, AGC, Kyocera AVX) and a long tail of Chinese academic institutions. This fragmentation creates risk of freedom-to-operate complexity across many small patent families but also means that no blocking portfolio is yet entrenched in most sub-areas.
FragmentedAGC–Elna and Honda–Kuraray Chemical are the most active co-filing pairs
The most intense co-filing relationship is between AGC Inc. (Asahi Glass) and Elna Co. Ltd., with 54 jointly filed patent families — by far the largest collaboration count in the dataset. Honda Motor Co. and Kuraray Chemical have co-filed 23 patent families, indicating a material-supplier pairing focused on carbon precursors. Jiangsu University and Changzhou University (6 joint families) represent the most active academic–academic collaboration. These pairings suggest that key material know-how is being developed and locked up in bilateral industrial partnerships rather than through open consortia.
Bilateral partnershipsChina is the dominant filing jurisdiction; US and Japan are secondary
China accounts for the largest share of patent records by jurisdiction, followed by the United States and Japan. South Korea and India are notable secondary markets, each ahead of the European Patent Office. The concentration in China reflects both the volume of Chinese academic filers and China’s strategic emphasis on energy-storage materials. Organizations seeking global freedom to operate should ensure US, Japan, and EPO coverage in addition to CNIPA filings, as Chinese-origin families are not always extended internationally.
China-centricGo 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. | 54 |
| Honda Motor Co. Ltd. | Kuraray Chemical Co. Ltd. | 23 |
| Jiangsu University | Changzhou University | 6 |
| Zhejiang University | Beihai Xingshi Carbon Material Technology Co. Ltd. | 4 |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | Shenzhen Tianzhenglong Technology Co. Ltd. | 3 |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | State Grid Corporation of China | 3 |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | China Electric Power Research Institute Co. Ltd. | 3 |
| Jiangsu University | Jiangsu Suopei Engineering Technology Co. Ltd. | 2 |
| Jiangsu University | Jiangsu Suopei (Group) Co. Ltd. | 2 |
| Honda Motor Co. Ltd. | Kashima Oil Co. Ltd. | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Panasonic and Guilin University of Electronic Technology lead by different routes
The top two applicants illustrate the industrial-versus-academic divide: Panasonic brings deep H01G capacitor architecture coverage with a stable portfolio, while Guilin University of Electronic Technology is the fastest-growing academic filer and diversifies into carbon-material and nanotechnology branches.
Panasonic Holdings Corp
Panasonic holds 107 patent families and concentrates almost entirely on H01G 11 (electrochemical capacitors) and H01G 9 (electrolytic capacitors), indicating a focus on device-level electrode architecture rather than upstream material synthesis. Momentum data for Panasonic is not broken out in the available evidence, but the breadth of its H01G coverage signals a defensive position built over decades rather than a recent acceleration.
families: 107Guilin University of Electronic Technology
Guilin University of Electronic Technology holds 93 patent families and is the only top applicant showing positive recent momentum at +62% versus the prior three-year window, with 34 families filed in the recent period. Its technology emphasis spans H01G 11 capacitor architectures, C01B 32 carbon materials, and B82Y 30 nanotechnology applications — a broader materials-science footprint than most peers. This trajectory makes it the most active rising challenger in the academic cohort.
families: 93| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Guilin University of Electronic Technology | 34 | ▲ +62% |
| Jiangsu University | 16 | ▼ -36% |
| FastCap Systems Corp | 10 | ▼ -44% |
| Zhejiang University | 12 | ▼ -29% |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | 3 | ▼ -82% |
| Kyocera AVX Components Corp | 6 | ▼ -62% |
| South China University of Technology | 14 | ▼ -33% |
Under-served branches in nanotechnology and metal-compound chemistry
The whitespace analysis identifies IPC branches that are adjacent to the dominant H01G core but carry meaningfully lower filing density, suggesting areas where incremental R&D could establish early IP positions before crowding increases.
B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
B82Y accounts for 691 patent records and 6% of the branch mix — substantial in absolute terms but sparse relative to the H01G core. Nano-structured electrode materials (graphene foams, carbon nanotubes, MXene composites) sit in this branch, and the crossover with supercapacitor performance is technically well established. The entry path for new applicants involves combining novel nanostructure synthesis routes with demonstrated capacitance and cycle-life data, areas where academic groups and specialty chemical firms have realistic capability gaps to fill.
Search this in Eureka →C01G · Compounds of other metals
C01G (compounds of other metals, covering transition-metal oxides and hydroxides) shows only 284 patent records and a 2% share — low given that metal-oxide pseudocapacitive materials such as RuO₂, MnO₂, and NiCo layered double hydroxides are active research subjects. The relative sparsity may reflect that pseudocapacitor work is often classified under H01M rather than C01G, but it also indicates room for applicants to build targeted compound-synthesis claims in this branch. Organizations with inorganic chemistry capabilities and access to scalable hydrothermal or sol–gel processes have a plausible route to establishing differentiated positions here.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route
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 | B82Y 30 · Nanotechnology applications | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic Holdings Corp | Strong · 108 | Absent | Strong · 102 | Absent | Absent |
| Honda Motor Co. Ltd. | Strong · 77 | Absent | Strong · 56 | Absent | Absent |
| AGC Inc. | Strong · 73 | Absent | Strong · 59 | Absent | Absent |
| Guilin University of Electronic Technology | Strong · 93 | Emerging · 18 | Absent | Emerging · 13 | Absent |
| Jiangsu University | Strong · 89 | Emerging · 10 | Absent | Emerging · 11 | Absent |
| Zhejiang University | Strong · 63 | Moderate · 15 | Absent | Emerging · 7 | Absent |
| Beijing University of Chemical Technology | Strong · 59 | Moderate · 14 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 9 |
Frequently asked questions
The evidence covers 4,945 patent families in scope for this topic globally.
Panasonic Holdings Corp leads with 107 patent families among the top-100 ranked applicants, concentrated primarily in H01G electrochemical and electrolytic capacitor classes.
The field is in a Maturity stage: annual filings peaked at 747 patent families in 2018 and have since plateaued in the 400–550 range. The recent-window growth figure is -8%, and the 2025–2026 data are incomplete due to publication lag.
China is the dominant filing jurisdiction by a wide margin, followed by the United States and Japan. South Korea and India rank ahead of the European Patent Office.
Guilin University of Electronic Technology posted the strongest recent momentum at +62% versus the prior three-year window, with 34 families filed in the recent period. All other tracked applicants showed declining momentum in the same window.
AGC Inc. and Elna Co. Ltd. are the most active co-filing pair with 54 jointly filed patent families. Honda Motor Co. and Kuraray Chemical rank second with 23 co-filed families, reflecting a material-supplier partnership focused on carbon precursor chemistry.
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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.