Electrocatalyst Activity Testing (RDE) Patent Landscape
The electrocatalyst activity testing (RDE) field is in a Growth stage, with annual filings still rising and the University of Toronto holding the leading position among a field dominated by academic and specialist industrial applicants. Activity is concentrated in electrolytic compound production and fuel-cell electrode chemistry, with the United States the dominant filing jurisdiction.
Academic institutions lead a fragmented but growing field
The University of Toronto (Governing Council) holds the top position with 15 patent records, followed closely by Manufacturing Systems Limited and the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, each with 12 patent records, and Industrie De Nora SpA with 10.
The top five filers together account for 29% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers — a moderate concentration level indicating no single dominant incumbent can foreclose the field. The tier gap between the leader and the long tail of single-digit filers is narrow, suggesting the competitive frontier remains genuinely open.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | 15 | |
| 2 | Manufacturing Systems Limited | 12 | |
| 3 | The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | 12 | |
| 4 | Industrie De Nora SpA | 10 | |
| 5 | Mattiq Inc | 9 | |
| 6 | Dioxide Materials Inc | 9 | |
| 7 | Physical Sciences Inc | 9 | |
| 8 | Ohio University | 8 | |
| 9 | COUNCIL OF SCI & IND RES | 6 | |
| 10 | De Nora Elettrodi SpA | 5 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Johnson Matthey PLC | 5 | |
| 12 | UCL Business Ltd | 4 | |
| 13 | California Institute of Technology | 4 | |
| 14 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur | 4 | |
| 15 | Johnson Matthey Hydrogen Technologies Ltd | 4 | |
| 16 | University of Montpellier | 3 | |
| 17 | University of Cincinnati | 3 | |
| 18 | Miru Smart Technologies Corp | 3 | |
| 19 | Regents of the University of California | 3 | |
| 20 | William Marsh Rice University | 3 |
The academic dominance of the top positions — Toronto, Stanford, Ohio University, Caltech, and several Indian and European universities — signals that fundamental catalyst design and testing methodology remains largely in the research domain, with selective industrial players such as Industrie De Nora SpA and Mattiq Inc bridging toward commercialisation.
Filing counts for the most recent 18–24 months are likely understated due to standard patent publication lag; the apparent softening in 2025–2026 data should not be interpreted as a slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing activity growing, anchored in electrolytic and fuel-cell chemistry
Two dimensions define the field’s current structure: a multi-year upward filing trend that reached a visible peak in 2024, and a technology mix heavily weighted toward electrolytic compound production and battery/fuel-cell electrode science.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings have trended upward across the observation window, with a notable surge to 26 records in 2024 representing the period peak. The 2025 and 2026 figures (9 and 5 respectively) are artificially low due to publication lag and should not be read as a reversal of the growth trend.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C25B (Electrolytic production of compounds) is the dominant IPC class with 181 records, followed by H01M (Batteries, cells & fuel cells) at 82 and B01J (Chemical/physical processes & catalysis) at 68. Lower-share branches — including G01N (Material analysis & testing) and C02F (Water & wastewater treatment) — represent adjacent areas with proportionally fewer filings.
↗ 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.
AMMONIA PRODUCTION FROM NITRATE WASTE USING PtRu-B…
Methods for electrocatalytic and thermocatalytic conversion of nitrate using PtxRuy/C catalysts are disclosed herein. The methods for electrocatalytic conversion of nitrate to ammonia can include contacting a nitrate containing source with an electrode comprising a PtxRuy/C catalyst while applying a potential sufficient to reduce nitrate to thereby convert… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Di-ruthenium-substituted polyoxometalate electroca… | 106 |
| 2 | Gold electrocatalyst, methods for preparing it, el… | 75 |
| 3 | Electrochemical cell having electrode comprising g… | 74 |
| 4 | Method of stabilizing electrodes coated with mixed… | 52 |
| 5 | Electrocatalyst for fuel cells and method for prod… | 51 |
| 6 | A new class of electrocatalysts | 49 |
| 7 | Electro-catalysts for the oxidation of ammonia in … | 46 |
| 8 | Rhodium electrocatalyst and method of preparation | 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
The combination of a Growth lifecycle, academic-led concentration, and active cross-institutional collaboration shapes both the risk profile and the entry paths for new participants in this space.
Growth stage — filings still rising
The field is classified in the Growth stage, with annual filings trending upward and the most recent years understated by publication lag. This indicates that fundamental methodology and catalyst formulation IP are still being actively staked, meaning early movers in novel RDE protocols or catalyst classes can still capture meaningful IP positions without facing a saturated prior-art landscape.
Growth lifecycleModerate concentration; no dominant incumbent
The top five filers hold 29% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, with no single entity commanding a dominant share. The leading margin — 15 patent records for the University of Toronto versus 12 for both Manufacturing Systems Limited and Stanford — is narrow. Industrial entrants such as Mattiq Inc, entering as a new entrant with 9 recent patent records, demonstrate that the competitive hierarchy is still fluid and accessible to well-targeted newcomers.
Open competitive fieldUniversity of Toronto anchors the primary co-filing network
The University of Toronto (Governing Council) is the most active co-filer, with 5 joint filings with TotalEnergies, 4 with Caltech, and 1 with TotalEnergies’ connected entity. This pairing of a leading electrochemistry research institution with a major energy company and a top engineering university reflects a pattern of academic–industrial coalitions advancing catalytic testing toward applied hydrogen and electrolysis platforms.
Academic–industrial alliancesUS-dominated, with PCT and India as secondary routes
The United States leads with 74 patent records, followed by WIPO (PCT) with 31 and India with 25. Europe (EPO) captures 18 records and China only 7, indicating that RDE catalyst IP is primarily secured for North American and international protection rather than China-first strategies. Teams building freedom-to-operate or licensing positions should prioritise US and PCT coverage, with selective EPO and Indian filings for market reach.
US & PCT primaryGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | TotalEnergies SE | 5 |
| The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | California Institute of Technology | 4 |
| The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | TotalEnergies Onetech | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Toronto leads on electrolytic chemistry; Mattiq enters fast on catalyst characterisation
The top positions are split between established academic groups with multi-year portfolios and agile new entrants with concentrated recent filings, creating a two-speed competitive dynamic.
University of Toronto (Governing Council)
The University of Toronto holds 15 patent records — the largest single-institution count in the corpus — concentrated in C25B11 and C25B3 (electrolytic compound production) with secondary focus on C25B15. Recent momentum shows a downward trend (▼ –75% in the most recent period versus the prior window), suggesting the institution’s foundational position is maturing even as newer entrants intensify activity. Its co-filing relationships with TotalEnergies and Caltech indicate active translation toward applied electrolysis.
patent records: 15Mattiq Inc
Mattiq Inc enters as a new entrant with 9 patent records — all filed in the recent window — focused on C25B11 (electrolytic compound production) and B01J35/B01J23 (catalysis process and catalyst characterisation). This entirely recent portfolio, concentrated in high-throughput catalyst discovery and testing methodology, positions Mattiq as the most momentum-driven industrial challenger in the corpus. Its trajectory warrants close monitoring for IP blocking in automated RDE screening workflows.
patent records: 9| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | 3 | ▼ -75% |
| Manufacturing Systems Limited | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Mattiq Inc | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches at the intersection of testing, materials, and water treatment
Several IPC branches present proportionally sparse filing counts relative to the dominant C25B and H01M classes, suggesting areas where RDE-informed IP has not yet been systematically developed.
G01N · Material Analysis & Testing
With only 20 patent records and a 4% share among the technical branches, G01N — which covers analytical and testing methods — is notably sparse for a corpus centred on activity testing methodology. Filings here could directly protect the measurement protocols, diagnostic instruments, and data-interpretation algorithms that underpin RDE workflows. An entry path exists through novel standardised testing procedures, in-situ spectroelectrochemical characterisation combined with rotating disk techniques, or machine-learning-assisted kinetic analysis tied to RDE output.
Search this in Eureka →C02F · Water & Wastewater Treatment
C02F accounts for only 12 patent records and a 3% share, despite electrocatalysis being directly applicable to electrochemical water treatment — including ammonia oxidation, nitrate reduction, and persistent pollutant degradation — all of which can be characterised using RDE techniques. The adjacent branch is plausible technically: several top-cited patents in the corpus already reference ammonia electro-oxidation. An entrant with RDE-validated catalysts specifically designed for contaminant destruction could build a differentiated position in a branch with limited prior-art density.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route and IPC emphasis
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | C25B 11 · Electrolytic production of compounds | C25B 1 · Electrolytic production of compounds | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C25B 3 · Electrolytic production of compounds | B01J 23 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Systems Limited | Strong · 12 | Strong · 12 | Strong · 12 | Strong · 9 | Absent |
| Physical Sciences Inc | Strong · 9 | Strong · 9 | Strong · 9 | Absent | Strong · 9 |
| The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | Strong · 15 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 15 | Emerging · 3 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Strong · 12 | Strong · 10 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Dioxide Materials Inc | Absent | Strong · 9 | Absent | Strong · 9 | Moderate · 4 |
| Ohio University | Strong · 6 | Strong · 8 | Strong · 5 | Moderate · 2 | Absent |
| De Nora Elettrodi SpA | Strong · 9 | Absent | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 115 patent families. This is the foundation for lifecycle, growth, and trend analysis; applicant rankings are reported separately in patent records, which can differ from the family count.
The Governing Council of the University of Toronto leads with 15 patent records, ahead of Manufacturing Systems Limited and the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, each with 12 patent records.
The field is classified as Growth. Annual filings are still rising, and the most recent years (2025–2026) appear soft only because of standard patent publication lag, not a genuine slowdown.
The United States leads with 74 patent records, followed by WIPO (PCT) with 31 and India with 25. Europe (EPO) accounts for 18 records and China for 7, indicating a predominantly US and international protection strategy among top filers.
C25B (Electrolytic production of compounds) is the dominant class with 181 records, followed by H01M (Batteries, cells & fuel cells) at 82 and B01J (Chemical/physical processes & catalysis) at 68. G01N (Material analysis & testing) and C02F (Water & wastewater treatment) are present but sparse.
Mattiq Inc is the standout new industrial entrant, filing 9 patent records entirely within the most recent window — a new entrant trajectory — concentrated on electrolytic compound production and catalyst characterisation methods. Manufacturing Systems Limited and the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University are also classified as new entrants in the momentum data.
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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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