Forward Osmosis Heavy-Metal Rejection Patent Snapshot
The patent corpus for forward osmosis applied specifically to heavy-metal rejection is nascent, with activity concentrated almost entirely at Nanyang Technological University. The field sits at an early, pre-competitive stage where a small number of academic filers dominate and significant white space remains across adjacent IPC branches.
Nanyang Tech leads a highly concentrated, academic-dominated field
Nanyang Technological University holds the top position in this space, accounting for the largest share of patent records among ranked applicants. Khalifa University of Science and Technology is the only other identified filer, making this a two-player evidence snapshot at present.
The top five filers collectively account for 100% of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined total — an extreme concentration figure that reflects the nascent state of the field rather than a mature competitive lock-in. The gap between the leading applicant and the second-ranked filer is substantial.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nanyang Technological University | 4 | |
| 2 | KHALIFA UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 1 |
Nanyang Tech’s lead position, grounded in separation processes and water treatment IPC classes, suggests it holds the foundational IP framework. Any new entrant would need to design around or license from this base, or target adjacent technical routes not yet covered.
Patent publication typically lags filing by 18–24 months, so the most recent activity may not yet be fully visible in this corpus. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A single recent filing pulse and a wastewater-treatment-dominant IPC mix
The annual filing trend and technology composition together reveal a field that has seen minimal activity across most of the past decade, with IPC coverage concentrated in water treatment and separation processes.
Annual filing trend
Filing activity across the 2017–2024 window was flat, with a single recorded data point appearing in 2025. Given the standard 18–24 month publication lag, the 2025 figure may undercount actual recent filings, and the 2026 count should be treated as incomplete. The overall picture is one of sparse, episodic activity rather than a sustained growth trend.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C02F (water and wastewater treatment) is the visible IPC branch, followed by B01D (separation processes including filtration). Three lower-frequency branches — A01C (planting and sowing), B01J (chemical and physical processes and catalysis), and C08L (polymer compositions) — each appear at single-record counts, signalling adjacency rather than established coverage.
↗ 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.
A draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method
A draw solute for forward osmosis comprising a semi-interpenetrating (semi-IPN) hydrogel which comprises a thermally responsive polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, such that the semi-IPN hydrogel is capable of switching between a hydrophilic and hydrophobic state in response to changes in temperature is provided. Also provided is a draw solute comprising a… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method | 19 |
| 2 | A draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method | 10 |
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.
Assignee snapshot from the current evidence set
The applicants below are visible in this query result. Because the evidence set is relatively small, read this section as a directional snapshot rather than a full competitive ranking.
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Tech leads with 4 patent records, concentrated in B01D 61 (separation processes) and C02F 1 (water and wastewater treatment). This dual-class focus suggests a membrane-system approach spanning both the physical separation mechanism and the water-treatment application context. Applicant momentum data is not available in the current evidence set, so trajectory direction cannot be confirmed from filing counts alone.
patent records: 4Khalifa University of Science and Technology
Khalifa University holds 1 patent record with IPC coverage spanning A01C 23 (planting and sowing), B01J 13 (chemical and physical processes and catalysis), and C02F 1 (water treatment). The spread across three classes from a single record suggests a draw-solute or hybrid-process approach with potential agricultural reuse applications. Momentum data is not available for this applicant.
patent records: 1Frequently asked questions
The current corpus contains 1 patent family in scope. This reflects the highly nascent state of the field rather than mature commercial activity.
Nanyang Technological University leads with 4 patent records. Khalifa University of Science and Technology is the only other ranked applicant, with 1 patent record.
C02F (water and wastewater treatment) has the highest count, followed by B01D (separation processes including filtration). Three branches — A01C, B01J, and C08L — each appear at single-record counts.
The United States leads by patent records, with Singapore and a WIPO PCT filing also present. Coverage in other major industrial markets appears to be absent from the current corpus.
The two highest-cited records in the corpus are both titled ‘A draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method,’ with citation counts of 19 and 10 respectively. Patent numbers were not available in the evidence for these records.
The sparsest adjacent IPC branches are B01J (chemical and physical processes and catalysis), C08L (polymer compositions), and A01C (planting and sowing), each with a single patent record. B01J and C08L have the clearest technical relevance to membrane and draw-solute innovation in this application context.
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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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