HEA Oxidation & Corrosion Durability Patent Landscape
The high-entropy alloy oxidation and corrosion durability field is in active growth, with annual filings still rising and a 79% expansion over the recent window. Chinese academic institutions dominate the field, with Xiangtan University holding the leading position and alloy composition (C22C) forming the clear technical core.
Chinese universities lead a concentrated but rapidly expanding field
Xiangtan University leads all applicants with 40 patent families, followed by the Institute of Metal Research – Chinese Academy of Sciences (27) and Proterial Ltd (25), making the top three the only filers with more than 23 patent families in the ranking.
The top five filers account for 25% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate-to-high concentration at the apex but a long tail of active entrants — over 100 distinct applicants appear in the ranked list, the majority being Chinese universities and research institutes.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xiangtan University | 40 | |
| 2 | Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 27 | |
| 3 | Proterial Ltd | 25 | |
| 4 | KUNMING UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 23 | |
| 5 | POSTECH Academy–Industry Foundation | 17 | |
| 6 | Dalian University of Technology | 17 | |
| 7 | Nanchang Hangkong University | 16 | |
| 8 | UNIV OF SCI & TECH BEIJING | 14 | |
| 9 | Guangdong Institute of New Materials | 10 | |
| 10 | Xi’an Jiaotong University | 9 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Shanghai University | 9 | |
| 12 | Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 9 | |
| 13 | Harbin Institute of Technology | 8 | |
| 14 | Zhengzhou University | 7 | |
| 15 | Wuhan University | 7 | |
| 16 | Jiangsu University OF SCI & TECH | 7 | |
| 17 | Beijing Institute of Technology | 7 | |
| 18 | Jiangsu University | 6 | |
| 19 | LG Electronics Inc. | 6 | |
| 20 | Anhui University of Technology | 6 |
The dominance of academic institutions signals that much foundational composition and processing knowledge is being disclosed openly, which lowers barriers for industrial entrants but also means that core alloy-design patents are being built around quickly; a late entrant must differentiate on processing route, coating method, or end-use application.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are understated due to standard publication lag and should not be read as a plateau; the underlying activity level is likely higher than shown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Rising annual filings and an alloy-composition core with emerging coating and additive-manufacturing branches
The annual filing trend reveals consistent expansion since 2017, while the technology composition chart shows a clear primary cluster around alloy design with several secondary branches at meaningful but lower volumes.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from 23 families in 2017 to 112 in 2024, with the 2025–2026 bars understated by publication lag. The 79% recent-window growth confirms this is a field in active expansion, not consolidation; the 2020 dip (39 families) appears to be a temporary interruption rather than a structural shift.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C22C (Alloys) dominates the branch mix, reflecting the field’s foundation in alloy composition design. C23C (Coating & surface deposition) and B22F (Powder metallurgy) form a substantial second tier, signalling that surface-engineering and powder-processing routes are already well-populated. B33Y (Additive manufacturing) and C22F (Non-ferrous metal treatment) represent smaller but growing branches that sit adjacent to the core.
↗ 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.
METHOD FOR PREPARING IN-SITU SYNTHESIZED Al2O3 CER…
Disclosed is a method for preparing an in-situ synthesized Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3 </sub>ceramic-reinforced high-entropy alloy (HEA) coating doped with a trace amount of boron (B) through laser cladding. The method includes: subjecting an Al powder, a Cr powder, a Fe powder, a Ti powder, a V powder, and a B powder to mixing thoroughly in a molar ratio of… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 激光熔覆用高熵合金粉末和高熵合金涂层的制备方法 | 133 |
| 2 | Precipitation Hardening High Entropy Alloy and Met… | 128 |
| 3 | 一种多相高熵合金及其制备方法 | 77 |
| 4 | High entropy alloy member, method for producing al… | 60 |
| 5 | AlxCrFeNiCuVTi高熵合金材料及其制备方法 | 57 |
| 6 | 激光熔覆用高熵合金粉末及熔覆层制备方法 | 56 |
| 7 | Alloy member, method for producing alloy member, a… | 50 |
| 8 | Alloy article, method for manufacturing same, and … | 49 |
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
The combination of rapid growth, academic concentration, and a dominant Chinese filing base creates a specific set of strategic conditions that differ from more industrially mature materials fields.
Growth stage: filings still rising from a low 2017 base
The lifecycle assessment places this field firmly in the Growth stage, with annual filings still rising and the multi-year window showing 79% expansion. The field has not reached the consolidation or saturation phase typical of mature materials classes. This means early mover advantages in specific alloy systems or processing routes remain available, but the window is narrowing as the filing rate accelerates.
Growth stageModerate apex concentration with a long active tail
The top five filers hold 25% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, leaving 75% distributed across a broad field of universities and smaller institutes. No single player has locked up the space. Industrial entrants — particularly those focusing on coatings, additive manufacturing, or specific end-use environments such as turbines or nuclear reactors — can still establish credible positions without competing head-on against the academic leaders.
Moderate concentrationSparse co-filing activity; university–industry pairs are the dominant model
The most active co-filing pairs include Xiangtan University with Yongzhou Municipal Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Institute (2 joint families), POSTECH Academy–Industry Foundation with Chungnam National University Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation (2 families), and Nanchang Hangkong University with Jiangxi Hengda High-Tech Co. (2 families). Co-filing intensity is low across the board, suggesting the ecosystem is still in an early collaborative phase and that structured partnerships between leading universities and industrial end-users represent an underexploited mechanism for accelerating application-ready IP.
Low co-filing densityChina-centric filing base with thin coverage in US, Europe, and Japan
China accounts for the large majority of patent records in the corpus, with the United States, Europe (EPO), and India following at significantly lower volumes. South Korea, WIPO (PCT), and Japan together hold a small share. This geographic skew means that protection outside China is sparse for most applicants, and industrial players seeking freedom to operate or licensing leverage in Western markets have a relatively open landscape to file into.
China-dominantGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Xiangtan University | Yongzhou Municipal Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Institute | 2 |
| 浦项工科大学校产学协力团 | 忠南大学校产学协力团 | 2 |
| Nanchang Hangkong University | Jiangxi Hengda High-Tech Co., Ltd. | 2 |
| Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Qingdao Research Center for Resource Chemistry and New Materials | 2 |
| Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Liaoning Zhongke Boyan Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| University of Science and Technology Beijing | Ministry of Water Resources Product Quality Standards Research Institute | 1 |
| University of Science and Technology Beijing | Ningxia Yellow River Hydropower Qingtongxia Power Generation Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | South China University of Technology | 1 |
| Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | YANTAI ZHONGKE RES INST OF ADVANCED MATERIALS & GR… | 1 |
| Guangdong Institute of New Materials, Guangdong Academy of Sciences | Hangzhou Eplus 3D Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Xiangtan University leads on alloy composition; Proterial Ltd is the sole major industrial filer
The top of the ranking is dominated by Chinese universities and state research institutes, with Proterial Ltd standing out as the only significant industrial applicant in the top five and the only non-Chinese entity among the leading trio.
Xiangtan University
Xiangtan University holds 40 patent families, the largest portfolio in the field. Its technology emphasis concentrates on alloy composition (C22C 30 and C22C 1) with a secondary position in powder metallurgy (B22F 3). Momentum data classifies the institution as a new entrant in the recent filing window with 10 recent families, suggesting the portfolio is still being actively built rather than harvested.
families: 40Proterial Ltd
Proterial Ltd (formerly Hitachi Metals) holds 25 patent families and is the leading industrial filer, distinguishing itself from the university-dominated top tier through a strong powder metallurgy focus (B22F 1 and B22F 3 alongside C22C 30). This processing-route emphasis suggests an orientation toward manufacturable alloy products rather than purely compositional novelty, which positions the company differently from academic leaders and closer to commercial deployment.
families: 25| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Xiangtan University | 10 | ▲ new entrant |
| Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 16 | ▲ new entrant |
| Kunming University of Science and Technology | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| 浦项工科大学校产学协力团 | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Dalian University of Technology | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nanchang Hangkong University | 15 | ▲ new entrant |
| University of Science and Technology Beijing | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
| Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served routes: heat treatment and additive manufacturing sit at the field’s edges
Several IPC branches appear at low relative share within the corpus, indicating that their intersection with HEA oxidation and corrosion durability is technically plausible but so far lightly patented.
B33Y · Additive manufacturing (3D printing)
Additive manufacturing accounts for a 4% share of the branch mix, with 61 patent records — sparse relative to the alloy-composition core. AM processes directly affect grain structure, oxide-layer continuity, and corrosion resistance in HEAs, giving this branch clear technical relevance. Nanchang Hangkong University is among the few applicants already active here (B33Y 10 among its top codes), but the space is thinly populated relative to the underlying engineering need for near-net-shape corrosion-resistant HEA components. An entrant with AM process expertise could establish a differentiated position without contending directly with the dominant composition patents.
Search this in Eureka →C21D · Heat treatment of metals
Heat treatment of metals (C21D) appears with 26 patent records and a 2% share, making it one of the least-covered branches with direct relevance to HEA microstructure and oxidation performance. Controlled heat treatment determines precipitate distribution, oxide-scale adherence, and long-term corrosion kinetics in multi-principal-element alloys — yet the patent literature here is thin. This branch sits adjacent to the dominant C22C and C22F clusters and could represent an entry path for industrial players focused on post-processing and service-life optimization rather than alloy composition novelty.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ by technology route across alloy design, coatings, and processing
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | C22C 30 · Alloys | C22C 1 · Alloys | B22F 9 · Powder metallurgy | C23C 24 · Coating & surface deposition | B22F 1 · Powder metallurgy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiangtan University | Strong · 40 | Strong · 36 | Emerging · 4 | Absent | Emerging · 4 |
| Proterial Ltd | Strong · 23 | Absent | Strong · 19 | Absent | Strong · 21 |
| Kunming University of Science and Technology | Strong · 23 | Moderate · 7 | Emerging · 4 | Strong · 19 | Emerging · 3 |
| Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Strong · 27 | Strong · 24 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Nanchang Hangkong University | Strong · 16 | Moderate · 5 | Absent | Moderate · 6 | Moderate · 4 |
| Dalian University of Technology | Strong · 15 | Strong · 14 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| University of Science and Technology Beijing | Strong · 14 | Strong · 11 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 651 patent families globally. Filing activity has grown 79% over the recent multi-year window, and the field is classified in the Growth lifecycle stage, with annual volumes still rising.
Xiangtan University leads with 40 patent families, ahead of the Institute of Metal Research – Chinese Academy of Sciences (27 families) and Proterial Ltd (25 families).
Proterial Ltd is the most prominent industrial filer in the top rankings, with 25 patent families. Its focus on powder metallurgy processing routes distinguishes it from the university-dominated top tier. LG Electronics also appears in the ranking with 6 patent families. RTX Corp appears in the broader applicant list, indicating some aerospace-industrial interest.
China accounts for the dominant share of patent records, followed at much lower volumes by the United States, Europe (EPO), and India. Coverage in Japan, South Korea, and via PCT is thin, meaning protection outside China is sparse for most portfolio holders.
Alloy composition (C22C) forms the dominant branch, followed by coating and surface deposition (C23C) and powder metallurgy (B22F). Additive manufacturing (B33Y) and non-ferrous metal treatment (C22F) are present at lower but meaningful volumes.
Additive manufacturing (B33Y, 61 patent records, 4% share) and heat treatment of metals (C21D, 26 patent records, 2% share) are the two adjacent branches with clear technical relevance to HEA oxidation and corrosion performance but relatively thin filing density compared with the alloy-composition core. These represent potential differentiation routes for entrants with process expertise.
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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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