Heterogeneous Catalysis Catalyst Design Patent Landscape
Heterogeneous Catalysis Catalyst Design Patent Landscape in 2026
The heterogeneous catalysis catalyst design space is in a Growth stage, with a 12% increase in recent filing activity and China as the dominant filing jurisdiction. The field is moderately concentrated, led by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), with academic and public-research institutions occupying the top ranks alongside a smaller cohort of industrial applicants.
CNRS leads a moderately concentrated field anchored by public research institutions
The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) holds the top position with 49 patent records, well ahead of the second-ranked OMYA International AG at 35 patent records and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics at 27 patent records.
The top five filers collectively account for 26% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers—a moderate concentration level indicating that no single player commands an overwhelming share, and that meaningful activity is distributed across a broader set of applicants beyond the leading tier.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | 49 | |
| 2 | OMYA International AG | 35 | |
| 3 | Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 27 | |
| 4 | COMMONWEALTH SCI & IND RES ORG | 21 | |
| 5 | Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse (INSA Toulouse) | 20 | |
| 6 | Monsanto Technology LLC | 19 | |
| 7 | SDC Materials Inc | 16 | |
| 8 | CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORP | 16 | |
| 9 | Société Lyonnaise des Applications Catalytiques | 13 | |
| 10 | Mannesmann AG | 11 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Irkutsk State Technical University (Russian Higher Education Institution) | 11 | |
| 12 | Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA) | 10 | |
| 13 | University of Central Florida Research Foundation | 9 | |
| 14 | Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Sinopec | 9 | |
| 15 | Beijing University of Technology | 9 | |
| 16 | TotalEnergies (Total Fina Elf) | 9 | |
| 17 | Thrunnel Ltd Oy | 9 | |
| 18 | Dalian University of Technology | 9 | |
| 19 | Bayer AG | 8 | |
| 20 | Velocys Inc | 8 |
The dominance of public research organizations—CNRS, Dalian Institute, INSA Toulouse, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)—signals that foundational catalyst science remains a primary driver of patent activity, creating potential licensing and collaboration pathways for industrial entrants seeking to build on existing academic IP.
Filing counts for the most recent 18–24 months are understated due to standard patent publication lag and 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 is in a growth phase, dominated by core B01J catalysis and adjacent organic chemistry classes
The annual filing trend and technology composition charts together reveal a field in sustained growth, with a dense core in catalysis process classes and a wide penumbra of application-specific branches.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings show a general upward trajectory across the observed window, reaching a visible peak in 2024 at 50 patent records; the sharp drop in 2025 and near-zero 2026 count reflect publication lag rather than a real decline and should be read cautiously.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B01J (chemical and physical processes and catalysis) is the overwhelming anchor class, consistent with direct catalyst design activity; C07C (acyclic and carbocyclic compounds) is the second largest class, reflecting the strong link between catalyst development and organic synthesis targets; smaller but notable presences in C07D, C01B, C02F, and H01M suggest catalyst design is being extended into heterocyclic chemistry, inorganic compounds, water treatment, and electrochemical energy applications.
↗ 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.
Device for the purification of contaminated exhaus…
A device for the purification of an exhaust gas containing at least one contaminant removable through heterogeneous catalysis and flowing through a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, comprises at least one disk structure positionable within the chamber and defining a central cavity alignable with the inlet of the chamber. The disk structure includes a… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trimerization-catalysts, method for their preparat… | 123 |
| 2 | Method for preparing catalysts for heterogeneous c… | 90 |
| 3 | Molded catalyst for reactions carried out under he… | 83 |
| 4 | Mixtures and catalyst systems including transition… | 82 |
| 5 | Oxidation catalyst and process | 82 |
| 6 | Process for preparing acrylic acid from methanol a… | 75 |
| 7 | Partial dehydrogenation method using continuous he… | 74 |
| 8 | Transition metal-containing catalysts and processe… | 67 |
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 a growth-stage lifecycle, moderate concentration, and a collaboration-heavy ecosystem among French public institutions shapes where new entrants can realistically compete and where incumbents hold durable positions.
Growth stage with recent-window expansion of 12%
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Growth, with annual filing activity still rising and the most recent period (peaking at 50 patent records in 2024) understated by publication lag. The 12% recent growth rate indicates the field has not yet entered saturation. New entrants still have a realistic window to establish positions before competitive crowding intensifies.
Growth stageModerate top-tier concentration with a long mid-tier tail
The top five filers hold 26% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, which is moderate rather than tight. CNRS’s lead at 49 patent records is substantial but not prohibitive—OMYA International AG at 35 and the Dalian Institute at 27 are within competitive range. Below the top five, a long tail of smaller applicants, many of them universities, maintains active filing programs, indicating the technology frontier remains open.
Moderate concentrationCNRS anchors a dense French academic co-filing network
The most active co-filing relationship is between CNRS and INSA Toulouse, with 20 jointly filed records—by far the strongest bilateral link in the dataset. CNRS also co-files extensively with SICAT (9 records), Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier (7 records), the University of Strasbourg (7 records), Université Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg (5 records), L’Air Liquide (4 records), the University of Limoges (4 records), and Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (4 records). This positions CNRS as the hub of a French university-industry consortium that may be difficult for outside entrants to replicate without partnership.
CNRS-led consortiumChina is the dominant filing jurisdiction; broad global coverage exists
China accounts for 307 patent records, far exceeding the United States at 108 and Europe (EPO) at 76. South Korea and WIPO (PCT) each contribute 54 records, and Russia adds 36. This geographic spread indicates that leading applicants are pursuing broad multinational protection strategies, and that any competitive IP position must account for China’s central role as both a filing and manufacturing jurisdiction.
China-dominant, globally filedGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse (INSA Toulouse) | 20 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | SICAT | 9 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) | Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Sinopec | 9 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier | 7 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | University of Strasbourg | 7 |
| Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse (INSA Toulouse) | Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier | 7 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Université Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg | 5 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | L’Air Liquide SA | 4 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | University of Limoges | 4 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 | 4 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
CNRS leads on core catalysis; Dalian Institute and CSIRO show divergent momentum
The top two ranked applicants differ sharply in their technology emphasis and recent momentum, offering different risk profiles for potential partners or competitors.
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
CNRS leads the field with 49 patent records, concentrated entirely within B01J catalysis sub-classes (surface chemistry, metal catalysts, and preparation methods). Its co-filing network with multiple French universities and L’Air Liquide underscores a strong translational orientation. However, its recent three-year momentum is down 72%, suggesting the organization’s activity in this specific domain has slowed, even as its accumulated portfolio remains the largest.
patent records: 49Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
CSIRO ranks fourth with 21 patent records and is classified as a new entrant in recent-period momentum, meaning its filing activity in this domain is a recent development from a near-zero prior base. Its technology focus centers on B01J 19 (reactor and contactor design) alongside B01F mixing and stirring classes, pointing toward process-engineering and reactor-integration aspects of catalyst deployment rather than pure catalyst chemistry. This distinguishes it clearly from the chemistry-focused incumbents and may indicate an emerging system-level angle.
patent records: 21| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | 5 | ▼ -72% |
| Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 6 | ▼ -45% |
| Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches in heterocyclic chemistry, inorganic compounds, and water treatment
Several IPC classes adjacent to the dominant B01J core show relatively low filing shares, warranting attention from teams exploring differentiated catalyst applications; these are observations of relative sparsity rather than validated commercial opportunities.
C07D · Heterocyclic compounds
With 84 patent records and a 4% share of branch activity, heterocyclic compound synthesis via heterogeneous catalysis is present but sparse relative to the acyclic C07C domain (357 records). Heterocyclic scaffolds are central to pharmaceutical and agrochemical production, and selective heterogeneous catalysts for these transformations remain a recognized challenge in green chemistry. An entry path exists through adapting existing metal-catalyst frameworks (B01J 23 and B01J 31) toward N- and O-heterocycle selectivity, a direction currently underrepresented in the ranked applicant portfolios.
Search this in Eureka →C02F · Water & wastewater treatment
C02F accounts for 70 patent records at a 4% share, indicating that catalytic water and wastewater treatment is an adjacent application domain where the core catalyst design IP base has not been heavily extended. With Sinopec showing a C02F 1 focus among its recent filings and broader regulatory pressure on industrial effluent treatment, the intersection of heterogeneous photocatalysis and advanced oxidation processes represents a plausible entry point. The branch is under-represented among the top-ranked generalist applicants, leaving room for specialists.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology sub-routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | B01J 23 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01J 35 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01J 37 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01J 21 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis | B01J 27 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Strong · 33 | Strong · 34 | Strong · 26 | Moderate · 9 | Moderate · 11 |
| BASF SE | Strong · 56 | Moderate · 20 | Moderate · 13 | Emerging · 7 | Moderate · 14 |
| OMYA International AG | Strong · 18 | Strong · 33 | Strong · 28 | Absent | Strong · 20 |
| Monsanto Technology LLC | Strong · 18 | Strong · 15 | Strong · 14 | Strong · 13 | Strong · 13 |
| SDC Materials Inc | Strong · 11 | Strong · 13 | Strong · 9 | Strong · 9 | Strong · 7 |
| Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse (INSA Toulouse) | Strong · 20 | Strong · 18 | Moderate · 9 | Absent | Absent |
| Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Strong · 13 | Strong · 11 | Strong · 8 | Absent | Moderate · 4 |
Frequently asked questions
The dataset covers 361 patent families, representing the global corpus identified for heterogeneous catalysis catalyst design across the analysis window.
The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) leads with 49 patent records, followed by OMYA International AG at 35 and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences) at 27.
China is the dominant filing jurisdiction with 307 patent records, significantly ahead of the United States at 108 and Europe (EPO) at 76.
The field is classified as Growth, with a 12% increase in recent filing activity. Annual volume peaked at 50 patent records in 2024, and the most recent period is understated due to publication lag.
CSIRO and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) are both classified as new entrants in the recent filing period, indicating they have begun filing in this domain after little prior activity. CNRS, by contrast, shows a 72% decline in recent-period filings relative to its prior three-year rate, and the Dalian Institute shows a 45% decline.
The most-cited works in the dataset include a trimerization-catalyst preparation patent (123 citations), a method for preparing heterogeneous catalysis catalysts (90 citations), a molded catalyst for heterogeneous reaction conditions (83 citations), transition metal-containing catalyst mixtures (82 citations), and an oxidation catalyst and process (82 citations).
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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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