High-Entropy Alloy Microstructure Control Patent Landscape
High-Entropy Alloy Microstructure Control Patent Landscape in 2026
The high-entropy alloy microstructure control field is in a sustained growth phase, with 819 patent families on record and activity concentrated overwhelmingly among Chinese academic institutions. Beijing Institute of Technology leads the corpus with 55 patent families, and the five largest filers collectively account for 23% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output, signalling a fragmented but academically dominated competitive structure.
Chinese universities dominate a fragmented but rapidly growing field
Beijing Institute of Technology holds the top position with 55 patent families, followed by Northwestern Polytechnical University (27), the Institute of Metal Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (24), University of Science and Technology Beijing (23), and Dalian University of Technology (23). The top five collectively represent 23% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating that no single player has established a decisive positional lock.
The leading tier is composed almost exclusively of Chinese research universities and national academies, with POSTECH Academy Industry Foundation (21 patent families) being the only non-Chinese institution in the top ten. This creates a pronounced single-nation concentration in the upper ranks and a thin secondary tier with limited industrial presence.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beijing Institute of Technology | 55 | |
| 2 | Northwestern Polytechnical University | 27 | |
| 3 | Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 24 | |
| 4 | UNIV OF SCI & TECH BEIJING | 23 | |
| 5 | Dalian University of Technology | 23 | |
| 6 | POSTECH Academy-Industry Foundation | 21 | |
| 7 | Harbin Institute of Technology | 18 | |
| 8 | Taiyuan University of Technology | 17 | |
| 9 | Shanghai University | 16 | |
| 10 | Jiangsu University of Technology | 13 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Jiangsu University | 13 | |
| 12 | NANJING UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 13 | |
| 13 | Central South University | 12 | |
| 14 | Shenyang University of Technology | 11 | |
| 15 | Xi’an Jiaotong University | 10 | |
| 16 | Southeast University | 10 | |
| 17 | Northeastern University (China) | 9 | |
| 18 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 9 | |
| 19 | Hunan University | 8 | |
| 20 | AVIC Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials | 8 |
The academic dominance of the leader board suggests that foundational IP is still being defined rather than consolidated by vertically integrated manufacturers. For industrial entrants, this creates an opening to file application-specific patents before incumbent universities solidify their coverage in processing routes and end-use domains.
The most recent 18–24 months are likely under-counted due to standard patent publication lags; actual activity in 2025 and 2026 is expected to be higher than current figures suggest. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings are growing strongly; alloy composition and thermal treatment dominate the technology mix
Annual filing volume and the distribution across IPC classes together reveal both the pace of competitive entry and which processing routes are currently attracting the most IP activity.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from 38 in 2017 to a recorded peak of 157 in 2024, representing a 119% increase over the recent measurement window. The apparent dip in 2025 (144) and near-zero 2026 figure reflect publication lag rather than a real slowdown; the lifecycle evidence confirms annual filings are still rising. Readers should treat 2025–2026 data as materially incomplete.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C22C (Alloys) and C22F (Non-ferrous metal treatment) account for the two largest branches by a wide margin, reflecting the field’s core focus on compositional design and thermomechanical processing. C21D (Heat treatment of metals) and B22F (Powder metallurgy) form a secondary cluster, while C23C (Coating and surface deposition), B21B (Metal rolling), and B33Y (Additive manufacturing) each represent smaller but technically distinct sub-areas. Branches below roughly 50 counts each point to under-served adjacent territories.
↗ 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.
Cr-fe-co-based high-entropy alloy with shape memor…
The present invention relates to a Cr-Fe-Co-based high-entropy alloy with shape memory characteristics at high temperatures, a method for predicting the composition range of the Cr-Fe-Co-based high-entropy alloy, and a high-entropy alloy manufactured by the method, wherein the high-entropy alloy can be easily manufactured through thermodynamic calculations… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Precipitation Hardening High Entropy Alloy and Met… | 128 |
| 2 | AlCoCrFeNiTix高熵合金材料及其制备方法 | 107 |
| 3 | 一种多相高熵合金及其制备方法 | 77 |
| 4 | 一种超细晶高熵合金的制备方法 | 68 |
| 5 | 一种兼具高强度和高塑性的轻质高熵合金及其制备方法 | 63 |
| 6 | 一种兼具高强度和高塑性的轻质高熵合金及其制备方法 | 57 |
| 7 | Medium-entropy alloy having excellent cryogenic pr… | 47 |
| 8 | 一种基于高熵合金的WC基硬质合金材料及其制备方法 | 45 |
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
Four structural observations — maturity stage, concentration level, collaboration patterns, and geographic reach — together define the strategic context for new entrants and incumbents alike.
Active Growth stage with rising annual volume
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Growth, with annual filings still rising and a 119% increase recorded over the recent measurement window. The peak year in the data is 2024 at 157 families, and the lifecycle evidence explicitly notes that apparent softness in 2025–2026 reflects publication lag, not a real deceleration. This is a field where IP positions are still being built, not harvested.
Growth stageFragmented upper tier led by academic institutions
The top five filers hold 23% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — a moderate concentration level that leaves the field open to disruption. All top-five positions are held by Chinese universities or national research institutes, with no dominant industrial patent holder in sight. A challenger entering with application-specific or processing-route IP can realistically compete for top-ten positioning.
Moderate concentrationBeijing Institute of Technology is the ecosystem hub
The most active co-filing pairs all involve Beijing Institute of Technology. Its strongest partnerships are with its own Tangshan Research Institute (4 joint filings), the China Institute of Atomic Energy (3), and the Northwestern Polytechnical University Shenzhen Research Institute (3). Collaboration is largely intra-institutional or between a flagship university and its affiliated research arms, with limited industry-academia joint filing visible in the top pairs.
Hub-and-spokeChina-dominant filing with thin international coverage
China accounts for 761 of the jurisdictional filings, with South Korea second at 23, the United States third at 14, and WIPO PCT filings at 13. Europe (EPO) records only 9 filings. This gap indicates that most IP holders are not yet seeking broad international protection, leaving non-Chinese jurisdictions relatively open for well-resourced entrants who file PCT or direct national applications.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Beijing Institute of Technology Tangshan Research Institute | 4 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | China Institute of Atomic Energy | 3 |
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | Northwestern Polytechnical University Shenzhen Research Institute | 3 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Xi’an Modern Control Technology Research Institute | 2 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Xue Yunfei | 2 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Wang Lu | 2 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Wang Benpeng | 2 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Wang Fuchi | 2 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Chen Songshen | 1 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Chongqing Hongyu Precision Industry Group Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Beijing Institute of Technology leads; most major players show new-entrant momentum
The top two players share a similar technology focus on non-ferrous metal treatment and alloy composition but differ in scale and trajectory.
Beijing Institute of Technology
The field leader holds 55 patent families with a technology focus concentrated on non-ferrous metal treatment (C22F 1), alloy composition (C22C 30 and C22C 1). Recent-period momentum shows a +11% increase versus the prior three-year window, indicating a maturing but still active filing program. Its collaboration network — linking to the China Institute of Atomic Energy and Xi’an Modern Control Technology Research Institute — suggests a defense and advanced-materials orientation.
families: 55POSTECH Academy Industry Foundation
POSTECH is the only non-Chinese institution in the top ten, with 21 patent families. Its technology emphasis is notably distinct: C22C 38 (iron-based alloys) appears alongside C22C 30 and C22F 1, suggesting a broader alloy-system scope than the Chinese university leaders. Its recent-period trend is classified as a new entrant in the momentum data, meaning its filing base in this specific topic area is newly established — a signal of deliberate strategic entry rather than long-standing coverage.
families: 21| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing Institute of Technology | 20 | ▲ +11% |
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | 13 | ▲ new entrant |
| Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 14 | ▲ new entrant |
| Dalian University of Technology | 17 | ▲ new entrant |
| University of Science and Technology Beijing | 14 | ▲ new entrant |
| POSTECH Academy-Industry Foundation | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| Jiangsu University | 10 | ▲ new entrant |
| Harbin Institute of Technology | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant processing core
Several IPC classes sit at measurably lower patent densities relative to the core alloy-composition and thermal-treatment branches; these represent areas where coverage is comparatively sparse and technical overlap with high-entropy alloy microstructure control is plausible.
B33Y · Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)
Additive manufacturing carries 46 patent records in the corpus — a fraction of the counts in C22C and C22F — despite being a technically plausible and industrially relevant route for controlling solidification microstructures in high-entropy alloys. Layer-by-layer deposition enables spatial control of composition gradients and phase distributions that are difficult to achieve by conventional casting or rolling. The sparse coverage relative to the dominant branches, combined with growing industrial adoption of metal AM, makes this an adjacent branch worth monitoring for new filings. Entry via AM-specific process parameter or post-build heat-treatment claims could differentiate from the existing composition-focused portfolio.
Search this in Eureka →C23C · Coating and Surface Deposition
Coating and surface deposition accounts for 84 patent records, placing it third in the secondary cluster but still well below the dominant branches. High-entropy alloy coatings for wear, oxidation, and corrosion resistance represent a commercially distinct application space from bulk alloy development, yet the IP coverage in C23C is comparatively thin. Thermal spray, physical vapor deposition, and cold spray routes each offer distinct microstructure control levers not captured in bulk-alloy claims. An entrant focusing on deposition-process parameters that govern coating microstructure — grain size, phase ratio, residual stress — would be operating in a less contested sub-space.
Search this in Eureka →How leading institutions differ by technology route emphasis
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | C22F 1 · Non-ferrous metal treatment | C22C 30 · Alloys | C22C 1 · Alloys | C21D 1 · Heat treatment of metals | C21D 9 · Heat treatment of metals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Strong · 54 | Strong · 37 | Moderate · 27 | Emerging · 2 | Absent |
| Dalian University of Technology | Strong · 23 | Strong · 22 | Strong · 21 | Emerging · 3 | Emerging · 2 |
| University of Science and Technology Beijing | Strong · 22 | Strong · 23 | Strong · 19 | Absent | Emerging · 2 |
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | Strong · 21 | Strong · 20 | Strong · 15 | Moderate · 8 | Absent |
| Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Strong · 23 | Strong · 21 | Strong · 16 | Absent | Emerging · 3 |
| Harbin Institute of Technology | Strong · 17 | Strong · 13 | Strong · 15 | Absent | Emerging · 3 |
| Taiyuan University of Technology | Strong · 16 | Strong · 17 | Strong · 15 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus contains 819 patent families in scope. This total covers filings across all jurisdictions captured in the dataset; the most recent 18–24 months are likely under-counted due to publication lag.
Beijing Institute of Technology leads with 55 patent families, ahead of Northwestern Polytechnical University (27) and the Institute of Metal Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (24). The top five filers account for 23% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total.
China accounts for the overwhelming share of jurisdictional filings, with 761 records. South Korea is a distant second at 23, followed by the United States at 14 and WIPO PCT at 13. Coverage in Europe (EPO) stands at only 9 filings.
The field is classified as Growth. Annual filings have risen from 38 in 2017 to a recorded peak of 157 in 2024, a 119% increase over the recent window. The lifecycle evidence explicitly states that annual filings are still rising and that apparent softness in 2025–2026 reflects publication lag.
C22C (Alloys) and C22F (Non-ferrous metal treatment) are the dominant branches by a wide margin. C21D (Heat treatment of metals) and B22F (Powder metallurgy) form a secondary cluster. Additive manufacturing (B33Y) and coatings (C23C) are comparatively sparse relative to these leaders.
Collaboration activity is documented primarily around Beijing Institute of Technology, which co-files with its Tangshan Research Institute (4 joint filings), the China Institute of Atomic Energy (3), and Northwestern Polytechnical University’s Shenzhen Research Institute (3). Visible collaboration is largely intra-institutional; broad industry-academia joint filing is not prominent in the top co-applicant pairs.
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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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