Li-Ion Capacitor Electrode Material Patent Landscape
The li-ion capacitor electrode material space is a concentrated, maturing field dominated by the Sumitomo Electric group, with activity having eased from its 2018 peak. The United States is the primary filing jurisdiction, and the top five filers account for nearly half of the output among the hundred largest applicants.
Sumitomo Electric leads a concentrated, specialist field
Sumitomo Electric Industries leads the applicant ranking with 23 patent records, followed closely by its affiliate Sumitomo Electric Toyama with 19 patent records, making the combined Sumitomo group the dominant force in this space. Corning Inc ranks third with 15 patent records, and Subaru Corp places fourth with 13 patent records.
The top five filers — Sumitomo Electric Industries, Sumitomo Electric Toyama, Corning, Subaru, and Florida State University Research Foundation — together account for 44% of the combined output among the hundred largest applicants. This is a notably concentrated field for an energy-storage materials niche.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | 23 | |
| 2 | Sumitomo Electric Toyama Co., Ltd. | 19 | |
| 3 | Corning Incorporated | 15 | |
| 4 | Subaru Corporation | 13 | |
| 5 | Florida State University Research Foundation | 8 | |
| 6 | General Capacitor LLC | 8 | |
| 7 | DKS Co., Ltd. | 7 | |
| 8 | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. | 6 | |
| 9 | Godi India Private Limited | 6 | |
| 10 | Ningbo CRRC New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 5 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | CIC energiGUNE (Cooperative Research Centre for Energy) | 4 | |
| 12 | SPEL Technologies Pte. Ltd. | 4 | |
| 13 | Zhongtian Energy Storage Technology Co., Ltd. | 3 | |
| 14 | Nicoventures Trading Limited | 3 | |
| 15 | JM Energy Corporation | 3 | |
| 16 | Gadkaree Kishor Purushottam | 3 | |
| 17 | Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited | 2 | |
| 18 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 19 | Musashi Energy Solutions Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 20 | China Electronics Technology Group Corporation No. 18 Research Institute | 2 |
The two Sumitomo entities’ near-parallel counts suggest coordinated IP strategy between a parent and its manufacturing affiliate, creating a portfolio that would be difficult to design around in core capacitor electrode structures. Corning’s third-place position reflects its established materials science capabilities applied to this hybrid device class.
Filings from 2024–2025 are subject to publication lag and are likely undercounted; the apparent low volume in those years should not be read as a definitive further decline. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Activity has eased from the 2018 peak; capacitor-class patents dominate the mix
The filing trend chart traces annual activity from 2017 onward, while the technology composition chart reveals how IPC classes are distributed across the corpus.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings peaked at 12 records in 2018 and have since eased, oscillating in the 7–9 range through 2023 before the publication-lagged tail of 2024–2025 appears lower. The multi-year window still reflects a field that attracted sustained interest, but the directional trend is past its peak. Data for 2024 onward should be read with caution given publication lag.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01G (Capacitors) is the dominant IPC branch by a wide margin, reflecting the device-level framing of most filings. H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) is the second-largest branch, consistent with the hybrid nature of li-ion capacitors that borrow electrode chemistries from battery technology. Branches such as C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds), B32B (layered products), and C07C/C07D (organic compounds) each account for a small share, indicating that foundational materials chemistry remains relatively sparse compared to device-level claims.
↗ 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.
Lithium-ion battery electrode material, lithium-io…
Provided is a lithium-ion battery or lithium-ion capacitor electrode material that can compensate for the drawbacks of a hydrophobic active material, that can impart hydrophilicity to the hydrophobic active material, and that can exhibit excellent dispersibility without deteriorating electrode characteristics. Specifically provided is an electrode material… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power storage device, lithium-ion secondary batter… | 59 |
| 2 | Three-dimensional network aluminum porous body, el… | 57 |
| 3 | Method of negative electrode pre-lithiation for li… | 52 |
| 4 | 采用预锂化硬炭负极的锂离子电容器的制备方法 | 32 |
| 5 | Carbon electrode material, carbon electrode materi… | 32 |
| 6 | Lithium-ion capacitor | 25 |
| 7 | Activated carbon for electrode of power storage de… | 23 |
| 8 | Hybrid supercapacitor containing a niobium composi… | 20 |
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 IP structure means for electrode material R&D decisions
Four structural signals — maturity stage, concentration, collaboration patterns, and geographic spread — shape the risk and opportunity calculus for any entrant considering this space.
Declining phase: annual volume has eased from the 2018 peak
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Decline, with annual filings easing back from the 2018 peak of 12 records. For R&D teams, this signals that the broad device-architecture patents were filed first; incremental electrode-material improvements are still being claimed but at reduced pace. Entry now likely requires differentiation at the materials-chemistry level rather than device-level claims already held by incumbents.
Past-peak · 2018 apexTop five filers hold 44% of the hundred largest applicants’ combined output
The Sumitomo group alone contributes the two top-ranked positions. Corning and Subaru represent industrial incumbents with broad materials and automotive energy-system interests respectively. Florida State University Research Foundation is the only academic institution in the top five, signaling that academic-originated IP is transferable but limited in scale. New entrants face a well-covered core but may find differentiation in materials-chemistry branches that incumbents have not prioritized.
High concentrationThree active co-filing pairs, led by the Sumitomo affiliates
The most active co-filing pair is Sumitomo Electric Industries and Sumitomo Electric Toyama, with 15 jointly filed records — consistent with a parent-affiliate coordinated portfolio. The second pair, DKS Co. (Dai-ichi Kogyo Seiyaku) and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), filed 7 records together, reflecting an industry-academia materials-science collaboration. General Capacitor and Florida State University Research Foundation co-filed 6 records, the only US-based industry-university pairing visible in the data.
Three active dyadsUS-dominated filing with secondary coverage in China and Europe
The United States leads with 68 patent records, establishing it as the primary enforcement and commercialization jurisdiction. China follows with 28 records, and Europe (EPO) with 20, suggesting that the leading applicants seek trilateral coverage. India appears with 11 records, partly driven by Indian applicants such as Godi India and Hindustan Petroleum. Japan holds only 4 records despite Japanese applicants dominating the ranking, indicating that many Japanese filers prioritize US and PCT routes over domestic protection in this niche.
US-primary, trilateral secondaryGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | Sumitomo Electric Toyama Co., Ltd. | 15 |
| DKS Co., Ltd. (Dai-ichi Kogyo Seiyaku) | National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) | 7 |
| General Capacitor LLC | Florida State University Research Foundation | 6 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Sumitomo Electric group leads; Corning and Subaru are the main challengers
The two Sumitomo entities together account for the top two positions and share nearly identical technology focus profiles, while Corning and Subaru each bring distinct materials and systems emphases.
Sumitomo Electric Industries
Sumitomo Electric Industries leads with 23 patent records, concentrating heavily on H01G 11 (capacitors, 19 records) and H01M 4 (battery electrode materials, 15 records), reflecting a dual claim strategy across the capacitor and battery electrode interface. Its affiliate Sumitomo Electric Toyama mirrors this profile with 19 patent records and an identical top-three IPC focus, indicating a coordinated group portfolio. Applicant momentum data is not available in the current evidence set.
patent records: 23Corning Inc
Corning holds 15 patent records, focused almost entirely on H01G 11 (capacitors, 13 records) with limited H01M 4 coverage (4 records), consistent with its glass and specialty-materials heritage applied to porous electrode substrates. Subaru Corp, with 13 patent records, diversifies more broadly across H01G 11 (13), H01G 9 (10), and H01M 10 (10), suggesting interest in both capacitor architecture and battery-capacitor hybrid systems relevant to automotive energy management. Applicant momentum data is not available in the current evidence set.
patent records: 15Under-served materials-chemistry branches worth monitoring
Several IPC branches adjacent to the dominant H01G/H01M core have sparse coverage relative to their technical relevance to electrode performance, representing areas where incremental IP activity could differentiate a materials-focused entrant.
C01B · Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds
With only 10 patent records and a 4% share of IPC coverage, this branch — covering carbon allotropes, silicon compounds, and related inorganic precursors central to high-capacity electrode materials — is sparsely claimed despite its direct relevance. Hard-carbon pre-lithiation and silicon-carbon composite electrodes are technically active areas where foundational inorganic-chemistry claims remain limited. An entrant with synthesis expertise could file precursor and processing claims here without immediately colliding with the dominant capacitor-device portfolios.
Search this in Eureka →B32B · Layered products and laminates
Only 5 patent records appear under B32B, representing 2% of IPC coverage, despite multi-layer electrode architectures — such as current-collector coatings and separator-electrode laminate assemblies — being a recognized route to improving energy density and rate capability in li-ion capacitors. The sparse coverage here is an observation of relative underrepresentation; an entry path would require validating freedom-to-operate against the dominant H01G 11 claims before committing to laminate-specific development.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route across IPC branches
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01G 11 · Capacitors | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01G 9 · Capacitors | C01B 32 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | Strong · 19 | Strong · 15 | Moderate · 5 | Moderate · 8 | Absent |
| Sumitomo Electric Toyama Co., Ltd. | Strong · 15 | Strong · 15 | Moderate · 5 | Strong · 8 | Absent |
| Subaru Corporation | Strong · 13 | Strong · 9 | Strong · 10 | Strong · 10 | Absent |
| National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) | Strong · 7 | Strong · 7 | Moderate · 3 | Absent | Absent |
| DKS Co., Ltd. (Dai-ichi Kogyo Seiyaku) | Strong · 7 | Strong · 7 | Moderate · 3 | Absent | Absent |
| General Capacitor LLC | Strong · 14 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 1 | Absent |
| Corning Incorporated | Strong · 13 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The current evidence scope contains 71 patent families. This represents a specialist niche rather than a broad technology domain, which is consistent with the concentrated applicant structure observed.
Sumitomo Electric Industries leads with 23 patent records, followed by its affiliate Sumitomo Electric Toyama with 19 patent records. Together, the two Sumitomo entities dominate the top of the ranking with a coordinated portfolio focused on H01G 11 capacitor and H01M 4 battery-electrode claims.
The lifecycle evidence classifies the field as Decline, with annual filings having eased from a 2018 peak of 12 records. The multi-year recent-window growth figure is negative at minus 12%. Note that 2024–2025 data is subject to publication lag and may be undercounted.
The United States leads with 68 patent records, followed by China with 28, Europe (EPO) with 20, and WIPO (PCT) with 16. India appears with 11 records, partly reflecting activity from Indian applicants. Japan holds only 4 records despite Japanese applicants dominating the applicant ranking.
Three notable co-filing pairs are visible: Sumitomo Electric Industries and Sumitomo Electric Toyama with 15 jointly filed records; DKS Co. and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology with 7 records; and General Capacitor with Florida State University Research Foundation with 6 records.
The C01B branch (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, including carbon and silicon precursors) has only 10 patent records at a 4% share, and B32B (layered products and laminates) has only 5 records at a 2% share — both sparse relative to their technical relevance to electrode performance. C07C and C07D organic-compound branches also appear at 5 records each.
Built on Patsnap Open Platform
This report’s underlying patent dataset — filings, assignees, technology clusters — is open for developers via MCP and REST API. Free to start, 10,000 credits, no credit card required.
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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.