Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing Process Patent Landscape
Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing Process Patent Landscape in 2026
GRST International Ltd holds an outsized position in this 160-family corpus, accounting for the large majority of the top-ranked filers’ activity, with the United States as the lead filing jurisdiction. Annual volume peaked in 2017 and has eased since, placing the field in a declining phase where selective, differentiated filings carry more strategic weight.
GRST International leads a highly concentrated field
GRST International Ltd ranks first with 89 patent records, a position that dwarfs every other filer: the second-ranked applicant, Soelect Inc, holds 10 patent records, and the third-ranked, Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy, holds 7.
The top five filers account for 60% of the combined total among the hundred largest filers, signaling extreme concentration at the top. The tier gap between GRST International and the rest of the field is unusually wide, which limits the practical influence of all other players collectively.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GRST International Ltd | 89 | |
| 2 | Soelect Inc | 10 | |
| 3 | Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd. | 7 | |
| 4 | MU Ionic Solutions Corp | 6 | |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation | 6 | |
| 6 | Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | 5 | |
| 7 | LG Energy Solution Ltd | 4 | |
| 8 | Follicle LLC | 4 | |
| 9 | Industrial Technology Research Institute | 3 | |
| 10 | SK Innovation Co., Ltd. | 3 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Honeywell International Inc. | 3 | |
| 12 | Cummins Inc. | 3 | |
| 13 | Jeong San Aikang Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 14 | Remetech | 2 | |
| 15 | UT-Battelle LLC | 2 | |
| 16 | Li Industries Inc. | 2 | |
| 17 | Refine Holdings Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 18 | Huizhou Liwinon New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 19 | GRM Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 20 | Yonsei University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | 2 |
GRST International’s dominance implies that competitors entering or expanding in this space face an established prior-art wall in core manufacturing-process claims. New entrants identified in momentum data are arriving with focused, niche positions rather than broad coverage.
Filings from the most recent 18–24 months are likely under-counted due to publication lag; the apparent low volumes for 2024–2025 should not be read as a further structural decline beyond the trend already observed from 2017 onward.
Activity peaked in 2017; cell-level and drying technology dominate the mix
The annual filing trend reveals a sharp early burst followed by a long contraction, while the technology composition chart shows that nearly all activity clusters in battery-cell and electrode classes, with a thin tail of adjacent disciplines.
Annual filing trend
Filings surged to 64 patent records in 2017, then dropped sharply before partially recovering through 2021 (25 records) and declining again. Years 2024–2025 show low counts that reflect publication lag rather than a confirmed further drop; treat them as provisional.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) dominates with 180 patent records, followed at a distance by F26B (drying) with 56 — reflecting the importance of electrode drying steps in manufacturing. All other IPC classes each hold fewer than 10 patent records, confirming that activity outside the core cell-manufacturing and drying disciplines is sparse.
↗ 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 pre-lithiation method and lith…
Related are a lithium ion battery pre-lithiation method and a lithium ion battery. The method includes: before injecting an electrolyte, arranging more than one lithium source composite piece in a core body, and connecting at least one lithium source composite piece with a negative electrode lug of the lithium ion battery; and injecting the electrolyte, so… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curved battery container | 140 |
| 2 | A valuable material recovery method of a scrappedL… | 37 |
| 3 | 一种锂离子电池制作工艺 | 27 |
| 4 | Method of drying electrode assemblies | 24 |
| 5 | Electrode assemblies | 18 |
| 6 | Method of drying electrode assemblies | 17 |
| 7 | 一种正极补锂添加剂及其制备方法 | 16 |
| 8 | A valuable material recovery method of a scrapped … | 16 |
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 structure means for R&D investment
The combination of a declining lifecycle, extreme applicant concentration, and a narrow technology mix creates a field where the highest-value moves are in differentiated sub-processes or adjacent disciplines rather than head-on competition in core cell manufacturing.
Field is in decline from a 2017 peak
The lifecycle stage is classified as Decline, with annual filings easing back from the 2017 peak of 64 patent records. A declining filing rate typically signals that foundational claims have been staked and incremental differentiation is harder to achieve. R&D investment should target process innovations with clear freedom-to-operate gaps rather than broad manufacturing claims already covered by established portfolios.
Lifecycle: DeclineOne filer holds the commanding position
GRST International Ltd’s 89 patent records represent a dominant share of the top-ranked filers’ combined activity, and the top five filers collectively hold 60% of the hundred largest filers’ total. This level of concentration is atypical and suggests that licensing or partnership with the top filer may be more efficient than building a competing core portfolio from scratch. Challengers occupy narrow niches — electrolyte chemistry, electrode assemblies, and power management — rather than broad manufacturing coverage.
High concentrationTwo active co-filing pairs identified
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and MU Ionic Solutions Corp have co-filed on 6 occasions, the most active collaboration in the corpus, likely reflecting joint development on electrolyte formulations. LG Energy Solution and Tokyo Institute of Technology share one co-filing, indicating an early-stage academic-industry link. The scarcity of broader consortium activity suggests the ecosystem has not yet moved toward open co-development structures in manufacturing processes.
Limited collaborationUS leads; Europe and China are secondary markets
The United States is the lead filing jurisdiction with 44 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) with 34 and China with 25. WIPO PCT filings (11) and Singapore (10) round out the top five, with Hong Kong (9) reflecting GRST International’s home base. The spread across Southeast Asian jurisdictions (Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam) points to manufacturing supply-chain relevance beyond the traditional IP strongholds.
US-led, global spreadGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation | MU Ionic Solutions Corp | 6 |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | Tokyo Institute of Technology | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
GRST International leads on volume; new entrants occupy electrolyte and cell-assembly niches
The leader holds a position roughly nine times larger than the nearest challenger by patent record count. Several new entrants have recently emerged with focused technology profiles, particularly in electrolyte chemistry and electrode assembly.
GRST International Ltd
GRST International Ltd holds 89 patent records, concentrated in battery-cell manufacturing (H01M 10), electrode technology (H01M 4), and electrode drying (F26B 5) — a combination that spans the full manufacturing sequence from electrode preparation through drying. The breadth of this three-axis technology focus reinforces the company’s role as the field’s structural anchor. No momentum trend is reported, consistent with an established rather than accelerating position.
89 patent recordsSoelect Inc
Soelect Inc holds 10 patent records and is classified as a new entrant in momentum terms, with 4 recent patent records. Its technology emphasis spans battery-cell manufacturing (H01M 10) and battery housing and structural components (H01M 50), with a minor position in polymer processing (C08J 5). This profile suggests a focus on solid-state or dry-process electrode manufacturing, an area where differentiation from established wet-process methods is feasible.
10 patent records| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Soelect Inc | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd. | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| MU Ionic Solutions Corp | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| Honeywell International Inc. | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| Follicle LLC | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant manufacturing core
Several IPC classes sit at the periphery of this corpus with very low patent-record counts, representing areas where the prior-art density is thin relative to their technical relevance to battery manufacturing.
C22B · Metal extraction & refining
With only 6 patent records and a 2% share among the top-ranked classes, metal extraction and refining (C22B) is sparsely covered despite its direct relevance to lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese feedstock processing upstream of cell manufacturing. The top-cited patents include a valuable-material recovery method for scrapped batteries, confirming that the recycling and refining angle has attracted citation interest but limited filing depth. Teams with hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical expertise could establish early positions here with limited prior-art friction.
Search this in Eureka →B05D · Coating processes
Coating processes (B05D) appear in only 2 patent records in this corpus, despite electrode coating being a critical step in cell manufacturing that directly affects capacity, cycle life, and safety. The Industrial Technology Research Institute is one of the few filers with a coating-related focus (B05D 5). The sparse coverage suggests that coating-process innovations — including dry coating, slot-die precision, and binder-free deposition — remain an open area where targeted filings could carve out defensible positions adjacent to the dominant H01M core.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 50 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | F26B 5 · Drying | F26B 21 · Drying |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRST International Ltd | Strong · 86 | Moderate · 35 | Moderate · 23 | Strong · 46 | Moderate · 18 |
| Soelect Inc | Strong · 10 | Absent | Strong · 8 | Absent | Absent |
| MU Ionic Solutions Corp | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd. | Strong · 5 | Strong · 5 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Follicle LLC | Strong · 4 | Absent | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | Strong · 4 | Absent | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus in scope contains 160 patent families. The United States is the lead filing jurisdiction, with 44 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) with 34 and China with 25.
GRST International Ltd leads with 89 patent records, which is roughly nine times the count of the second-ranked applicant, Soelect Inc, at 10 patent records. The top five filers together account for 60% of the combined total among the hundred largest filers.
The field is classified as Decline. Annual filings peaked in 2017 at 64 patent records and have eased since. This does not mean the technology is obsolete, but it does indicate that the foundational filing wave has passed and incremental differentiation is harder to achieve.
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) dominates with 180 patent records, and F26B (drying) is a notable secondary class with 56 patent records. Under-served adjacent branches include C22B (metal extraction and refining) with 6 patent records, C01D (alkali-metal compounds) with 4, and B05D (coating processes) with 2.
The most active co-filing pair is Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and MU Ionic Solutions Corp, with 6 co-filings. LG Energy Solution and Tokyo Institute of Technology share one co-filing. Broader multi-party collaboration is absent from the evidence, suggesting the ecosystem has not yet moved toward open co-development in manufacturing processes.
Applicant momentum data flags several new entrants: Soelect Inc, Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, MU Ionic Solutions Corp, Honeywell International, LG Energy Solution, and Follicle LLC all show a new-entrant trend in recent filing periods. Their technology profiles are generally focused — electrolyte chemistry, electrode assembly, and structural components — rather than broad manufacturing coverage.
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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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