Lithium-Sulfur Battery Anode Material Patent Landscape
Lithium-Sulfur Battery Anode Material Patent Landscape in 2026
Patenting in lithium-sulfur battery anode materials is a small, China-dominated field—39 patent families in scope—peaking in 2017 and now in a sustained decline phase, with Chinese academic institutions holding most leading positions. Activity is highly fragmented across many applicants, yet the top five filers still account for a notable share of the largest filers’ combined output, leaving the field with room for differentiated entry via adjacent material chemistries.
Chinese universities lead a fragmented, declining field
Dalian University of Technology holds the top position with 4 patent records, followed by Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. with 3, and a cluster of institutions each holding 2 patent records—including Tianjin Polytechnic University, Zhejiang University of Technology, Xiamen University, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and several others.
The top five filers account for 18% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating a moderately fragmented competitive structure without a dominant incumbent commanding an outsized share. No single player has built a commanding lead; the tier gap between the leader and the chasing pack is narrow.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalian University of Technology | 4 | |
| 2 | Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 3 | |
| 3 | Tianjin Polytechnic University | 2 | |
| 4 | Zhejiang University of Technology | 2 | |
| 5 | Xiamen University | 2 | |
| 6 | Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 2 | |
| 7 | Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT Heyuan | 2 | |
| 8 | Harbin Institute of Technology | 2 | |
| 9 | Hebei University of Technology | 2 | |
| 10 | Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 2 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Beijing Institute of Technology | 2 | |
| 12 | Zhejiang University | 2 | |
| 13 | Anhui Volt Era New Energy Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 14 | Guangxi University | 2 | |
| 15 | Suzhou Dejia Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 16 | Hangzhou Dianzi University | 2 | |
| 17 | Xuzhou Qingju Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 18 | Wuhan Institute of Technology | 2 | |
| 19 | Beijing University of Chemical Technology | 2 | |
| 20 | Shandong University | 2 |
The dominance of academic institutions—rather than commercial battery manufacturers—signals that this sub-field remains largely in the exploratory research phase, with limited translation to industrial-scale filing programs. This gap between academic output and industrial adoption may represent both a risk and an entry opportunity for companies seeking to commercialize.
Filing counts for the most recent 18–24 months are subject to publication lag and should be interpreted cautiously; the apparent near-zero activity in 2024–2026 partly reflects this delay rather than a complete cessation of research.
Filing activity peaked in 2017 and has since contracted sharply
The annual trend chart documents a clear rise-and-fall pattern centered on 2017, while the technology composition chart reveals an overwhelming concentration in core battery IPC classes with thin coverage in adjacent materials branches.
Annual filing trend
Filings peaked at 16 records in 2017, fell to 12 in 2018, dropped sharply to 6 in 2019, and have hovered at 0–1 records per year from 2020 onward. The most recent years (2024–2026) reflect publication lag and do not indicate a full cessation of activity; nonetheless the multi-year contraction is substantive and consistent with the lifecycle assessment of decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) dominates with 71 patent records, followed by B82Y (Nanotechnology applications) at 14—together accounting for the vast majority of filing activity. Polymer-related branches (C08K, C08L, C08G) and inorganic chemistry branches (C01B, C01G) each contribute only 1–2 records, and fiber/filament processing (D01F) has a single record, confirming that most work is anchored in core electrochemistry rather than enabling material platforms.
↗ 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.
一种磷掺杂三维结构锂硫电池正极材料的制备方法
一种三维结构的锂硫电池正极材料的制备方法，包括以下几个步骤：步骤（1）：将氧化石墨加入到乙二醇中超声，形成氧化石墨烯悬浮液；步骤（2）：将三苯基膦溶解到乙二醇中，再将其加入到氧化石墨烯悬浮液中；步骤（3）：取步骤（2）得到的三维磷掺杂石墨烯与科琴黑加入到N-甲基吡咯烷酮中超声反应形成悬浮液；步骤（4）：将单质硫加入到N-甲基吡咯烷酮中超声，直到单质硫完全溶解形成悬浮液；步骤（5）：将（4）和（3）得到的两种悬浮液混合，搅拌均匀，然后在搅拌下缓慢的加入蒸馏水，得到三维结构的锂硫电池正极材料。磷掺杂石墨烯中的磷原子对硫的吸附作用能有效减少飞梭效应，提高锂硫电池的循环寿命。 (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一种含有多孔金属的锂-硫电池正极材料及其制备方法 | 45 |
| 2 | 一种锂硫电池正极材料及其制备方法 | 43 |
| 3 | 无金属集流体、自支撑石墨烯基锂硫电池正极的制备方法 | 34 |
| 4 | 一种锂硫电池正极材料的制备方法 | 33 |
| 5 | 一种锂硫电池正极材料和使用该正极材料的锂硫电池 | 32 |
| 6 | 聚乙烯吡咯烷酮修饰石墨烯包覆的硫/多孔碳复合正极材料及其制备方法 | 31 |
| 7 | 一种锂硫电池改性正极的工艺 | 27 |
| 8 | 一种硫导电氧化物复合材料及其作为锂硫电池正极材料的应用 | 26 |
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 patent structure means for R&D investment decisions
The combination of lifecycle stage, competitive concentration, collaboration patterns, and jurisdiction footprint shapes both the risk profile and the white-space opportunity in this field.
Field is in decline after a 2017 peak
The lifecycle assessment classifies this field as Decline, with annual filing volume easing back from the 2017 peak of 16 records and sustaining near-zero levels since 2020. For R&D teams, this signals that the first wave of foundational anode material concepts has been staked out, but that the field has not yet attracted the sustained industrial filing programs that would mark a growth or maturity phase. Engagement now would mean working in a quieter competitive environment, but with limited prior-art density to build on.
Lifecycle: DeclineFragmented field, no dominant incumbent
The top five filers hold 18% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, and the leader—Dalian University of Technology—has only 4 patent records. This shallow concentration means no single entity has erected a broad blocking position. A focused filing campaign in a specific material sub-class could establish a meaningful foothold without requiring extensive design-around work. However, the narrow total corpus of 39 patent families also means the absolute barrier to entry is low, and any new entrant with commercial-scale resources could quickly become competitive.
Low concentrationMinimal co-filing activity detected
The only identified co-filing pair is Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. and Shandong Forever New Energy, which share a single co-filed record. This minimal collaboration signal suggests the field has not yet developed the cross-institutional or industry-academia consortium structures common in more mature battery chemistries. For an entrant, partnering with one of the active Chinese university filers could provide both technical depth and geographic coverage at relatively low competitive cost.
Low collaboration densityChina-centric filing, minimal PCT coverage
China accounts for 69 patent records and WIPO (PCT) for only 2, indicating that most applicants have not pursued international protection. This creates a potential freedom-to-operate window in non-Chinese jurisdictions—particularly the US, Europe, Japan, and South Korea—for any entity wishing to commercialize lithium-sulfur anode materials in those markets. The limited PCT activity may also reflect the academic nature of the dominant filers, who typically prioritize domestic disclosure over international prosecution.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | Shandong Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Academic institutions lead; commercial players are sparse
The top two filers by patent records represent different organizational types—a research university and a commercial energy technology company—reflecting the dual academic-industrial nature of the applicant pool, albeit with academia firmly in front.
Dalian University of Technology
Dalian University of Technology leads with 4 patent records, focused on the core H01M battery and B82Y nanotechnology IPC classes—consistent with electrode-level materials research incorporating nanostructured components. No applicant momentum data is available for this period, so trajectory cannot be confirmed from current evidence. Their dual H01M and B82Y emphasis suggests work on nanoengineered anode architectures rather than bulk material formulations.
patent records: 4Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd.
Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. holds 3 patent records, with technology emphasis spanning H01M 4 (electrode materials) and B82Y nanotechnology sub-classes, as well as B82Y40. As a commercial entity rather than a university, it stands out in an otherwise academically dominated field and has a co-filing relationship with Shandong Forever New Energy. Applicant momentum data is not available for the current period.
patent records: 3Polymer and inorganic chemistry branches are under-served relative to core electrochemistry
While H01M and B82Y dominate, several adjacent IPC branches have very low representation—each with only 1–2 patent records—suggesting they are sparsely contested relative to the core field. These observations are made on the basis of relative filing density; technical and commercial viability requires independent validation.
C08K / C08L · Polymer additive and composition systems for anode binders
C08K (Use of additives in polymers) and C08L (Polymer compositions) each hold only 2 patent records—a combined 4% of total filing activity at the record level. Polymer binder chemistry is technically significant in lithium-sulfur anodes because binder design affects polysulfide containment and mechanical integrity under cycling. The sparse filing density here, relative to the large H01M corpus, suggests that applicants have focused on active material design rather than binder-matrix engineering. An entrant with polymer formulation expertise could pursue differentiated claims in this branch, though the small total corpus means competitive displacement risk is also limited.
Search this in Eureka →C01B / C01G · Inorganic and metal-compound precursors for anode scaffolds
C01B (Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) and C01G (Compounds of other metals) each have only 1 patent record—the lowest representation in the corpus. Inorganic scaffold and host materials (e.g., metal oxides, sulfides, carbides) are actively researched in academic literature for polysulfide adsorption and lithium-metal stabilization in lithium-sulfur cells. The near-absence of patent coverage in these classes relative to the published research base suggests a gap between academic knowledge and formal IP protection. Entrants focused on inorganic host material synthesis may find limited blocking prior art in these branches.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | B82Y 30 · Nanotechnology applications | B82Y 40 · Nanotechnology applications | C08K 3 · Use of additives in polymers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalian University of Technology | Strong · 4 | Strong · 4 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT Heyuan | Strong · 4 | Strong · 4 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Anhui Normal University | Strong · 4 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Shandong University | Absent | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Absent |
| Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | Strong · 3 | Absent | Moderate · 1 | Moderate · 1 | Absent |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Moderate · 1 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The evidence covers 39 patent families in scope for this technology topic.
Dalian University of Technology leads with 4 patent records, ahead of Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. with 3 and a group of institutions each holding 2 patent records.
Annual filing activity peaked in 2017 at 16 records and has declined sharply since, falling to 1 or fewer records per year from 2020 onward. The lifecycle stage is assessed as Decline. The most recent years carry publication lag uncertainty.
China dominates with 69 patent records. WIPO (PCT) accounts for only 2 patent records, indicating very limited international prosecution activity outside China.
H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) accounts for 71 patent records and B82Y (Nanotechnology applications) for 14, together covering the large majority of filings. Polymer and inorganic chemistry branches each contribute only 1–2 records.
Collaboration is minimal. The only identified co-filing pair is Zhejiang Forever New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. and Shandong Forever New Energy, sharing a single co-filed record. No broader consortium or industry-academia co-filing networks are evident in the current evidence.
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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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