Manganese-Rich Battery Binder Patent Landscape 2026
Manganese-Rich Battery Binder Patent Landscape in 2026
The manganese-rich battery binder field is in active growth, with annual filings rising sharply and GEM Co. holding a commanding lead as the top filer. Activity is heavily concentrated in China, and the competitive structure is moderately consolidated, with a clear performance gap between the top industrial filer and the academic and mid-tier challengers.
GEM Co. leads a moderately concentrated but rapidly expanding field
GEM Co. holds the top position with 46 patent families, well ahead of its affiliate Jingmen GEM New Material Co. at 27 patent families, and Central South University at 18. The top five filers together account for 22% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate rather than extreme concentration.
A clear two-tier structure is visible: one dominant industrial group (the GEM cluster), a second tier of universities and specialized materials firms at 10–18 patent families each, and a long tail of single-digit contributors. The gap between the leader and the second tier is meaningful but not prohibitive for challengers with focused programs.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GEM Co., Ltd. | 46 | |
| 2 | Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. | 27 | |
| 3 | Central South University | 18 | |
| 4 | Xi’an Technological University | 17 | |
| 5 | Beijing Institute of Technology | 17 | |
| 6 | China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | 16 | |
| 7 | GEM (Shenzhen) Super Green Technology Research Center Co., Ltd. | 14 | |
| 8 | Ningbo Ronbay Lithium Battery Material Co., Ltd. | 13 | |
| 9 | TIANJIN B&M SCI & TECH LTD | 12 | |
| 10 | Ningbo Fuli Battery Material Technology Co., Ltd. | 12 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd. | 12 | |
| 12 | LG Energy Solution, Ltd. | 10 | |
| 13 | UNIV OF SCI & TECH BEIJING | 9 | |
| 14 | SVOLT Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 9 | |
| 15 | GEM Wuxi Energy Material Co., Ltd. | 9 | |
| 16 | Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. | 9 | |
| 17 | Tianjin Guoan MGL New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. | 8 | |
| 18 | GRINM New Energy Materials (Jiangxi) Co., Ltd. | 7 | |
| 19 | Ningxia Hanyao Fuli Technology Co., Ltd. | 7 | |
| 20 | Tianmu Lake Institute of Advanced Energy Storage Technologies Co., Ltd. | 7 |
GEM Co.’s lead, reinforced by its affiliate entities, signals that vertically integrated battery-material manufacturers are building the densest IP positions. Universities such as Central South University, Xi’an Technological University, and Beijing Institute of Technology represent the most active academic contributors, suggesting that fundamental binder chemistry remains an open research frontier.
Filing counts for the most recent 18–24 months are understated due to standard patent publication lag; the apparent 2025–2026 figures should be treated as lower bounds. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings are rising sharply; electrode and metal-compound chemistry dominate the technology mix
Two charts together reveal both the pace and the composition of innovation: the annual trend shows a field accelerating since 2022, while the IPC breakdown shows that electrode engineering and nickel-cobalt-manganese precursor chemistry account for the bulk of disclosed inventions.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings grew steadily from 2017 through 2022, then surged in 2023 and continued upward through 2024 and 2025. The 2026 bar reflects only early-published applications and is not representative of full-year activity. The 138% recent growth figure confirms that the acceleration is real, not an artifact of the filing base.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) is the dominant class, reflecting the electrode-integration focus of most filers. C01G (compounds of other metals, including nickel-manganese-cobalt precursors) is a strong secondary cluster, consistent with combined cathode-material and binder work. Peripheral classes — C01B, B82Y, C01F, C09J, and C01D — each represent a small share, marking adjacent technical directions with limited current IP coverage.
↗ 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.
Modified lithium-rich manganese-based material, mo…
A modified lithium-rich manganese-based material, a modification method of a lithium-rich manganese-based material, a secondary battery and an electrical device are provided. The modified lithium-rich manganese-based material includes a lithium-rich manganese-based material co-doped with anion and cation and a fast ionic conductor material. The lithium-rich… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一种富锂锰基固态电池电极和二次电池 | 64 |
| 2 | 锂离子电池复合正极及柔性锂电池、固态锂电池制备方法 | 54 |
| 3 | 一种富锂锰基动力电池及其制造方法 | 47 |
| 4 | 锂离子电池及其具有协同作用的混合正极电极及活性材料 | 35 |
| 5 | 一种锂电池复合正极材料及其制备方法 | 34 |
| 6 | 一种含硼锂离子电池正极材料及其制备方法 | 34 |
| 7 | 一种表面双重包覆的锂离子电池三元材料及其制备方法 | 33 |
| 8 | 一种表面包覆复合的富锂锰基正极材料及其制备方法 | 31 |
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 active growth, moderate concentration, university-industry co-development, and overwhelming. China-centric jurisdiction coverage shapes both where risk lies and where room exists for new entrants.
Growth stage: annual filings still rising
The lifecycle stage is Growth, with annual filings still rising and the most recent years understated by publication lag. The 138% growth in the recent window confirms the field has not plateaued. Foundational binder-chemistry patents are still being filed alongside more applied electrode-integration work, meaning early movers retain the ability to stake broad claims.
Growth stageModerate concentration with a dominant industrial cluster
The top five filers hold 22% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, which is moderate rather than dominant. However, the GEM corporate family (GEM Co., Jingmen GEM New Material, and GEM Shenzhen Research Center) together represent a de-facto cluster that exceeds any single rival by a wide margin. A new entrant can still build a differentiated position, but must navigate the GEM cluster’s dense coverage in H01M electrode chemistry and C01G precursor compounds.
Moderate concentrationCo-filing is intra-group and university-driven; limited cross-industry links
The most active co-filing pair is GEM Co. with Jingmen GEM New Material Co. at 27 joint families, reflecting intra-group coordination rather than external partnership. GEM Co. and GEM Shenzhen Research Center filed 14 joint families on the same basis. Beijing Institute of Technology co-filed with its Chongqing Innovation Center across 6 families. Cross-sector collaborations between independent industrial and academic parties are sparse, with only single-family links observed between Central South University and Shaoyang Xinhua Materials, and between the China Automotive Battery Research Institute and GRINM New Energy Materials.
Intra-group dominantChina-centric filing; thin international protection
China accounts for 600 patent records, far exceeding all other jurisdictions combined. WIPO PCT filings stand at 13, European Patent Office at 8, and US filings at 7, indicating that most filers have not yet pursued broad international protection. This creates both a risk and an opportunity for non-Chinese players: the international landscape is relatively open, but Chinese-origin IP may follow through PCT and regional routes as products approach commercialization.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| GEM Co., Ltd. | Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. | 27 |
| GEM Co., Ltd. | GEM (Shenzhen) Super Green Technology Research Center Co., Ltd. | 14 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Beijing Institute of Technology Chongqing Innovation Center | 6 |
| Central South University | Shaoyang Xinhua Materials Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | GRINM New Energy Materials (Jiangxi) Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | GRINM Group Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| Tianjin B&M Science & Technology Co., Ltd. | Zhejiang CATL Lithium Battery Materials Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| Tianjin B&M Science & Technology Co., Ltd. | Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
GEM Co. leads with electrode and precursor breadth; challengers are university and mid-tier material specialists
The leader-challenger gap is defined primarily by portfolio depth in H01M electrode integration and C01G precursor chemistry. All top momentum players are new entrants in the recent filing window, reflecting the field’s overall youth.
GEM Co., Ltd.
GEM Co. holds 46 patent families, the largest position in the field. Its technology focus spans H01M electrode engineering, H01M cell-level integration, and C01G nickel-manganese-cobalt precursor compounds, covering the full cathode-material-to-cell stack. Momentum is flagged as a new entrant in the recent filing window, consistent with the field’s overall growth phase rather than an established legacy position. The GEM corporate cluster — including Jingmen GEM New Material and GEM Shenzhen Research Center — amplifies the group’s effective footprint substantially.
patent families: 46Ningbo Ronbay Lithium Battery Material Co., Ltd.
Ningbo Ronbay holds 13 patent families, with technology emphasis concentrated in H01M cell integration and H01M electrode chemistry alongside a secondary position in C01G precursor compounds. Its momentum is classified as a new entrant in the recent filing window, suggesting it is building its position in parallel with the field’s acceleration. As a specialized cathode-material manufacturer, Ronbay’s focus aligns directly with high-energy-density manganese-rich applications, making it a credible challenger despite its smaller absolute count.
patent families: 13| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| GEM Co., Ltd. | 13 | ▲ new entrant |
| Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
| Central South University | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| Xi’an Technological University | 13 | ▲ new entrant |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| Ningbo Ronbay Lithium Battery Material Co., Ltd. | 10 | ▲ new entrant |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. | 11 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC classes adjacent to the dominant H01M and C01G core show sparse current coverage relative to their technical relevance to binder performance. These are observations of relative sparsity; they become genuine entry opportunities only where technical value and a realistic development path both exist.
C09J · Adhesives — binder polymer chemistry
C09J covers adhesive and binder polymer chemistry directly relevant to electrode cohesion, particle binding, and electrolyte compatibility — all critical performance axes for manganese-rich cathodes. With only 7 patent records in this class across the corpus, dedicated binder-formulation IP is sparse relative to the electrode-integration work that dominates. An entrant with expertise in functional polymer design or conductive binder systems could stake differentiated claims in this under-covered area, particularly for high-voltage or solid-state manganese-rich cell architectures.
Search this in Eureka →B82Y · Nanotechnology applications — nano-structured binder and coating
B82Y (nanotechnology applications) shows 51 patent records, representing roughly 5% of the technology-class distribution, yet nano-structured binders and nano-coating approaches are technically relevant to controlling interfacial resistance and voltage-fade in lithium-rich manganese-based materials. Current coverage appears incidental rather than systematic. Researchers or firms with nano-materials synthesis capability could find room to build focused IP around nano-binder architectures, nano-carbon additive integration, or surface-passivation coatings applied at the binder layer.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C01G 53 · Compounds of other metals | C01G 45 · Compounds of other metals | B82Y 30 · Nanotechnology applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEM Co., Ltd. | Strong · 46 | Strong · 45 | Strong · 31 | Emerging · 4 | Emerging · 3 |
| Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. | Strong · 27 | Strong · 26 | Strong · 21 | Emerging · 3 | Emerging · 3 |
| Central South University | Strong · 19 | Strong · 17 | Moderate · 5 | Moderate · 4 | Emerging · 2 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Strong · 17 | Strong · 16 | Moderate · 5 | Emerging · 2 | Absent |
| Ningbo Ronbay Lithium Battery Material Co., Ltd. | Strong · 13 | Strong · 13 | Strong · 8 | Absent | Moderate · 6 |
| GEM (Shenzhen) Super Green Technology Research Center Co., Ltd. | Strong · 14 | Strong · 14 | Moderate · 6 | Absent | Absent |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Strong · 16 | Strong · 16 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus analyzed contains 595 patent families. China is the leading filing jurisdiction by a wide margin, with 600 patent records at the China National Intellectual Property Administration, compared with 13 at WIPO PCT, 8 at the EPO, and 7 in the United States.
GEM Co., Ltd. is the top filer with 46 patent families. Its affiliate Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. ranks second at 27 patent families, and Central South University ranks third at 18 patent families.
The field is in a Growth stage. Annual filings are still rising, and the 138% growth in the recent filing window confirms the acceleration is real. The most recent 18–24 months of data are understated due to patent publication lag, so actual recent-year volumes are higher than published counts suggest.
Both are prominent, but industrial players hold the largest individual positions. GEM Co. and its affiliates form the dominant industrial cluster. Universities — including Central South University, Xi’an Technological University, Beijing Institute of Technology, and the University of Science and Technology Beijing — are consistently present in the top 20, reflecting active fundamental research alongside applied industrial work.
The most notable areas of relative sparsity are C09J (adhesives and binder polymer chemistry, 7 patent records) and C01D (alkali-metal compounds, 6 patent records). B82Y (nanotechnology applications, 51 patent records) and C01F (alkaline-earth, aluminum, and rare-earth compounds, 25 patent records) are also comparatively thin relative to their technical relevance. These represent observations of current sparsity rather than guaranteed commercial opportunities.
Protection is heavily concentrated in China. WIPO PCT, EPO, and US filings together account for a small fraction of total patent records compared with the China filing base. This means that outside China, the landscape is relatively open — but filers holding Chinese-origin patents may pursue international protection as products approach commercialization, particularly through the PCT route.
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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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