Manganese-Rich Battery Electrolyte Patent Landscape 2026
Manganese-Rich Battery Electrolyte Patent Landscape in 2026
The manganese-rich battery electrolyte field is in an active growth phase, with filing activity up 185% in the recent window and GEM Co. holding a commanding lead among applicants. China accounts for the overwhelming majority of originating filings, and the competitive structure is moderately concentrated at the top tier with a long tail of academic and industrial entrants.
GEM Co. leads a moderately concentrated field with a deep Chinese industrial base
GEM Co. holds the top position with 108 patent families, followed by LG Energy Solution at 68 and Jingmen GEM New Material Co. at 66. Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) ranks fourth at 46 patent families, rounding out a leading tier of large-scale battery manufacturers and materials specialists.
The top five filers account for 26% of the combined total among the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate concentration: there is a meaningful tier gap between GEM Co. and the rest, but no single player commands an insurmountable share. A substantial cohort of universities and research institutes — including Central South University, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Xi’an Technological University — occupy the mid-tier, signaling active knowledge generation outside purely commercial portfolios.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GEM Co., Ltd. | 108 | |
| 2 | LG Energy Solution Ltd. | 68 | |
| 3 | Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. | 66 | |
| 4 | Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | 46 | |
| 5 | Central South University | 35 | |
| 6 | China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | 34 | |
| 7 | Beijing Institute of Technology | 33 | |
| 8 | Xi’an Technological University | 32 | |
| 9 | NINGBO INST OF MATERIALS TECH & ENG CHINESE ACAD O… | 25 | |
| 10 | Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd. | 24 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | TIANJIN B&M SCI & TECH LTD | 23 | |
| 12 | GEM (Shenzhen) Super Green Technology Research Centre Co., Ltd. | 22 | |
| 13 | Ningbo Fuli Battery Material Technology Co., Ltd. | 21 | |
| 14 | Ningbo Ronbay Lithium Battery Material Co., Ltd. | 20 | |
| 15 | Beijing Chuangneng Huitong Technology Co., Ltd. | 20 | |
| 16 | Chongqing Innovation Center of Beijing Institute of Technology | 19 | |
| 17 | UNIV OF SCI & TECH BEIJING | 16 | |
| 18 | GEM Wuxi Energy Material Co., Ltd. | 16 | |
| 19 | Beijing University of Technology | 16 | |
| 20 | Beijing Easpring Material Technology Co., Ltd. | 16 |
GEM Co.’s dominance, amplified by its subsidiary Jingmen GEM New Material Co. filing independently, suggests an integrated materials-to-cell strategy. LG Energy Solution’s second-place position represents the most significant non-Chinese presence and indicates that at least one global OEM-tier supplier has staked meaningful claims in this space.
Filings from roughly 2024 onward are likely under-counted due to standard patent publication lag; apparent recent totals should be read as a floor, not a ceiling. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Annual volume has accelerated sharply since 2022; cell chemistry dominates the technology mix
Two charts together capture the pace and technical character of this field: a year-by-year filing trend that reveals a decisive inflection after 2021, and a technology-branch breakdown that shows H01M (batteries and fuel cells) as the overwhelming center of gravity.
Annual filing trend
Filings were steady at 60–87 patent families per year from 2017 to 2020, dipped slightly in 2021, then accelerated sharply: 121 in 2022, 239 in 2023, and 332 in 2024. The 2025 and 2026 figures are materially understated by publication lag and should not be read as a slowdown.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells, and fuel cells) is by far the dominant branch, reflecting primary focus on electrode and cell-level innovation. C01G (compounds of other metals, covering manganese-precursor chemistry) is the second largest branch, confirming that upstream precursor synthesis sits alongside cell integration as a core area. Branches such as B82Y (nanotechnology), C01B (inorganic compounds), C01F (alkaline-earth and rare-earth compounds), and C30B (crystal growth) each hold small but non-trivial shares, pointing to emerging materials-science adjacencies.
↗ 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.
Electrolyte additive, battery electrolyte containi…
The present invention relates to an electrolyte additive, a battery electrolyte containing same, and a secondary battery. According to the present invention, the electrolyte additive, the battery electrolyte containing same, a secondary battery comprising same, and the like can be provided, the electrolyte additive suppressing side reactions inside various… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一种锂离子电池 | 78 |
| 2 | 一种富锂锰基固态电池电极和二次电池 | 64 |
| 3 | 一种以富锂锰基材料为正极的锂离子电池及其制备方法 | 59 |
| 4 | 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 |
| 5 | 一种富锂锰基动力电池及其制造方法 | 47 |
| 6 | 一种阴阳离子共掺杂改性的富锂锰复合正极材料及其制备方法 | 46 |
| 7 | 一种锂离子电池及其化成方法 | 44 |
| 8 | 一种富锂锰基正极材料及其制备方法 | 38 |
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 rapid growth, moderate top-tier concentration, and heavy geographic skew toward. China shapes both the risk profile and the entry strategy for any organization considering investment in this space.
Active growth stage with annual filings still rising
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Growth, with annual filings still rising and the most recent years understated by publication lag. The 185% recent-window growth figure confirms this is not a mature, plateau-stage technology. Organizations entering now face an active and expanding prior-art landscape, but the field has not yet reached the saturation typical of more established battery chemistries.
Growth stageModerate concentration with a long academic tail
The top five filers hold 26% of the combined total among the hundred largest filers, indicating a meaningful but not dominant lead for the frontrunners. GEM Co.’s 108 patent families give it a clear lead, but the mid-tier — populated by universities and research institutes — suggests that breakthrough approaches could emerge from outside the established industrial players. New entrants can find positioning space, particularly in materials science adjacencies.
Moderate concentrationGEM Co. anchors the most active co-filing networks; academic-industry pairs are common
The most active co-filing pair is GEM Co. and Jingmen GEM New Material Co. with 63 jointly filed patent families, reflecting intra-group coordination. GEM Co. also co-files with GEM Shenzhen Super Green Technology Research Centre (22 families). Beijing Institute of Technology and its Chongqing Innovation Center co-file 17 families together. Notable cross-sector collaborations include China Automotive Battery Research Institute with GRINM Group (4 families), LG Energy Solution with Tianmu Lake Institute of Advanced Energy Storage Technology (3 families), and Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech with University of Science and Technology of China (3 families), illustrating an industry-academia bridge pattern.
Industry-academia bridgesStrongly China-centric with limited but present international footprint
China accounts for 1,337 of the jurisdiction records, with WIPO/PCT filings at 69, the United States at 38, and Europe (EPO) at 36. India shows 14 records, South Korea 8, and Japan just 3. The heavy China concentration means most IP is primarily protected domestically; the PCT and US/EP numbers suggest selective international prosecution by a small subset of filers. Non-Chinese organizations seeking freedom-to-operate outside China face a less crowded landscape in major Western markets.
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. | 63 |
| GEM Co., Ltd. | GEM (Shenzhen) Super Green Technology Research Centre Co., Ltd. | 22 |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Chongqing Innovation Center of Beijing Institute of Technology | 17 |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | GRINM Group Co., Ltd. | 4 |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd. | Tianmu Lake Institute of Advanced Energy Storage Technology Co., Ltd. | 3 |
| Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Ningbo Fuli Battery Material Technology Co., Ltd. | 3 |
| Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd. | University of Science and Technology of China | 3 |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | GRINM New Energy Materials (Jiangxi) Co., Ltd. | 2 |
| GEM Co., Ltd. | Qingmei Bang New Energy Materials Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| GEM Co., Ltd. | GEM (Indonesia) New Energy Materials Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
GEM Co. and LG Energy Solution lead with distinct strategic emphases
GEM Co. operates as both a materials producer and cell integrator, while LG Energy Solution represents the strongest non-Chinese position in the ranking. Both are classified as new entrants in the recent filing window, reflecting rapid ramp-up rather than long-standing dominance.
GEM Co.
GEM Co. leads with 108 patent families, concentrated in H01M cell and electrode chemistry and C01G manganese-precursor compounds. Its momentum trend is classified as a new entrant in the recent window, indicating that most of its portfolio has been built rapidly and recently. The company’s affiliated entity Jingmen GEM New Material Co. adds a further 66 patent families, making the GEM group the dominant cluster in this landscape by a substantial margin.
families: 108LG Energy Solution Ltd.
LG Energy Solution ranks second with 68 patent families, focused on H01M cell and electrode classes with comparatively limited C01G precursor filings (5 records), suggesting a cell-integration and electrolyte-formulation emphasis rather than upstream materials synthesis. Its momentum is also classified as a new entrant in the recent window, and it co-files with Tianmu Lake Institute of Advanced Energy Storage Technology, indicating an academic-partnership strategy to supplement internal R&D.
families: 68| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| GEM Co., Ltd. | 63 | ▲ new entrant |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd. | 53 | ▲ new entrant |
| Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. | 41 | ▲ new entrant |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | 41 | ▲ new entrant |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | 12 | ▲ new entrant |
| Central South University | 12 | ▬ 0% |
| Beijing Institute of Technology | 13 | ▲ new entrant |
| Xi’an Technological University | 22 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches in nanotechnology and crystal engineering
Several IPC branches adjacent to the dominant H01M and C01G core have low filing counts relative to the overall corpus, signaling areas where the prior-art density is thinner. These are observations of relative sparsity; technical value and entry viability vary by branch.
B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
B82Y holds 86 records — around 4% of the technology-branch distribution — making it the largest of the under-served adjacent branches. Nanostructured manganese-rich cathode materials and nano-engineered electrolyte interfaces are plausible entry paths, as nanotechnology techniques could address the voltage fade and surface degradation problems known in lithium-rich manganese oxide systems. Organizations with existing nano-materials capabilities could find this a viable adjacent claim space, though any entry would need freedom-to-operate screening against the denser H01M core.
Search this in Eureka →C30B · Crystal growth
C30B (crystal growth) shows only 20 records — about 1% of the branch distribution — despite its direct relevance to controlling the layered-spinel ordering in manganese-rich oxides, which governs both capacity retention and rate capability. Single-crystal morphology engineering has emerged as a key technique for suppressing micro-cracking in high-manganese cathodes, yet prior-art density here is low. This branch merits monitoring for both offensive filing and freedom-to-operate purposes, particularly for players pursuing single-crystal cathode development.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C01G 53 · Compounds of other metals | C01G 45 · Compounds of other metals | B82Y 30 · Nanotechnology applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEM Co., Ltd. | Strong · 108 | Strong · 108 | Strong · 85 | Emerging · 10 | Emerging · 4 |
| Jingmen GEM New Material Co., Ltd. | Strong · 66 | Strong · 66 | Strong · 54 | Emerging · 7 | Emerging · 3 |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd. | Strong · 68 | Strong · 64 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | Strong · 51 | Strong · 50 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Central South University | Strong · 36 | Strong · 34 | Moderate · 12 | Emerging · 6 | Emerging · 3 |
| China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Strong · 40 | Strong · 39 | Moderate · 10 | Absent | Absent |
| Xi’an Technological University | Strong · 32 | Strong · 30 | Moderate · 16 | Moderate · 8 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus in scope contains 1,383 patent families, spanning filing years from 2017 through 2026, with the most recent period understated due to publication lag.
GEM Co. leads with 108 patent families. Its affiliated subsidiary Jingmen GEM New Material Co. adds a further 66 patent families, making the GEM group collectively the largest filer in the landscape.
The evidence classifies this field as Growth, with annual filings still rising and a 185% increase recorded in the recent window. Annual volume accelerated sharply after 2021, reaching 332 patent families in 2024. Recent-year figures are understated by publication lag.
China accounts for 1,337 of the jurisdiction records, far ahead of all other offices. WIPO (PCT) holds 69 records, the United States 38, and Europe (EPO) 36. The field is strongly China-centric in terms of primary IP protection.
H01M (batteries, cells, and fuel cells) is the dominant branch by a wide margin. C01G (compounds of other metals, covering manganese-precursor chemistry) is the second largest. Smaller but notable branches include B82Y (nanotechnology), C01B (inorganic compounds), C01F (alkaline-earth and rare-earth compounds), and C30B (crystal growth).
B82Y (nanotechnology applications) and C30B (crystal growth) are the most technically proximate under-served branches identified in this corpus, with 86 and 20 records respectively. Both have plausible relevance to improving manganese-rich cathode performance, and prior-art density in these branches is low relative to the H01M core. These are observations of relative sparsity; a full freedom-to-operate and landscape analysis would be needed before treating them as validated entry opportunities.
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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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