Microreactor & Structured Catalyst Patent Snapshot 2026
The microreactor and structured catalyst patent space is a mature, concentrated field dominated by a tight cluster of industrial chemistry and emissions-control specialists, with Uhde GmbH, Velocys Inc, and Johnson Matthey each holding equivalent leading positions. Annual filing volume peaked around 2020 and has since eased sharply, signalling a field in decline where foundational IP has been established and incremental differentiation now defines the competitive frontier.
A concentrated field led by three equal-ranking specialists
Uhde GmbH, Velocys Inc, and Johnson Matthey PLC share the top rank in this space, each with 11 patent records, followed closely by Sud-Chemie Prototech at 9 and Degussa AG at 7. This three-way tie at the top is unusual and reflects parallel, independent development paths rather than a single visible incumbent.
The top five filers account for 33% of the combined total of the ranked applicants visible in this query, indicating a moderately concentrated visible assignee structure where a meaningful tail of smaller applicants — including Basf Mobile Emissions Catalysts, Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, and Haldor Topsoe — still holds relevant positions.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uhde GmbH | 11 | |
| 2 | Velocys Inc | 11 | |
| 3 | Johnson Matthey PLC | 11 | |
| 4 | Sud-Chemie Prototech | 9 | |
| 5 | Degussa AG | 7 | |
| 6 | BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | 6 | |
| 7 | Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG | 5 | |
| 8 | Haldor Topsoe AS | 5 | |
| 9 | Millennium Cell Inc | 4 | |
| 10 | Evonik Operations GmbH | 4 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH | 4 | |
| 12 | University of Bath | 4 | |
| 13 | Cellmark Forensics Inc | 3 | |
| 14 | The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | 3 | |
| 15 | Kim Dong Pyo | 3 | |
| 16 | Sung In Kyung | 3 | |
| 17 | Kenis Paul J A | 3 | |
| 18 | Furukawa Electric Co Ltd | 3 | |
| 19 | Smith Gregory M | 2 | |
| 20 | Hyldtoft Jens Henrik | 2 |
The leaders’ positions imply that breakthrough freedom-to-operate in core catalytic process and reactor design (B01J) will be difficult for new entrants; however, the three-way tie suggests that no single player has achieved a lock-in position, leaving room for differentiation in adjacent application areas.
Filing counts for the most recent 12–24 months are likely under-reported due to standard patent publication lag; interpret late-period data with caution. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing volume peaked in 2020; catalysis processes dominate the technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals a clear arc of growth and subsequent contraction, while the technology composition shows an overwhelming concentration in core catalytic and chemical process classes alongside several smaller adjacent branches.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from 2 records in 2017 to a peak of 6 in 2020, then dropped to 5 in 2021 and fell further in subsequent years. The near-zero counts from 2022 onward reflect both genuine activity reduction and publication lag — the latter particularly relevant for 2024–2026 data, which should not be read as definitive.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B01J (Chemical/physical processes and catalysis) is by far the visible class, reflecting the core subject matter of reactor design and catalyst formulation. B01D (Separation processes) and F01N (Exhaust silencers and treatment) are the next largest branches, indicating significant overlap with emissions control applications. Smaller branches such as B01F (Mixing and stirring), C01B (Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds), and C07C (Acyclic and carbocyclic compounds) represent thinner but technically relevant 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.
A heterogeneous catalyst
A catalyst is provided, where the catalyst has an active surface that includes at least one nodular-structured (particulate) catalyst layer disposed on a support substrate, where the nodular-structured catalyst layer partially coats a surface of the support substrate. The invention further includes a fabrication method of the catalyst. The method includes… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monolithic catalyst member and support therefor | 255 |
| 2 | Catalyst composition containing segregated platinu… | 124 |
| 3 | Microreactor composed of plates and comprising a c… | 71 |
| 4 | Catalytic reactor for hydrogen generation systems | 54 |
| 5 | Method for purification of lean-burn engine exhaus… | 53 |
| 6 | Monolith reactor | 50 |
| 7 | Exhaust gas purifying catalyst for use in an inter… | 47 |
| 8 | Exhaust purifying catalyst for use in an internal … | 45 |
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.
Assignee snapshot from the current evidence set
The applicants below are visible in this query result. Because the evidence set is relatively small, read this section as a directional snapshot rather than a full competitive ranking.
Uhde GmbH
Uhde GmbH holds 11 patent records and concentrates its filings in B01J 19 (chemical reactor design), B01F 13, and B01F 5 (mixing and stirring), indicating a focus on integrated reactor-mixer architectures for industrial chemical processes. Its co-filing relationships with Degussa AG (4 joint filings) and Evonik Operations GmbH (2 joint filings) extend its effective portfolio through the German industrial chemistry cluster. No recent momentum data is available.
patent records: 11Johnson Matthey PLC
Johnson Matthey PLC also holds 11 patent records but pursues a different technology emphasis, concentrated in B01J 35 (catalyst form and structure), B01D 53 (gas separation and purification), and B01J 37 (catalyst preparation methods). This profile reflects Johnson Matthey’s strength in emissions control catalysis and structured monolith design, complementing rather than overlapping directly with Uhde’s process-reactor focus. No recent momentum data is available.
patent records: 11Frequently asked questions
Uhde GmbH, Velocys Inc, and Johnson Matthey PLC are jointly ranked first, each with 11 patent records. Sud-Chemie Prototech follows with 9 records, and Degussa AG holds 7. These five together account for 33% of the combined total of the ranked applicants visible in this query in this landscape.
The field is classified as in Decline. Annual filing volume peaked around 2020 and has eased significantly since then, with a recent-window growth rate of -93%. This indicates that foundational IP is largely established and the pace of new invention has slowed considerably.
B01J (Chemical/physical processes and catalysis) is by far the largest class by patent-record count. B01D (Separation processes), F01N (Exhaust silencers and treatment), B01F (Mixing and stirring), and C01B (Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) form the next tier. The remaining classes each account for a small share of total records.
The United States is the lead office, followed by Europe (EPO) and WIPO (PCT) in equal second position. Canada, China, Australia, and Israel represent smaller but present prosecution footprints. Japan, South Korea, and Germany each have minimal coverage in this dataset.
Yes. Three co-applicant pairs are documented: Uhde GmbH and Degussa AG (4 joint filings), Uhde GmbH and Evonik Operations GmbH (2 joint filings), and Evonik Operations GmbH with Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG (2 joint filings). These relationships cluster within the German industrial chemistry sector.
The most-cited work includes a patent titled ‘Monolithic catalyst member and support therefor’ (255 citations), ‘Catalyst composition containing segregated platinum’ (124 citations), ‘Microreactor composed of plates and comprising a catalyst’ (71 citations), and ‘Catalytic reactor for hydrogen generation systems’ (54 citations). These high-citation counts mark foundational IP in monolith design, platinum-group catalyst formulation, and plate-type microreactor architecture.
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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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