Non-Precious Catalyst Substitution Patent Snapshot
The non-precious catalyst substitution space is a small, academically dominated field that peaked in 2020 and has since seen annual filings ease considerably. Nanyang Technological University holds the strongest position, while India has emerged as the leading filing jurisdiction.
Nanyang Tech Univ leads a concentrated, research-institution-dominated field
The top-ranked applicant, Nanyang Technological University, holds the largest share among the ranked applicants visible in this query, followed by Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and NewSouth Innovations, each with two patent records. The top five filers together account for 69% of the combined total of the ranked applicants visible in this query — a high concentration ratio for a field this size.
There is a pronounced tier gap between Nanyang Tech Univ at five patent records and all other applicants, who hold one or two records each. This gap signals that no second-tier challenger has yet built a comparable portfolio in this niche.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nanyang Technological University | 5 | |
| 2 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee | 2 | |
| 3 | NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd | 2 | |
| 4 | PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | 1 | |
| 5 | Vellore Institute of Technology | 1 | |
| 6 | Pandit Deendayal Energy University | 1 | |
| 7 | Kohodo Hydrogen Energy Pty Ltd | 1 | |
| 8 | National Institute of Technology Delhi | 1 | |
| 9 | Energy Conversion Devices Inc | 1 | |
| 10 | Swami Vivekananda Subharti University | 1 |
The dominance of universities and public research bodies — Nanyang Tech, IIT Roorkee, Harvard, Vellore Institute, NIT Delhi, Pandit Deendayal Energy University — indicates that the field remains largely in academic hands, with limited industrial consolidation so far.
The most recent 18–24 months of filing data are subject to publication lag and may undercount activity; conclusions about very recent momentum should be treated as provisional. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2020 activity spike has faded; catalysis process patents dominate the technology mix
The filing trend and technology composition together reveal a field that experienced a discrete burst of activity around 2020 and is now in a post-peak phase, with B01J chemical and catalysis processes accounting for the bulk of IPC coverage.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings rose sharply to a peak of six records in 2020, then fell back, with only scattered single-record years since. The lifecycle evidence confirms annual volume has eased from the 2020 peak; the most recent periods (2024–2026) should be read cautiously given publication lag.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B01J (chemical and physical processes and catalysis) is overwhelmingly visible in the IPC mix, with 15 patent records. Secondary branches — B82Y nanotechnology, C25B electrolytic production, H01M batteries and fuel cells, C07C acyclic compounds, and C02F water treatment — each hold only a handful of records, pointing to a technology base that is broad in application framing but thin in depth outside the core catalysis class.
↗ 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.
Low-cost and low-platinum composite catalyst for l…
A composite catalyst is provided. The composite catalyst includes a first catalytic material incorporated with a second catalytic material, wherein the first catalytic material comprises carbon doped with (i) nitrogen and (ii) at least one non-precious transition metal, and wherein the second catalytic material comprises a carbon-based supporting material… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low-cost and low-platinum composite catalyst for l… | 11 |
| 2 | Nanostructures, systems, and methods for photocata… | 10 |
| 3 | Cathode of electrolytic tank | 9 |
| 4 | Nanoparticle and its use as a water-splitting cata… | 8 |
| 5 | Low-cost and low-platinum composite catalyst for l… | 5 |
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.
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Tech Univ holds five patent records — the largest portfolio in scope — focused squarely on B01J chemical and physical process catalysis across sub-classes B01J 21, B01J 23, and B01J 35. No momentum trend is separately recorded for this applicant in the evidence, but its position as the clear volume leader in a small field makes it the de facto reference portfolio. Its university status suggests licensing may be the primary commercialization route.
patent records: 5Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
IIT Roorkee holds two patent records, with technology focus spanning B01J 23, B01J 35, and C02F 101 (water and wastewater treatment) — the only top-ranked applicant with a clear footprint in the water treatment application branch. This cross-domain emphasis differentiates it from the pure catalysis focus of the leader. No momentum trend beyond its existing two records is recorded in the evidence.
patent records: 2Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 13 patent families. This is a small field by patent volume, which means individual filings have outsized influence on ranking and trend statistics.
Nanyang Technological University leads with five patent records, concentrated in B01J chemical and physical process catalysis sub-classes B01J 21, B01J 23, and B01J 35. It is an academic institution, so licensing may be the primary route to commercial use of its IP.
The field is classified as Decline, with annual filings easing back from a peak of six records in 2020. The most recent 18–24 months are subject to publication lag, so apparent low activity in 2024–2026 should be interpreted cautiously.
India leads with six patent records, followed by the United States with four, Singapore and WIPO PCT with two each, and Japan with one. The Indian concentration reflects the presence of multiple Indian academic institutions among the top applicants.
One co-filing relationship is recorded: NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd and Kohodo Hydrogen Energy Pty Ltd jointly filed one patent record, linking a technology-transfer office to a hydrogen energy company. No other co-applicant pairs are identified in the evidence.
C02F (water and wastewater treatment) and H01M (batteries, cells, and fuel cells) each hold only two to three patent records — notably sparse given the practical relevance of non-precious catalysts to both domains. C01G (compounds of other metals) and C07C (acyclic and carbocyclic compounds) are similarly thin at two to three records each.
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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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