RO Membrane Materials Patent Landscape 2026
The RO membrane materials patent space is moderately concentrated, with Toray Industries leading a field dominated by established membrane and chemical companies; the United States is the primary filing jurisdiction. Annual volume has eased from its 2021 peak, signaling a maturing field where incremental differentiation rather than broad platform claims now drives activity.
Toray leads a moderately concentrated field of established incumbents
Toray Industries holds the top position with 80 patent records, followed by EI du Pont de Nemours & Co with 65 and ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co with 45. The top five filers — Toray, DuPont, ExxonMobil, Saehan Industries, and Kurita Water Industries — together account for 23% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating meaningful concentration at the top without a single dominant monopolist.
A visible tier gap separates the top three from the remaining applicants, most of whom cluster between 17 and 42 patent records. This two-tier structure suggests that a small group of vertically integrated materials and water-treatment specialists holds disproportionate IP coverage, while a broader mid-tier competes on narrower technical niches.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toray Industries Inc | 80 | |
| 2 | EI DU PONT DE NEMOURS & CO | 65 | |
| 3 | EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING CO | 45 | |
| 4 | Saehan Industries Co Ltd | 42 | |
| 5 | Kurita Water Industries Ltd | 42 | |
| 6 | The Dow Chemical Company | 42 | |
| 7 | Dow Global Technologies LLC | 36 | |
| 8 | Nitto Denko Corporation | 30 | |
| 9 | NanoH2O Inc | 29 | |
| 10 | LG NanoH2O Inc | 29 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | BL Technology Inc | 21 | |
| 12 | Fluid Equipment Development Company LLC | 21 | |
| 13 | Georgia Tech Research Corporation | 21 | |
| 14 | General Electric Co | 20 | |
| 15 | Filmtec Corp | 20 | |
| 16 | LG Chem Ltd | 19 | |
| 17 | Hydranautics | 17 | |
| 18 | Toyobo Co Ltd | 17 | |
| 19 | COUNCIL OF SCI & IND RES | 17 | |
| 20 | Central Gippsland Region Water | 16 |
The leaders’ positions reflect decades of polyamide thin-film composite and membrane fabrication investment. Toray and DuPont’s depth across membrane polymer chemistries (B01D 71, 69, 61) implies strong freedom-to-operate challenges for new entrants attempting conventional thin-film composite routes, pushing challengers toward alternative polymer systems or surface modification approaches.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are materially under-counted due to the 18–24 month patent publication lag and should not be interpreted as reflecting true inventive activity in those years. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Volume eased from a 2021 peak; separation-process classes dominate the technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals a field that expanded to a 2021 high before pulling back, while the technology composition confirms that membrane separation processes are the overwhelming focus, with polymer chemistry branches forming a secondary but meaningful layer.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings rose to a peak of 64 records in 2021 and have since eased, reflecting a field in late-growth or early-maturity transition. The 2025 and 2026 bars are substantially under-counted due to publication lag and must not be read as a continuation of decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B01D (separation processes including filtration) dominates the technology mix by a wide margin, followed by C02F (water and wastewater treatment). Downstream polymer chemistry branches — C08G (condensation polymers), C08J (polymer processing), and C07C (acyclic and carbocyclic compounds) — appear at notably lower frequencies, marking them as adjacent branches with comparatively sparse 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.
Thin-film composite polyamide reverse osmosis memb…
A thin-film composite polyamide reverse osmosis membrane with anti-bacterial and anti-biofouling effects and a preparation method thereof are disclosed. The preparation method includes: dissolving a highly water-stable metal organic framework CuBTTri in an n-hexane solution containing trimesoyl chloride by ultrasonic wave, immersing a polyethersulfone… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peritoneal dialysis system using reverse osmosis p… | 348 |
| 2 | Composite membrane and method for making the same | 324 |
| 3 | Water treatment process for membranes | 324 |
| 4 | Composite membrane and method for making the same | 279 |
| 5 | Reverse osmosis liquid purification apparatus | 247 |
| 6 | Method and apparatus for high efficiency reverse o… | 244 |
| 7 | Reverse osmosis membrane | 237 |
| 8 | Composite membrane and process for making same | 234 |
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 a maturing filing trajectory, concentrated incumbents, and identifiable collaboration clusters shapes where new R&D can realistically find differentiated IP space.
Field is in decline phase — annual volume has eased from the 2021 peak
The lifecycle stage is classified as Decline, with annual filings easing back from the 2021 peak of 64 records. A multi-year window still captures substantial prior activity across 464 patent families in scope, but the directional signal favors targeted incremental claims over broad foundational filings. R&D investment should focus on differentiating sub-technologies rather than attempting to replicate incumbents’ broad membrane fabrication portfolios.
Late maturityTop five hold 23% of the hundred largest filers’ total — room for niche challengers
The top five filers’ 23% share of the hundred largest filers’ combined total is meaningful but not prohibitive. The mid-tier — including Nitto Denko, NanoH2O, and LG Chem — demonstrates that well-positioned challengers with differentiated approaches can accumulate competitive portfolio positions. The clearest gap is in polymer chemistry sub-branches (C08G, C08J) where even the leaders show limited patent record counts.
Moderate concentrationExxonMobil–Georgia Tech is the most active co-filing pair, signaling industry-academia routes
The most active co-filing relationship is ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co with Georgia Tech Research Corporation at 17 joint records, suggesting a productive industry-academia pipeline in hydrocarbon-tolerant or high-performance membrane chemistries. The Dow Chemical Co and Filmtec Corp pair accounts for 9 joint records, reflecting Dow’s historical integration of the Filmtec composite membrane platform. General Electric Co and BL Technology Inc show 4 joint records. These established partnerships raise the barrier for third parties seeking to build collaborative IP in the same technical corridors.
Industry-academia linksUS leads filing activity; China and Israel are growing secondary targets
The United States is the primary jurisdiction for protection, followed by Europe (EPO) and China. Australia, Canada, and Japan form a mid-tier of protection markets consistent with major desalination and industrial water-treatment deployment regions. Israel’s position in the filing map aligns with its established desalination industry. South Korea’s comparatively low count is notable given Saehan Industries’ ranking position, suggesting some applicants may file nationally without full PCT or EPO coverage.
US-centric with global spreadGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co | Georgia Tech Research Corporation | 17 |
| The Dow Chemical Company | Filmtec Corp | 9 |
| General Electric Co | BL Technology Inc | 4 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Toray and DuPont anchor the field; ExxonMobil differentiates through hydrocarbon-adjacent chemistry
The top two applicants both concentrate heavily on B01D separation-process subclasses, reflecting depth in thin-film composite membrane fabrication. ExxonMobil’s portfolio is distinctive in combining B01D with C07C acyclic chemistry, pointing to membrane applications in hydrocarbon processing rather than purely water treatment.
Toray Industries
Toray leads with 80 patent records, concentrated across B01D 71, B01D 61, and B01D 69 — covering membrane polymer materials, composite membrane structures, and membrane separation processes respectively. This breadth signals a platform portfolio spanning polyamide chemistry through module-level performance. No momentum data indicates a stable, mature position rather than a current surge.
families: 80ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering
ExxonMobil holds 45 patent records and stands out from other top applicants by pairing B01D 71 membrane polymer focus with a significant C07C 7 acyclic compound subclass count and B01D 53 gas-separation coverage — suggesting membrane R&D oriented toward hydrocarbon processing and gas separations alongside water treatment. This differentiates its portfolio from the water-only incumbents and reflects the Georgia Tech co-filing partnership that produced 17 joint records.
families: 45| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|
Polymer chemistry and biocide sub-branches show comparatively sparse coverage
The white-space analysis identifies IPC branches that appear in the corpus but carry substantially lower patent record counts than the dominant B01D and C02F classes. These are observations of relative sparsity; whether they represent actionable entry points depends on technical fit and competitive barriers within each branch.
C08G · Condensation Polymers
With 125 patent records and a 3% share of the technology composition, C08G covers the synthesis of polyamide, polyimide, and polysulfone condensation polymers that form the backbone of most high-performance RO membranes. Sparse dedicated coverage here — relative to the extensive B01D membrane application filings — suggests that foundational polymer synthesis claims are less contested than membrane fabrication and application claims. Entrants with novel monomer systems or crosslinking chemistries may find differentiated claim space, provided they can establish enablement distinct from the established thin-film composite literature.
Search this in Eureka →A01N · Biocides / Agrochemicals
A01N appears at 35 patent records and 1% share, reflecting work on antifouling and antimicrobial surface treatments for RO membranes — a persistent operational challenge. This branch sits at the intersection of membrane materials and biocide chemistry and is adjacent to established B01D territory. The sparse count suggests that antifouling membrane surface modification through biocide incorporation remains an under-developed IP area. A realistic entry path would be surface-grafting or coating approaches that layer biocidal functionality onto commercial substrates without requiring novel base-polymer synthesis.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across membrane fabrication, water treatment, and polymer chemistry routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | B01D 71 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | C02F 1 · Water & wastewater treatment | B01D 61 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | B01D 69 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | B01D 67 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toray Industries Inc | Strong · 60 | Moderate · 23 | Strong · 42 | Strong · 32 | Absent |
| EI du Pont de Nemours & Co | Strong · 39 | Strong · 26 | Strong · 29 | Strong · 36 | Moderate · 10 |
| LG NanoH2O Inc | Strong · 22 | Strong · 15 | Strong · 20 | Strong · 24 | Strong · 14 |
| Saehan Industries Co Ltd | Strong · 39 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 35 | Moderate · 15 |
| ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co | Strong · 39 | Absent | Strong · 23 | Strong · 23 | Absent |
| The Dow Chemical Company | Strong · 30 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 25 | Strong · 28 |
| LG Chem Ltd | Strong · 23 | Strong · 18 | Absent | Strong · 21 | Strong · 15 |
Frequently asked questions
Toray Industries leads with 80 patent records, followed by EI du Pont de Nemours & Co with 65 and ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co with 45. These three form a clear top tier separated from the remainder of the ranked applicants.
The lifecycle classification is Decline. Annual filings peaked at 64 records in 2021 and have eased since. The 2025 and 2026 data points are materially under-counted due to the patent publication lag, so they should not be taken as evidence of further acceleration or steeper decline.
The United States leads in filing volume, followed by Europe (EPO) and China. Australia, Canada, and Japan form a secondary tier. Israel also appears as a notable filing destination, consistent with its significant desalination industry.
The highest-cited work in the evidence relates to composite membranes and their fabrication methods, with titles such as ‘Composite membrane and method for making the same’ and ‘Composite membrane and process for making same’ drawing 234–324 citations each. A peritoneal dialysis application of reverse osmosis is also among the most-cited, indicating cross-field relevance.
Yes. The most active co-filing partnership is ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co with Georgia Tech Research Corporation, which produced 17 joint patent records. Dow Chemical Co and Filmtec Corp account for 9 joint records, and General Electric Co and BL Technology Inc have 4 joint records.
The most comparatively sparse branches adjacent to the core field are C08G (condensation polymers, 125 records, 3% share), C08J (polymer processing and solutions, 105 records, 3% share), C07C (acyclic and carbocyclic compounds, 99 records, 3% share), and A01N (biocides and agrochemicals, 35 records, 1% share). These represent areas where dedicated IP coverage is limited relative to the dominant B01D and C02F classes.
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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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