VRFB Energy & Voltage Efficiency Patent Landscape 2026
The VRFB energy and voltage efficiency space is a growth-stage field dominated by Chinese public-research and commercial entities, with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics holding the largest individual position. Filing activity is expanding on a multi-year basis, with China accounting for the large majority of jurisdictional coverage.
Dalian public-research cluster leads a moderately concentrated field
The Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences) ranks first among all filers, followed by Dalian Rongke Power and Hangzhou Dehai Aike Energy Technology, with the top five filers together accounting for 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined patent records.
The top tier is clearly separated from the rest of the ranking: the leader holds 28 patent records against a second-place tie of 20, and the field drops off sharply after the top five. This moderate concentration leaves meaningful room for challengers, particularly outside. China.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 28 | |
| 2 | Dalian Rongke Power Co., Ltd. | 20 | |
| 3 | Hangzhou Dehai Aike Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 20 | |
| 4 | Hydraredox Tech Holdings Ltd. | 15 | |
| 5 | Suzhou Rongke Power Co., Ltd. | 8 | |
| 6 | Lotte Chemical Corporation | 8 | |
| 7 | LG Chem Ltd. | 6 | |
| 8 | THE HONG KONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 5 | |
| 9 | KOREA ADVANCED INST OF SCI & TECH | 5 | |
| 10 | Yonsei University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | 5 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Indian Institute of Technology | 4 | |
| 12 | Liaoning University | 4 | |
| 13 | University of Limerick | 4 | |
| 14 | Shenzhen University | 4 | |
| 15 | Fuzhou University | 3 | |
| 16 | Atomic Energy Council, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (Taiwan) | 3 | |
| 17 | Korea Institute of Industrial Technology | 3 | |
| 18 | Hunan Yinfeng New Energy Co., Ltd. | 3 | |
| 19 | China National Petroleum Corporation | 3 | |
| 20 | Central South University | 3 |
The dominance of a national-laboratory-commercial pairing — the Dalian Institute co-filing extensively with Dalian Rongke Power — signals that leading positions in this space are reinforced by institutional R&D pipelines rather than purely commercial investment, raising the barrier for new entrants who lack a comparable research partnership.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are understated due to standard patent-publication lag; apparent acceleration 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 filings rising on a multi-year basis; membrane chemistry broadens the technology mix
The trend chart captures year-by-year filing volume from 2017 onward, while the technology composition chart reveals how inventive effort is distributed across IPC classes beyond the dominant electrochemical core.
Annual filing trend
Volume has grown 51% over the recent window, with visible year-on-year variability through 2022 before a sustained upward move in 2023 and 2024. The 2025 and 2026 bars are understated by publication lag and should be treated as minimums.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells, and fuel cells) overwhelmingly dominates the portfolio. Polymer-chemistry classes — C08J, C08L, C08G — appear as secondary clusters, reflecting active work on ion-exchange and separator membranes. B82Y (nanotechnology applications) indicates a strand of nanostructured electrode and membrane research. All other branches are sparse, pointing to specific adjacent niches.
↗ 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.
Method and System for Improving the Energy Efficie…
The present invention comprises a method and system for improving the energy efficiency of a vanadium flow battery, VFB. This is achieved by simultaneously reconditioning the VFB through in-situ activation of the electrodes. (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Efficient energy storage systems using vanadium re… | 114 |
| 2 | Use of porous membrane and composite membrane ther… | 52 |
| 3 | 储能液流电池用氧化石墨烯修饰的电极材料 | 33 |
| 4 | 一种在线恢复全钒液流电池容量及效率的方法 | 28 |
| 5 | Single capacity balancing in a redox flow battery | 27 |
| 6 | 全钒液流电池用电极材料的制备方法 | 26 |
| 7 | 全钒液流电池 | 26 |
| 8 | Method for preparing electrolyte for vanadium redo… | 21 |
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
Four structural observations — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — shape where new entrants or incumbents can most usefully direct R&D resources.
Growth stage: annual volume still rising
The lifecycle evidence classifies VRFB energy and voltage efficiency as a Growth-stage field. Annual filings are still rising, with recent-window growth of 51%. This is not a saturated domain, and differentiated technical positions remain achievable for well-resourced entrants.
Growth stageModerate concentration with a clear Dalian cluster at the apex
The top five filers account for 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined records, a moderate but meaningful concentration. The gap between the leader (28 patent records) and the sixth-ranked filer (8 records) is large enough that catching the front-runners on volume alone would require sustained multi-year investment. However, the rapid appearance of new entrants across the momentum data suggests the second tier is still forming.
Moderate concentrationNational-lab–commercial co-filing anchors the leading cluster
The most active co-filing pair is the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics and Dalian Rongke Power, with 9 joint filings — by far the densest collaboration link in the corpus. The Dalian Institute also co-files with Dalian Aoshenglong New Materials (3 joint records) and Kaifeng Times New Energy (1 record). Dalian Rongke Power and Dalian Ronghui Energy Technology share 2 joint records. This tight Dalian ecosystem suggests that access to the leading research cluster is a significant competitive advantage.
Lab–industry clusterChina dominates filing jurisdiction; US and Europe are secondary
China accounts for the largest share of jurisdictional coverage, followed by the United States, Europe (EPO), South Korea, Australia, and India. WIPO (PCT) filings are present but modest in count, suggesting that international prosecution of leading inventions is selective. Non-Chinese players seeking freedom-to-operate in China face a dense prior-art landscape; Chinese players seeking US or European protection have a relatively thinner competitive field to navigate.
China-led, global reach selectiveGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Dalian Rongke Power Co., Ltd. | 9 |
| Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Dalian Aoshenglong New Materials Co., Ltd. | 3 |
| Dalian Rongke Power Co., Ltd. | Dalian Ronghui Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 2 |
| Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Kaifeng Times New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Dalian Institute leads; Hangzhou Dehai Aike and Rongke Power tie for second
The leading positions are held by entities concentrated in the Dalian ecosystem, with Korean chemical firms and a Hong Kong university rounding out the top ten. All momentum-tracked filers are flagged as new entrants in recent periods, reflecting the field’s ongoing expansion.
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (CAS)
The leading filer with 28 patent records, the Dalian Institute concentrates its portfolio in H01M 8 (fuel cell and flow battery stacks), H01M 4 (electrode materials), and C08G 73 (condensation polymers for membrane design). Its momentum is flagged as a new entrant in the recent period, consistent with a maturing institutional pipeline accelerating output. Its deep collaboration with Dalian Rongke Power amplifies commercial relevance.
patent records: 28Hangzhou Dehai Aike Energy Technology
Tied for second with 20 patent records, Hangzhou Dehai Aike focuses on H01M 8 and H01M 4, with a secondary footprint in B82Y 30 (nanotechnology applications), indicating a nanostructured-materials strand in its efficiency work. Its momentum is also flagged as a new entrant in the recent period, with 9 recent patent records, suggesting rapid portfolio build-up.
patent records: 20| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Hangzhou Dehai Aike Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| Dalian Rongke Power Co., Ltd. | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Suzhou Rongke Power Co., Ltd. | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
Polymer membrane chemistry and nanotechnology remain under-served relative to the electrochemical core
Relative to the dominant H01M class, several adjacent IPC branches show sparse coverage in this corpus. These are observations of relative filing density, not validated market opportunities; technical plausibility and entry paths are noted where evidence supports them.
C08J · Polymer processing & solutions
With 15 patent records against 275 in H01M, polymer processing for ion-exchange membranes is the largest adjacent branch but remains sparsely populated relative to the electrochemical core. Membrane ionic conductivity and selectivity are primary levers for voltage efficiency in VRFBs, so this branch has clear technical value. Entrants with expertise in fluoropolymer or sulfonated-polymer processing could establish differentiated positions here without directly competing on electrochemical cell design.
Search this in Eureka →B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
Thirteen patent records sit under B82Y, primarily nanostructured electrode and membrane modifications. Nanostructured carbon and metal-oxide coatings are an active research direction for reducing overpotential and improving energy efficiency, but the patent footprint remains thin. This branch has realistic entry paths for materials-science groups already active in nanocarbon or nanocomposite electrode work, with the caveat that the Hangzhou Dehai Aike portfolio already includes some B82Y 30 coverage.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ by IPC technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01M 8 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C08J 5 · Polymer processing & solutions | B82Y 30 · Nanotechnology applications | B82Y 40 · Nanotechnology applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Strong · 27 | Moderate · 10 | Emerging · 2 | Emerging · 1 | Absent |
| Hangzhou Dehai Aike Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | Strong · 20 | Moderate · 10 | Emerging · 2 | Emerging · 2 | Emerging · 2 |
| Dalian Rongke Power Co., Ltd. | Strong · 20 | Absent | Emerging · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Hydraredox Tech Holdings Ltd. | Strong · 11 | Moderate · 5 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) | Strong · 7 | Strong · 5 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Yonsei University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | Strong · 5 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Atomic Energy Council, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (Taiwan) | Strong · 5 | Absent | Moderate · 2 | Emerging · 1 | Emerging · 1 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 203 patent families in scope. Patent-record counts used in applicant rankings can exceed this figure because a single family may be classified under multiple IPC classes or jurisdictions.
The Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences) leads with 28 patent records, ahead of Dalian Rongke Power and Hangzhou Dehai Aike Energy Technology, each with 20 patent records.
Evidence classifies it as a Growth stage: annual filings are still rising, with 51% growth over the recent window. The 2025 and 2026 data points are understated by publication lag and should be treated as minimum counts.
China has the highest patent-record count, followed by the United States, Europe (EPO), South Korea, Australia, and India. WIPO (PCT) filings are present but modest, indicating selective international prosecution.
Yes. The most active co-filing pair is the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics and Dalian Rongke Power, with 9 joint filings. The Dalian Institute also co-files with Dalian Aoshenglong New Materials (3 records) and Kaifeng Times New Energy (1 record), forming a tight Dalian-centered cluster.
C08J (polymer processing and solutions) and B82Y (nanotechnology applications) are the largest adjacent branches by patent-record count but remain sparse relative to H01M. Other under-served branches include C08L (polymer compositions), C08G (condensation polymers), and C25B (electrolytic production of compounds).
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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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