Zeolite Catalyst Testing Patents: Leaders & Filing Trends 2026
- Filing has cooled since a 2019 peak. output has declined from 209 records that year toward single digits in the most recent partial year, consistent with the usual 18-month publication lag but also with a genuinely flatter filing curve since the 2022 midpoint.
- The claim space is refining-heavy, not lab-heavy. over a third of records also carry a C10G hydrocarbon-refining classification, meaning most testing and characterization claims are written inside a process-integration context rather than as standalone analytical methods.
- No assignee is currently pulling away. recent-year momentum across tracked assignees is flat or negative, with several major filers showing 0 filings in the latest year and one showing a -100% year-on-year drop — the field looks contested rather than led.
Filing growth compares 2021 (138 records) with 2024 (77) — a three-year span. 2024 is the most recent year we treat as complete: publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so 2025 onwards are still filling in and any growth rate that ends there would understate the field. Top-5 share is the combined record count of the five largest assignees divided by all 3,878 records in scope (CR5), not by the ranked leaders only.
What this patent set covers
This landscape tracks patent families at the intersection of zeolite and molecular sieve chemistry with activity testing, BET surface area measurement, acidity characterization and broader catalyst characterization methods, filtered to IPC classes covering catalytic processes, analytical measurement (G01N30) and catalyst preparation (B01J37). The dataset spans 2015 to mid-2026 and includes 3,878 published records.
Because these are testing and characterization claims layered onto catalyst chemistry, most records sit at the boundary between analytical method and process patent — a claim on how acidity is measured is often bundled with a claim on the catalyst formulation itself. That bundling shapes where freedom-to-operate risk actually concentrates.
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Filing trends and technology composition
Publication counts by year and IPC subclass, drawn directly from the underlying family set.
A 2019 peak followed by a decline
Filings ran at 200 in 2017, peaked at 209 in 2019, and had fallen to 158 by the 2022 midpoint. The most recent year shows only 7 records, but that figure is heavily understated by the roughly 18-month gap between filing and publication — the real signal is the multi-year slide from peak, not the final data point.
Concentrated in catalysis, spilling into refining
B01J (chemical/physical processes & catalysis) covers nearly the entire set at 3,867 records, confirming the search scope. Beneath that, C10G (hydrocarbon oil refining, 1,309), C01B (inorganic compounds, 1,157) and C07C (acyclic/carbocyclic compounds, 1,136) show that testing and characterization claims are most often filed alongside a specific refining or petrochemical application rather than as generic analytical method claims. F01N (exhaust treatment, 318) marks the automotive emissions-catalyst branch as a distinct but smaller cluster.
Shares are the percentage of the 3,878 records in scope. A patent can carry several IPC classes, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Go deeper on Zeolite Catalyst Testing and Inspection with Eureka
This page is one run against one query. Ask Eureka your own question about zeolite catalyst testing and inspection and every answer comes back with the patent numbers behind it.
Try EurekaThe most-cited records in this set
Fluoride-modified zeolite catalyst
A method of modifying a ZSM-5-type zeolite catalyst to increase selectivity for para-isomers in aromatic alkylation reactions, by contacting the catalyst with a fluoride-containing compound. The fluoride-treated catalyst is used in aromatic alkylation to make di-alkyl aromatic products, including a xylene product formed by toluene methylation under a toluene/methanol feed.US20060189477A1, filed by Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, published 2006-08-24.
| # | Publication no. | Patent title | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US4961917A | Method for reduction of nitrogen oxides with ammonia using promoted zeolite catalysts | 768 |
| 2 | US5516497A | Staged metal-promoted zeolite catalysts and method for catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides using the same | 473 |
| 3 | US20040138051A1 | Novel zeolite composite, method for making and catalytic application thereof | 216 |
| 4 | US6093378A | Four-way diesel exhaust catalyst and method of use | 209 |
| 5 | US4419271A | Hydrocarbon conversion catalyst | 173 |
| 6 | US5087786A | Halogen-assisted conversion of lower alkanes | 165 |
| 7 | US5723710A | Zeolite beta and its use in aromatic alkylation | 164 |
| 8 | US20080125308A1 | Engine Exhaust Catalysts Containing Palladium-Gold | 155 |
| 9 | US5024981A | Staged metal-promoted zeolite catalysts and method for catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides using the same | 154 |
| 10 | EP0293937A2 | Microporous crystalline composite compositions and processes for making them | 153 |
Citation counts inside a searched corpus favour older records by construction — read this table as a map of foundational prior art, not current relevance. The top two records, both on ammonia-based NOx reduction with promoted zeolite catalysts, are cited well beyond the rest of the set and anchor freedom-to-operate analysis for automotive and industrial emissions applications.
Each row carries its publication number; clicking a row searches Eureka by that number.
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Four readings of the filing, citation and classification data that matter for a filing or freedom-to-operate decision.
The wave has crested
Filings peaked in 2019 at 209 and had already fallen to 158 by 2022, before the latest partial year's 7. Even allowing for publication lag, the multi-year decline from peak suggests the core testing methods in this space are largely staked out.
Testing claims ride on refining applications
A third of the set carries a hydrocarbon-refining classification alongside the catalysis class, meaning characterization methods are usually claimed as part of a refining process rather than in isolation.
US-first filing strategy dominates
The United States receives more than double the filings of the WIPO/PCT route, with Europe second at 764. This points to a field where applicants are prioritizing direct national protection over broad international pendency.
Collaboration is narrow but deep where it exists
Only ten co-assignee pairs appear in the set, but the strongest pairing shares 50 filings — evidence of a small number of tight, sustained institutional partnerships rather than broad industry-wide co-filing.
Eureka can read the same corpus for gaps instead of for coverage: under-claimed branches adjacent to zeolite catalyst testing and inspection, with the prior art for and against each one.
Who holds ground, and who is still moving
Recent-year filing momentum is flat to negative across every tracked assignee — a sign this is a mature, contested space rather than one with an emerging runaway leader.
Even established filers are pulling back
One major historical filer shows a 100% year-on-year decline to zero filings in the latest year, while several other tracked assignees also report zero latest-year activity. This is consistent with a field past its filing peak rather than one in early growth.
Flat, not growing
The assignees still filing in the latest year are doing so at a rate of one filing, with momentum flat or slightly negative. No assignee in the tracked set shows positive year-on-year growth.
Cross-company R&D pairs persist
Sustained co-filing between a small number of large chemical and refining companies suggests joint development agreements rather than one-off collaborations, concentrated among a handful of long-standing industrial partners.
| Assignee | Recent year | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| BASF Corporation | 1 | 0% |
| Chevron U.S.A. Inc. | 1 | -50% |
| UOP LLC | 0 | — |
| ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc. | 0 | — |
| Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) | 0 | -100% |
| BASF SE | 0 | — |
| Engelhard Corporation | 0 | — |
| W.R. Grace & Co. | 0 | — |
Where to take this analysis
The trends above describe the field as filed. Turning them into a filing or freedom-to-operate decision requires drilling into specific claims and specific assignees.
Map claims against your own formulation
Run the specific zeolite framework, promoter metal or measurement method you are working with against the most-cited records to see what is actually claimed versus what is merely disclosed.
Explore in EurekaTrack assignee filing behavior over time
Flat recent-year momentum across the board doesn't mean uniform behavior — some assignees may be shifting filing venue or narrowing claim scope rather than exiting the space entirely.
Explore in EurekaCheck white space before drafting
The under-claimed branches identified here are a starting point, not a guarantee of allowance — a targeted novelty search on operando and in-situ characterization methods is the next step.
Explore in EurekaCommon questions about this landscape
This dataset contains 3,878 published patent families filed between 2015 and mid-2026 that combine zeolite, zeolite catalyst or molecular sieve terminology with activity testing, BET surface area, acidity characterization or catalyst characterization language, within IPC classes covering catalysis, analytical measurement and catalyst preparation. That figure is scoped to this specific search definition, so a broader or narrower keyword set would return a different count. The 2019 peak year alone accounts for 209 of those records, showing the density is concentrated in a mid-decade window rather than spread evenly.
The ranking is dominated by large integrated oil, refining and specialty chemical companies with long histories in catalytic cracking and emissions catalysis, alongside a few research universities that co-file with industrial partners. No single assignee shows positive year-on-year filing growth in the most recent year, and several show zero filings, which points to a mature and contested rather than newly consolidating field. Co-assignee data also shows a small number of deep, sustained partnerships rather than broad industry-wide collaboration.
Filings ran at 200 in 2017, rose to a peak of 209 in 2019, and had fallen to 158 by 2022, continuing to decline through the most recent partial year. Part of the drop-off in the very latest year is a publication-lag artifact, since patents typically publish about 18 months after filing, so the newest year is always undercounted. But the multi-year slide from 2019 through 2022 is a real trend, consistent with core testing methods in this space having already been staked out by earlier filers.
US20060189477A1, assigned to Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, claims a method of treating a ZSM-5-type zeolite catalyst with a fluoride-containing compound to boost para-isomer selectivity in aromatic alkylation, and its use in producing xylene from a toluene/methanol feed. Its scope is specific to fluoride modification of ZSM-5-type frameworks for aromatic alkylation and xylene production, so it does not block characterization methods generally or other zeolite framework types. Anyone working with fluoride-treated ZSM-5 catalysts for similar alkylation chemistry should read the claims in full rather than relying on the abstract, since process conditions and feed composition may narrow or widen the practical overlap.
The classification data shows heavy concentration in core catalysis (B01J) and refining (C10G) claims, with comparatively thinner coverage in operando or in-situ characterization methods — testing catalysts under live reaction conditions rather than ex-situ. Overlap zones with exhaust treatment (F01N) and heterocyclic chemistry (C07D) are also proportionally smaller than the core clusters, suggesting these adjacent applications have not been as heavily claimed. A targeted prior-art search on any specific in-situ or operando measurement method is still the necessary next step before relying on this as a filing strategy.
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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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.
Machine translation. Assignee and organisation names originally recorded in Chinese, Japanese or Korean have been rendered into English by an AI translation step so that the tables stay readable. These renderings are best-effort and may not match a company’s registered English name; the original name is what the underlying patent record carries, and it is what any Eureka query launched from this page uses.