The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity in polysulfide batteries is driven by government support and the increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC), and growing importance of technologies such as solid-state electrolytes, protective layers, and HPC-aided and AI-based designs to enhance performance, safety, and cost-effectiveness. In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.7 million patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Batteries in automotive: polysulfide batteries. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over one million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Polysulfide batteries is a key innovation area in batteries
Polysulfide batteries are a type of lithium-ion battery that uses a polysulfide electrolyte instead of a traditional electrolyte. The use of polysulfide electrolytes can potentially provide higher energy density and longer cycle life compared to traditional electrolytes.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 30+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of polysulfide batteries.
Key players in polysulfide batteries – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to polysulfide batteries
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Fujifilm | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Gas Chemical | 53 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 146 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sion Power | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Idemitsu Kosan | 115 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyundai Motor | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ramot | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CSL | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Murata Manufacturing | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Arkema | 172 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BASF | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Central Glass | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Shokubai | 138 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Albemarle | 67 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Solvay | 78 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsui Mining & Smelting | 86 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toshiba | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kia | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sumitomo Electric Industries | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Soda | 67 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TotalEnergies | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Furukawa | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Group | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Solid Power | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SES | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AMG Lithium | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Arkema is one of the leading patent filers in polysulfide batteries. The company has developed a new polysulfide cathode material combining a polysulfide matrix and lithium metal oxide. This material offers improved stability, efficient lithium ion transport, and a wider electrochemical window, potentially leading to higher energy densities, longer lifespans, and faster charging speeds for lithium-ion batteries. Some other key patent filers in this space include Toyota Motor and Nippon Shokubai.
In terms of application diversity, Fujifilm leads the pack, while the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan and Ramot stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Nippon Soda held the top position, followed by Albemarle and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Automotive.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
