Company patents
Korea Institute of Energy Research
Korea Institute of Energy Research's patent strategy reveals a surprising recent shift, with a significant decline in its leading category, Batteries & Fuel Cells, which saw a -22.2% decrease in patenting so far in 2026 after a 200.0% surge in 2025. Concurrently, there's an emerging focus on Electrolysis & Electrochemistry, which, despite having only 3 patents (3.2% of the portfolio), has seen a notable increase to 2 patents so far in 2026 after no activity in 2024 and 2025, indicating a potential new direction in energy research.
Patent Trend by Technology Area
Yearly patent publications since 2023
Product themes
Product-level themes inferred from filings since 2023, with category chips showing where each theme appears. Select a theme to filter the patents below.
95 US filings (since 2023) · 12 categories · 28 themes
Catalytic processes and novel catalyst materials designed to efficiently produce hydrogen gas from various feedstocks, including hydrocarbons (e.g., methane, natural gas) and ammonia.
Development of catalytic materials and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) specifically designed for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) or carbon monoxide (COx) into valuable chemicals or fuels.
Technologies and systems for removing unwanted components or separating desired gases from a mixed gas stream, including adsorption, absorption, and membrane-based methods.
Technologies and materials for capturing carbon dioxide from gas streams and subsequently converting it into valuable chemical products or materials, rather than simply storing it.
Development and synthesis of catalysts with unique compositions or structures, such as medium entropy alloys, metal foam-supported catalysts, layered catalytic articles, or high-entropy oxides, to enhance activity, selectivity, or stability in chemical reactions.
Focuses on the composition, crystal structure, and synthesis methods of positive electrode active materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, often involving complex metal oxides of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium.
Process and equipment for producing solid-state battery cells, including solid electrolyte synthesis (sulfide/oxide/polymer), thin-film deposition, lamination, sintering, dry-electrode fabrication, and stacking under controlled atmosphere.
Design and engineering of non-catalytic parts within an electrolysis cell or stack, such as separators, gaskets, flow fields, porous transport layers, and manifold devices, to improve efficiency, sealing, or gas management.
Methods and systems for enhancing the operational lifespan, stability, and performance management of electrolyzers, including strategies for preventing degradation, restoring activity, and regulating operating conditions.
Development of materials with tailored porosity, surface chemistry, or structure, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolites, or superficially porous particles, for selective adsorption, ion exchange, or chromatographic separations.
Integration of power converters with energy storage devices (batteries, supercapacitors) or grid interfaces, often involving AC/DC conversion, power flow management, and fault handling for hybrid power systems or specific applications like EVs or PV.
Active anode materials and manufacturing techniques for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, including silicon-carbon composites, graphite, lithium-metal anodes, and electrode coating processes that improve capacity, cycle life, and rate capability.
Slurry compositions and coating processes for battery electrodes, including binder/active-material slurries, surface coating layers, and electrode-to-foil adhesion for cathode and anode.
Systems that incorporate solar panels as a primary or auxiliary power source for various applications, including visual displays, remote devices, and portable battery charging, often emphasizing efficiency and adaptability.
Systems designed to manage the temperature of multiple components in electric or hybrid vehicles, such as batteries, electric motors, power electronics, and the passenger cabin, often using shared or interconnected cooling/heating circuits.
Membrane-based separation for water purification, contaminant removal, desalination, and wastewater treatment, including reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and forward osmosis modules.
Engineering approaches to improve the efficiency, control, and performance of chemical reactors, encompassing continuous processes, heat exchange integration, and specialized reactor configurations for various chemical transformations.
Development and optimization of organic chemical compounds and their structures, including guest-host systems and metal complexes, used within the emission layer to achieve specific light emission characteristics such as color, efficiency, and operational lifetime.
Focuses on novel semiconductor materials, heterostructures, and doping profiles to improve photovoltaic conversion efficiency, stability, and spectral response.
Chemical compounds developed for applications in energy storage devices, such as rechargeable lithium batteries, often functioning as electrolyte additives to improve performance, safety, or lifespan.
Focuses on the structural integrity, housing, mounting, and physical integration of battery cells into robust and protected packs within electric vehicles, including manufacturing considerations.
Processes and apparatus for disassembling spent batteries and recovering valuable materials (e.g., metals, electrolytes, plastics) through mechanical, chemical, or electrochemical methods for reuse or sustainable disposal.
Design and control of power supply architectures that combine multiple power sources (e.g., AC grid, DC battery, generators) or modular battery units, often featuring switching, conversion, and redundancy for enhanced reliability and flexibility.
Synthesis and processing of silicon and silicon carbide materials in various forms (e.g., particles, nanowires, films) for applications beyond traditional semiconductors, such as battery components, refractories, or advanced electronics.
Techniques for precisely creating structures, patterns, or devices with feature sizes in the nanometer range, including various lithography methods, self-assembly, and controlled growth of nanowires or thin films.
Creation of membranes and surfaces with nanoscale features to control properties like porosity, hydrophobicity, or catalytic activity, particularly for applications in filtration, separation, and environmental remediation.
Techniques for forming thin films of metal oxides or related metal compounds on substrates, often using solution-based methods, for applications in electronics, optics, or specialized coatings.
Methods and apparatus for disinfecting or sterilizing medical devices, waste, or environments, often employing radiation, chemical agents, or thermal processes, and including monitoring systems.
Patents
Showing 1-10 of 167