Company patents
SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD. appears to be shifting its patent strategy away from its dominant Batteries & Fuel Cells category, which represents 60.5% of its portfolio but has seen a consistent decline in patenting activity, including a -39.0% YoY drop in 2026 so far. This trend is mirrored in its second-largest category, Compounds Containing Metals (37.0% of portfolio), which also experienced a -4.5% YoY decline in 2026, suggesting a broader re-evaluation of its core materials and energy-related intellectual property.
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.
276 US filings (since 2023) · 12 categories · 23 themes
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.
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.
Large-scale processes for synthesizing, purifying, or recycling various industrial metal compounds, including sulphides, hydroxides, and sulfates, often involving chemical reactions, crystallization, or electromembrane processes.
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.
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.
Polymer compositions incorporating inorganic or organic filler materials to impart specific functional properties such as thermal conductivity, flame retardancy, electrical conductivity, or enhanced mechanical strength and dimensional stability.
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.
Development of new conductive materials, including powders, composites, and alloys, designed for specific electrical performance, manufacturing processes, or applications beyond basic copper wires.
Development and processing of metal powders with specific magnetic properties, including soft magnetic alloys, permanent magnet materials, and insulated powders for electronic components, often involving precise control of particle size, morphology, and composition.
Additives or compositions specifically formulated for surface application or modification to impart protective, decorative, or specialized functional properties to polymer products.
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.
Application of coatings, layers, or chemical treatments to the surface of glass articles to impart specific functionalities such as UV blocking, anti-whitening, hydrophobicity, or adhesion for subsequent layers.
Composite materials where a metallic matrix is reinforced with a second phase (e.g., ceramic particles, carbon nanotubes, diamond grains) to significantly enhance properties like hardness, wear resistance, stiffness, or strength, often used in cutting tools, wear parts, or structural applications.
Novel formulations and mechanisms for initiating or controlling the polymerization and cross-linking of adhesives, including dual-curing systems, radical polymerization, and partial curing for tailored material properties.
Materials added to polymers to modify their thermal transfer properties, typically increasing conductivity for heat dissipation in applications like electronics or battery packs.
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.
Manufacturing and processing techniques for producing ultra-thin glass articles, often with enhanced flexibility and mechanical properties, suitable for use as substrates in electronic displays, foldable devices, or other advanced electronics.
Methods and compositions for applying metallic or alloy layers to a substrate, or modifying the surface of an alloy, to impart specific functional properties such as corrosion resistance, wear resistance, electrical insulation, or improved adhesion, without altering the bulk properties significantly.
Novel glass formulations, often doped with rare-earth elements or specific metal oxides, designed to achieve desired optical properties such as refractive index, light transmittance, polarization, or amplification.
Methods for depositing thin films with controlled conformality, thickness, and material properties, including selective deposition on specific areas, often using atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or epitaxial growth.
Techniques for building three-dimensional metal objects layer-by-layer using metal powders, including powder bed fusion, binder jetting, and directed energy deposition. This theme encompasses process mechanics, equipment design, and operational control for AM systems.
Production of materials where properties vary continuously or discontinuously through the volume, often achieved by combining different powders or applying specialized coatings like thermal sprays to enhance surface hardness, wear resistance, or thermal properties.
Development of specific glass compositions, such as phosphate glasses, for use as active materials or electrolytes in energy storage devices like metal-ion accumulators and batteries.
Patents
Showing 1-8 of 8
Glass Surface Functionalization