Title page
Contents
Acknowledgements 5
Key findings and insights 6
Introduction 9
Types of graphite 10
Uses of graphite 10
Structure of the report and methodology 11
Global trends 13
Overall patenting trends 13
Regional specialization 15
Graphite sources 15
Processing graphite 15
Graphite derivatives, uses and applications 16
Graphite sources, processes and derivatives 18
Graphite sources 18
Flake graphite 18
Artificial graphite 20
Processing graphite 21
Ultrasonic exfoliation 22
Thermal exfoliation 23
Graphite derivatives 25
Graphite powder 28
Expanded graphite 29
Graphite-based nanocomposites 30
Graphite uses and products 31
Current innovation hot topics 33
Battery applications 33
Polymer composites 35
Ceramics 39
Heat dissipation 42
Lubrication 44
Areas with declining technology development and niche applications 46
Carbon brushes 46
Water treatment 48
Biomedical 50
Sensors 53
Conductive ink 55
Conclusion 58
Annex A: Methodology 60
Annex B: Patent searches 62
Annex C: Additional information 65
Acronyms 68
References 69
Table 1. Scope of the report 11
Table 2. Patent filing trends for the top 10 origins 14
Table 3. Regional specialization in graphite-related inventions 16
Table 4. Top applicants in the area of flake graphite, China and the rest of the world 20
Table 5. Top applicants in artificial graphite, China and the rest of the world 21
Table 6. Top applicants in ultrasonic exfoliation, China and the rest of the world 23
Table 7. Top applicants in thermal exfoliation, China and the rest of the world 24
Table 8. Top applicants in graphite powder, China and the rest of the world 28
Table 9. Top applicants in expanded graphite, China and the rest of the world 30
Table 10. Top applicants in graphite nanocomposites, China and the rest of the world 30
Table 11. Top applicants for graphite in battery applications, China and the rest of the world 34
Table 12. Top applicants for graphite in polymer composites, China and the rest of the world 38
Table 13. Top applicants for graphite in ceramics, China and the rest of the world 41
Table 14. Top applicants in using graphite for heat dissipation, China and the rest of the world 43
Table 15. Top applicants for graphite in lubricants, China and the rest of the world 46
Table 16. Top applicants for carbon in carbon brushes, China and the rest of the world 48
Table 17. Top applicants in graphite for water treatment, China and the rest of the world 50
Table 18. Top applicants in graphite for biomedical applications, China and the rest of the world 52
Table 19. Top applicants in graphite for sensor applications, China and the rest of the world 55
Table 20. Top applicants for graphite in conductive ink, China and the rest of the world 57
Figure 1. World graphite reserves and mine production 9
Figure 2. Graphite-related patent families, by earliest priority year, 2012-2021 13
Figure 3. Applicant profiles for China and the rest of the world 15
Figure 4. Distribution of graphite-related patent families by source type 18
Figure 5. Patent filing trend in flake graphite, 2012-2020 19
Figure 6. Patent filing trend in artificial graphite, 2012-2020 21
Figure 7. Worldwide patent filing in graphite processes 22
Figure 8. Patent filing trend in ultrasonic exfoliation, 2012-2020 22
Figure 9. Patent filing trend in thermal exfoliation, by earliest priority year, 2012-2020 24
Figure 10. Distribution of patent families by graphite derivative type 25
Figure 11. Worldwide filing trend in graphite derivatives, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2020 26
Figure 12. An example of processing methods to obtain graphene derivatives 27
Figure 13. An example of micro graphite powder use in battery applications 29
Figure 14. Innovation Maturity Matrix 31
Figure 15. Innovation Maturity Matrix of graphite-related patent families, China and the rest of the world 32
Figure 16. Number of graphite patent families related to battery applications, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2020 33
Figure 17. Graphite anode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries disclosed in a patent application (US2021/0202932A1) filed by Panasonic 35
Figure 18. Graphite incorporated in the synthesis of crosslinked polyolefin nanocomposites, as described in a patent application (US2022/0017704A1)... 36
Figure 19. Number of graphite patent families related to polymer composites, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 37
Figure 20. Patent applicant profiles for graphite-related patent families in polymer composites, China and the rest of the world 38
Figure 21. Number of graphite patent families related to ceramic applications, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 39
Figure 22. Patent families related to graphite for ceramics according to use, China and the rest of the world 40
Figure 23. Number of graphite patent families related to heat dissipation, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 42
Figure 24. Patent applicant profiles for graphite in heat dissipation, China and the rest of the world 43
Figure 25. Graphite sheet for use in a heat dissipation device disclosed in a patent application (CN112590323A) filed by Jones Technology 44
Figure 26. Number of graphite patent families related to lubrication, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 45
Figure 27. Number of graphite patent families related to carbon brushes, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 47
Figure 28. Number of graphite patent families related to water treatment, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 49
Figure 29. Number of graphite patent families related to biomedical applications, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 51
Figure 30. Graphite degrader used in a radiotherapy system, as described in a patent application (CN109224321A) 53
Figure 31. Number of graphite patent families related to sensor applications, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 54
Figure 32. Patent applicant profiles for graphite sensor applications, China and the rest of the world 55
Figure 33. Pseudo-graphite used in the making of a chemical oxygen-demand sensor disclosed in a patent application (US2020/0284747A1)... 55
Figure 34. Number of graphite patent families related to conductive ink, by year of filing, China and the rest of the world, 2012-2021 56
Figure 35. Pristine graphite as the source material for making conductive inks, as described in a patent application (US2015/0337145A1) filed by... 57
Annex Tables
Table A1. Search queries for the overall dataset 62
Table A2. Search queries for graphite sources, processes, derivatives, uses and products 63
Table C1. Top 10 applicant origins (non-China) for graphite powder patents 65
Table C2. Application trend for patent families related to various graphite uses and products originated in China 65
Table C3. Patent families related to various graphite uses and products originated in the rest of the world (RoW) 66
Annex Figures
Figure C1. Application trend for patent families related to graphite for carbon brushes originating from the rest of the world (i.e., non-China), 1972-2021 67
Figure C2. Applicant profiles for graphite applications related to water treatment, China and the rest of the world 67
Figure C3. Patent applicant profiles for graphite in biomedical applications, China and the rest of the world 67