Between 2012-2021, the number of patent families filed in CPC class H01M10/054,13which relates to alternative battery chemistries, has steadily increased. The trends follow those seen for redox flow and solid-state battery technology, with a steady growth in the number of patent families filed in this class.
The top filers in the US, Canada, and Europe between 2017-2021 were US aerospace company Lockheed Martin (228 patent families) and Japanese company Sumitomo Electric Industries (433 patent families).
For example, sodium and aluminium chemistries provide two potential alternatives to traditional lithium-based battery chemistries.10 One reason for the interest in alternative battery chemistries is based on supply chain issues relating to lithium and its co-metals nickel, cobalt, and manganese.