People often inquire about Andre Geim’s decision not to patent graphene. The Nobel laureate humorously responds by recounting a conversation with a representative from a major tech company. They suggested that in the future, the company would hold so many graphene patents that Geim would spend a fortune and his lifetime fighting legal battles against them. However, what many don’t realize is that graphene had already been patented by a company named Nanotek Instruments two years prior to the first research papers emerging from Geim’s lab in Manchester and the de Heer lab at Georgia Tech.
A patent with the number 7071258, titled “Nano-scaled graphene plates”, was filed in October 2002. It depicts single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, which unfold into monolayer and multilayer graphene sheets. This patent not only covers graphene itself but also graphene composites with other materials like polymers, metals, glasses, and carbons. Bor Jang and Wen Huang are the patent owners who also introduced the term “nano-scale graphene plates” (NGP), now widely used by many companies. Despite its visionary nature, this patent often goes unnoticed by many graphene researchers today.
Ron Beech, Director of Marketing and Sales for Angstron Materials, the successor of Nanotek, expresses disappointment that Dr. Geim and many scientists in the nano materials field neglected to explore patent literature where crucial discoveries and technological advancements are documented. Beech notes that their search results from both open literature and patent documents show no reports before 2002 documenting the actual production and utilization of single-layer graphene sheets for any application.
Patent literature is often overlooked
Ron Beech highlights a deeper divide beyond the graphene patent matter: many scientific researchers in academia overlook the patent literature, where solutions to numerous challenges they encounter in their daily laboratory work could be found. Despite efforts, particularly in recent years, to foster collaboration between industry and academia, knowledge-sharing appears to be predominantly one-sided. While industry leaders closely monitor scientific literature, scientists often neglect to explore patents.
Elena Polyakova, CEO of Graphene Laboratories, renowned for its subsidiary Graphene Supermarket, echoes Beech’s sentiments. She remarks, “Scientists do not read patents, and often don’t know what the industry is doing.” Dr. Polyakova, who has transitioned from a successful scientific career to her role as a founder and CEO of one of the largest graphene suppliers, understands the perspectives of both academia and industry.
She emphasizes Dr. Bor Jang’s exceptional scientific prowess, noting that he made significant contributions to graphene well before academia began to fully appreciate its potential.
Dr. Jang, co-owner of Angstron Materials and holder of the first graphene patent, possesses an astronomical patent portfolio related to graphene production and applications. These include groundbreaking patents such as the first patent for single-layer graphene in 2002 and the first patent on graphene-reinforced materials like metal, glass, carbon, and ceramic-matrix composites, as well as single-layer graphene-reinforced polymer composites. Despite his pioneering work, Dr. Jang remains relatively unknown in academia as he rarely published scientific papers.
Creating a graphene powerhouse
Angstron Material has since become a powerhouse of graphene innovation. It is now among multiple subsidiaries of Global Graphene Group. The Company boasts the largest global capacity of graphene production, making 200 metric tons of single layer graphene per year. It has the largest graphene IP portfolio with over 510 patents and of course, the world’s first graphene patent. With a global presence across the Americas, Europe and Asia the Company is poised to dominate the graphene market.
The Company’s subsidiaries include Angston Materials, their graphene production company, Taiwan Graphene Company and Honeycomb Battery Company which has recently gone public on Nasdaq under the name Solidion (NASDAQ: STI).
According to Solidion’s website:
In a groundbreaking move, Solidion Technology, Inc. emerged as a key player in the battery industry through a strategic merger of its precursor, Honeycomb Battery Co. (HBC), and Nubia Brand International, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). HBC was founded in 2015 and became a fully-owned subsidiary of Global Graphene Group (G3) in 2016.
Solidion has an impressive intellectual property portfolio, holding over 525 patents globally, with 355 in the United States and 170 in various foreign jurisdictions. This treasure trove of patents, originating from HBC/G3, covers next-generation battery technologies. Notably, HBC/G3 gained recognition by winning the prestigious R&D100 award in 2018 for their Silicon Anode Material, a testament to their innovation.
HBC/G3’s prowess in solid-state batteries has positioned the company as one of the top two US leaders in solid-state electrolytes, according to a KnowMade Report in December 2021. Additionally, HBC/G3 is recognized as a top startup in the lithium-ion battery silicon anode space, as indicated in a KnowMade report in April 2022. This remarkable journey continues with the company achieving the number one rank in the world for sodium-ion battery IP value, surpassing major competitors, according to a Nikkei Economics report.
Further, Solidion’s all-solid-state battery platform technology is well-positioned to transform the EV battery space into a solid-state battery industry. Solidion will provide solid-state batteries that can be manufactured at scale using current lithium-ion cell production facilities. Solidion batteries are designed to deliver significantly extended EV range, improved battery safety, lower cost per KWh, fastest time-to-market, and enable next-gen cathodes (potential to replace expensive nickel and cobalt with sulfur (S) and other more abundant elements).
Solidion Technology, Inc. is not just a merger of companies; it’s a convergence of innovation, strategic vision, and a commitment to shaping the future of energy storage. With a rich history and a forward-looking approach, Solidion is set to play a pivotal role in the evolution of battery technologies, offering innovative solutions to power a sustainable world.
In the realm of emerging nano-technologies like graphene, overcoming a series of obstacles and technological challenges is essential to unlock the material’s full potential. While scientists often focus on highlighting the remarkable properties of materials in scientific publications, patents serve as a platform where the industry presents solutions to these challenges and obstacles. Fostering stronger cohesion and collaboration between academia and industry could be achieved if academic scientists paid more attention to patent literature.
