C01 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Description
C01 encompasses the preparation, purification, and characterization of inorganic compounds and elements that are not covered by other chemistry classes. This class includes non-metallic elements (halogens, noble gases, phosphorus, sulfur, etc.), inorganic acids and bases, salts, oxides, hydroxides, and their industrial synthesis methods. It also covers the production of inorganic chemicals through chemical reactions, extraction processes, and stabilization techniques. Adjacent metallurgical processes and metal-specific chemistries are classified separately under C22 (METALLURGY).
Filing statistics
CPC C01 recorded 478,771 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 6 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 24,350 in 2013 to 55,170 in 2023 (+127%), peaking at 56,131 applications in 2022. The most active applicants in class C01 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (4,293 applications), LG CHEM (3,317 applications) and BASF (BADISCHE ANILIN & SODA FABRIK) (2,219 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
6 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- C01B NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF;
- C01C AMMONIA; CYANOGEN; COMPOUNDS THEREOF (; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts of peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium or tellurium C01B19/00; azides C01B21/08; ; metal imides or amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; ; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00)
- C01D COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS, i.e. LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CAESIUM, OR FRANCIUM (metal hydrides C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts of peroxyacids C01B15/00; sulfides C01B17/22; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; ; metal amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; phosphides C01B21/50; ; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanic acid C01C3/14; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20)
- C01F COMPOUNDS OF THE METALS BERYLLIUM, MAGNESIUM, ALUMINIUM, CALCIUM, STRONTIUM, BARIUM, RADIUM, THORIUM, OR OF THE RARE-EARTH METALS (metal hydrides C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts of peroxyacids C01B15/00; sulfides or polysulfides of magnesium, calcium, strontium, or barium C01B17/42; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; ; metal amides C01B21/092, ; nitrites C01B21/50; ; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanic acid C01C3/14; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20; )
- C01G COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F (metal hydrides C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts or peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium, or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; ; metal amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; ; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20)
- C01P INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 4,293
- LG CHEM KR 3,317
- BASF (BADISCHE ANILIN & SODA FABRIK) DE 2,219
- SINOPEC (CHINA PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION) 2,154
- OMYA INTERNATIONAL CH 1,524
- PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY JP 1,362
- SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY SA 1,298
- SUMITOMO METAL MINING COMPANY JP 1,286
- CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY 1,243
- L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE FR 1,238