ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR

Description

Class C25 covers electrochemical processes that use electric current to drive chemical reactions, including electrolysis, electroplating, electrorefining, and electrophoretic deposition. It encompasses the industrial apparatus, cells, electrodes, and control systems required for these electrolytic operations, as well as related electrophoretic techniques for coating and material separation. Applications include metal extraction and purification, surface coating, electrowinning, anodizing, and electroforming. Adjacent classes such as C01 (inorganic chemistry) and H01M (electrochemistry cells) address related electrochemical topics but from different technical perspectives.

Filing statistics

CPC C25 recorded 147,583 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 4 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 8,421 in 2013 to 19,135 in 2023 (+127%). The most active applicants in class C25 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (1,393 applications), JFE STEEL (914 applications) and EBARA CORPORATION (738 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings