G21G CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K)
Introduced: September 1968
Description
G21G encompasses technologies for artificially converting one chemical element into another, primarily through nuclear reactions, and for producing radioactive sources used in industrial, medical, and research applications. This subclass covers nuclear transmutation processes, particle bombardment methods, reactor-based element conversion, and the manufacture and handling of radioactive materials for practical use. Typical inventions include apparatus for neutron-induced transmutation, production of artificial isotopes, creation of sealed radioactive sources, and devices for element separation post-conversion. Adjacent classes such as G21C (nuclear reactor engineering) and G21F (protection against radiation) address reactor design and radiation safety respectively, whereas G21G focuses specifically on the conversion process itself and source preparation.
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
CPC: CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K)
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K)
Additional Content IPC
Limiting references
Adaptations of reactors to facilitate experimentation or irradiation. Examples of such adaptations include modification of the reactor core to enable exposure of samples for investigative purposes. Irradiation devices. These typically include arrangements to deliberately subject bodies or materials to ionising radiation in order to take advantage of known effects of the radiation thereon.
Application references
Applying radioactive material to the body Radiation therapy using radioactive sources Conversion of chemical elements by thermonuclear reactions in fusion reactors Conversion of nuclear fuel in fission reactors Application of radiation from radioactive sources
IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 4 subcodes exist in both systems.
2 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- G21G 1/00 Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes (separation of different isotopes of the same element B01D59/00) +2 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- G21G 4/00 Radioactive sources (producing neutrons or other subatomic particles, X- or gamma rays, in fusion reactors G21B, in nuclear reactors G21C, by cosmic radiation G21H7/00, in accelerators H05H; X-ray tubes H01J35/00; gamma masers H01S4/00) since 1974 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- G21G 5/00 Alleged conversion of chemical elements by chemical reaction IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- G21G 7/00 Conversion of chemical elements not provided for in other groups of this subclass since 2009 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Class G21,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINA GENERAL NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION 2,364
- CGN POWER COMPANY 1,899
- CHINA NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 1,870
- NUCLEAR POWER INSTITUTE OF CHINA 1,517
- KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE KR 1,367
- WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION US 1,295
- KOREA HYDRO & NUCLEAR POWER COMPANY KR 1,196
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1,044
- CHINA INSTITUTE OF ATOMIC ENERGY 1,011
- HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY 955
Top Applicants (CPC)
Class G21,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINA GENERAL NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION 1,383
- WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION US 1,347
- KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE KR 1,303
- CGN POWER COMPANY 1,156
- CHINA NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 1,149
- KOREA HYDRO & NUCLEAR POWER COMPANY KR 1,146
- NUCLEAR POWER INSTITUTE OF CHINA 1,086
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 765
- CEA (COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE) FR 763
- CHINA INSTITUTE OF ATOMIC ENERGY 659