Patent overview

The following short description does in no way completely describe the full content, nor the detailed claim definitions, and hence can not replace a diligent patent analysis. It is meant as an outline primarily for business managers, not primarily for patent lawyers (who may however use this as a guideline). We do not mention all of the patents, but only the more important ones. We are citing here mainly the US patents. In general (with exceptions having more or less countries assigned) the patents are filed or issued in Europe (most countries), US, Canada, Japan, Korea.

A full list of the patents and patent applications is available here.

The patent portfolio consists of 3 levels parallel to the value generation chain, each having one or more "umbrella" patents (patents with very broad and general main claims, covering total areas), shown in the marked boxes, plus several detailed (dependant) patents, shown below the boxes. We also report the priority year, and if applicable, the expiration year.

Level 1: Chemistry

composition of matter (polyaniline) (1987)
5,069,820 (2008)
5,160,457 (2004)
5,456,862 (2012)
practically all chemical structures of polyaniline doped with (e.g.) sulfonic acids, carbonic, phosporic, phosphonic, including polymeric dopants, incl. dopant salts, excluding unstable dopants like HCl,

process for polymerizing conductive polymers (not only "polyaniline", but all and any) (1987)
5,567,355 (2013)
any polymerization procedure with a temperature rise of 5° or less, leading to a conductive polymer in powder form
including Emeraldine Base and other neutral non-conducting conjugated polymers

use of two (or more) different dopants (1991) 5,281,363 (2014)
even higher thermal stability dopants (1987, 1992) 5,378,403 (2015); 5,422,423 (2015)
surface dopants as blend compatibilizers (1992) 5,911,918 (2019)
enzymatic synthesis of polyaniline (1991) 5,420,237 (2015)
process for forming conjugated backbone polymers (1990) 5,227,092 (2013)
conductive polymers formed from conjugated backbone polymers (1990) 5,185,100 (2013)
compatibility modifications of conjugated backbone polymers via the dopant moieties (1991) 5,378,404 (2015)
emulsion polymerisation process leading to a colloidal system compatible with organic solvents, including unpolar solvents (1994) 5,567,356 (2016), 5,863,465 (2019)
use of ionic surfactants and/or polar solvents for the increase of conductivity in emulsion polymerisation manufactured organically compatible polyaniline (1996) 5,840,214 (2018); 5,780,572 (2018)
new metal complex polyaniline composition (completely new class of polyaniline composition) (1997): in the patent review process, cf. PCT 98/04660
solvent processable forms of polyaniline (1987) 4,983,322 (2011); 5,006,278 (2011) covering "oxidizing dopants", e.g. metal salts, and a polar organic solvent
new process for the formation of Emeraldine base via p-halo-aniline (1997) 5,582,161 (2018)

polymer blends with any kind of conductive polymer, including , but not limited to polyaniline, including neutral conjugated non-conductive forms

blends in thermoplastics with a polarity higher than PS (1984) 4,935,164 (2007)

blends with any polymer when using the dispersible powder generated according the "process" in level 1(1987) 5,567,355 (2013)

processing (dispersion) in solvents

conductive and non-conductive forms of conductive polymers in solvents (1988) 5,498,761 (2013) including water!

Emeraldine base in organic solvents (1991) 5,278,213 (2011)

also covering methods or specific processes for dispersion
formation of thin layers of pure conductive polymers (with no blend matrix) from organic solvents or water by contacting the substrate with a dispersion (1988) 5,498,761 (2016)
decrease of critical concentration in blends by forming 2- or multiple phased polymer blends (1985) 4,929,388 (2010)
use of certain non-conductive colloidal particles for increasing conductivity (= decreasing critical volume concentration) (1990) 5,476,612 (2015)
dispersion process for increasing the intrinsic conductivity of polyaniline (transforming it to the Organic metal stage, = predispersion) (1994) 5,720,903 (2018)
process for the preparation of conductive polymer blends (reactive coating or blending: formation of the polyaniline inside the blend or on the surface of the substrate) (1991) 5,254,633 (2013)
polymer blends with low percolation threshold (1998), 5,908,898 (2019) covering multiphase blends
polymer / plasticizer blends (1997) 5,871,671 (2019)
conductive polymer film formation (reactive) using initiators (1991) 5,225,495 (2013)

Generally, application claims are included in all patents cited above. Therefore, e.g. the manufacture and use of coatings with or without matrix polymers (blend matrix) for antistatic purposes, eventual later use in EMI shielding, as capacitors, sensors, indicators, actuators, solar cells, displays, as conductive layer in polymer LED's, as catalysts, electrodes, ..., is widely and broadly covered.

Specific "umbrella" and special patents have been made in the following fields:

Conductive polymers in general, polyaniline specifically, in doped and in undoped form, for use in corrosion protection applied to the metall surface in a non-electrochemical way, priority a) 1987, b) 1993

first broad claim and specific disclosure in 5,567,355 (2013)

first general description and broad claims, covering the whole class of conductive polymers and the principle of ennobling and passivation, including pure ICP and blend (paint) coatings, irrespective of whether in organic or water media, focussing on (but not limited to) polyaniline: 5,721,056 (2015)

Polyaniline as a catalyst for the deposition of conventional metals on substrates (1995), EP 0 807 190 (other countries still in the reviewing process)

corrosion resistant paints (covering paints containing non-conductive conjugated polymers, e.g. Emeraldine Base) (1995) 5,648,416 (2017); 5,853,621 (2018), 5,532,025 (2016)
multilayer coating (primer + topcoat) (1993), partially still in the reviewin g process, see EP 0 712 336
phosphonic acid as dopants for polyaniline in anti-corrosion formulations (1997), still under review, cf PCT 98/07202
anodically formed ICP-aluminum oxode composite as anti-corrosion coating on aluminum (1998), still under review, cf PCT 98/08401

environmental indicator device and method (CAN 1,257,921)
"smart window": adjustable tint window with electrochromic conductive polymer (1988) 5,042,923 (2011)
thermal window glazing with conductive polymer coating (1989) 4,963,206 (2010)
solvent spinning of fibres (1997) 5,911,930 (2019): antistatic fibres using the organic solvent compatible emulsion polymerization polyaniline
fibres coating process (using polyaniline dispersions) (1997) still under review cf PCT 98/05992
lubricants containing organic solvent compatible polyaniline (1998) still under review, cf. PCT 99/03054

Summary:
With the construction of the patent portfolio being composed of generic or general "umbrella" patents with a very broad coverage and more specialized dependant patents, and due to the fact that their priority dates are all very early (even before any scientific paper was published touching the given field), the patents are dominating major areas in the field of conductive polymers, not only polyaniline, but generally focussing on this class, their chemical composition, chemical process for making them, processing / dispersion, blends, and application.

In conclusion: the Organic Metal technology is a basically new technology, a new class of materials, and could become a breakthrough innovation. All technological and patents preconditions are available for developing a market where Zipperling / Ormecon and their licensees are extremely well protected.

Introduction to the scientific background		Products
recent review with a good introduction		Application overview: Corrosion protection with CORRPASSIV PCB finish with ORMECON CSN

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