Article | New Study on Patent Applications for Nanotechnology in Brazil

Recently, the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BRPTO) published a Technological Radar on “Mapping patent applications in Brazil involving Nanotechnology”, presenting the landscape of the patent applications referring to nanotechnology, filed over the period of 20 years (2000 – 2020).

Nanotechnology is classified as, first, the understanding and control of materials and processes in the nanoscale, and second, using the properties of nanomaterials, which are different from the materials in regular dimensions, creating materials, devices, and systems that use those new properties. Nanomaterials can be classified by the following criteria: synthesis methods, structure, composition, and properties.

Nanotechnology presents several applications in the materials field, and in the automotive industry, electronic, construction, medical, and pharmaceutical fields, for example. Moreover, the use of nanotechnology causes many impacts on the environment, such as reducing the use of resources, and others that are still in analysis, such as nanotoxicity.

The amount of patent applications in a specific field is an indicator of R&D (Research & Development), and the BRPTO study presents the landscape of patent applications related to nanotechnology.

Patent applications referring to nanotechnology increased from 2000 to 2010, and for the following decade, it has remained stable. The main applicants are non-residents; however, the rate of Brazilian applicants has been increasing each year, reaching 40% in 2020.

Responsible for more than 65% of applications, there are the United States with 36.2%, Brazil with 20.9%, and Germany with 8.1%. China, an economy with a high rate of patent applications in Brazil in many technological fields, ranks 14^th. Among the Brazilian applicants, universities shine, wherein the Federal University of Minas Gerais has more than 200 applications, followed by the University of São Paulo, with more than 190 applications, and the University of Campinas with more than 150 applications.

The top three categories of nanotechnology that have the most applications are organic nanomaterials, nanocomposites, and metal nanomaterials. Referring to the status of the applications identified in the assessment, only 18% are considered valid, 30% are considered pending examination, more than 45% are considered not valid applications, and 3,2% are considered extinct patents.

The study raises that this kind of assessment makes it possible to identify technological routes, new potential applications of the technology, and the main roles in this field. Moreover, it raises many issues referring to the legislation of this technology.

To read more (in Portuguese), please access the full report  https://www.gov.br/inpi/pt-br/assuntos/informacao/RT_Nanotecnologia_CatalisaICT_agosto2023.pdf

For additional information or assistance, feel free to contact us at international@simoes-ip.com

Author: Tainara Barbosa, Patent Specialist