Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

The global push for miniaturization, enhanced functionality, and sustainability is driving demand for advanced materials with tailored properties. Industries from medical devices to renewable energy require materials with specific pore structures for improved performance in areas like filtration, drug delivery, and energy storage. This technology offers a scalable and precise manufacturing solution, aligning with the critical need for high-performance, cost-effective materials that can meet stringent regulatory and market requirements worldwide.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Achieves ultra-precise control of pore structures by directly utilizing electromagnetic radiation interference patterns, enabling high-precision spatial control of nano- to micro-scale pore structures for optimized material design.

02

Significantly streamlines manufacturing processes by forming complex structures from homogeneous precursor polymer materials in a single batch, potentially improving productivity by up to 2x compared to multi-step conventional methods.

03

Secures a strong technical advantage, having successfully navigated a rigorous examination process that cited 12 prior art documents, demonstrating robust differentiation and competitiveness to replace existing products.

Market Opportunity
Medical and Bio-fields
$2.0B globally (AI est.)
Enhanced functionality through precise pore structures is required for biocompatible materials, cell culture scaffolds, drug delivery systems, and diagnostic devices.
Biomedical device manufacturers Cell culture substrate developers Drug delivery system innovators Diagnostic device producers
Environmental and Energy Fields
$2.5B globally (AI est.)
Demand is growing for materials that improve separation and reaction efficiency, such as high-efficiency water treatment filters, air purification filters, fuel cell electrolyte membranes, and catalyst carriers.
Water treatment filter manufacturers Air purification system suppliers Fuel cell component developers Catalyst support material producers
Electronics Field
$1.5B globally (AI est.)
Improved performance and miniaturization through fine structural control are required for next-generation sensors, microfluidic devices, and dielectric materials.
Next-generation sensor manufacturers Microfluidic device developers Dielectric material suppliers Advanced semiconductor packaging companies
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent protects a method for manufacturing structured polymer materials using electromagnetic radiation interference patterns to create spatially differentiated cross-linking, resulting in precise pore structures. The broad and multifaceted scope, with 32 claims, was secured after overcoming two office actions, indicating a robust and difficult-to-invalidate intellectual property foundation.

Competitive White Space

This patent focuses on the manufacturing method and resulting structured polymer materials. White space exists in developing novel applications for these materials, integrating them into complex systems, or creating hybrid materials that combine these structured polymers with other functional elements.

Economic Impact
~$1.5M/year estimated material cost reduction and productivity improvement per facility (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

Assuming a 10% reduction in defect rate and a 20% reduction in manufacturing cycle time for material production. For a company manufacturing polymer materials worth ~$66.5M annually (AI est.), this could result in an annual economic benefit of ~$650K (AI est.) from reduced material costs due to fewer defects and ~$1.0M (AI est.) from reduced opportunity loss due to increased productivity.

Speed to Market
5× faster than in-house development
This technology's fundamental research and proof-of-concept have been completed by Kyoto University. The electromagnetic radiation cross-linking control mechanism is established, and major technical challenges in the manufacturing process are resolved. Adopting this proven technology could shorten development time by approximately 3.2 years compared to in-house R&D, enabling faster market entry and competitive advantage.
Competitive Positioning

X: Precision Structure Control
Y: Manufacturing Efficiency & Cost Performance

Business Models & Applications
🏭 Contract Manufacturing & Material Supply
This model leverages the technology to custom-manufacture and supply structured polymer materials with specific pore structures tailored to customer needs, capable of handling small-batch, high-variety production.
🤝 Technology Licensing for Broad Adoption
This model involves granting licenses for the manufacturing method of this technology, specialized for specific industrial fields or applications, to promote widespread use and generate royalty income.
🔬 Joint Research & Development Partnerships
This model involves collaborating with companies aiming to develop specific functional materials, sharing upfront investment and outcomes through the development of new products or processes applying this technology.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🔋 エネルギー貯蔵
Next-Generation Battery Separators
Applying precisely porous polymer materials as separators in lithium-ion batteries or fuel cells could enhance ion conductivity while preventing short circuits, thereby improving battery safety and performance by an estimated 15-20% in energy density.
💧 水処理・環境
Ultra-Efficient Separation Membrane Filters
Developing polymer membranes with uniform pore sizes controlled by electromagnetic radiation could be utilized as precision filtration membranes in seawater desalination or industrial wastewater treatment, potentially achieving up to 30% more energy-efficient separation processes.
💡 光学・ディスプレイ
High-Function Optical Films & Lenses
Applying polymer materials with periodic microstructures to optical films and lenses could precisely control light diffraction and refraction, enabling the development of products with new optical functions like anti-reflection, color separation, and light guiding, potentially increasing optical efficiency by 10-25%.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 17-Month Deployment
Phase 1: Technology Evaluation & Requirements
Duration: 3 months
Understand the basic principles of this technology and evaluate its compatibility with the licensee's existing processes. Define detailed requirements for target products and material properties.
Phase 2: Prototype Development & Validation
Duration: 8 months
Based on defined requirements, optimize electromagnetic radiation conditions and polymer materials, then proceed with small-scale prototype development. Conduct performance evaluation and verification of the structured polymer materials formed.
Phase 3: Process Optimization & Integration Prep
Duration: 6 months
Based on insights from prototype development, optimize process conditions for mass production. Formulate an integration plan for existing manufacturing lines, including necessary equipment adjustments and personnel training.
Technical Feasibility
This technology is estimated to be relatively easy to integrate into existing polymer material manufacturing facilities, as it utilizes substantially homogeneous precursor polymer materials combined with general-purpose electromagnetic radiation and solvent treatment techniques. Each step of the manufacturing method described in the claims is clear, and it may be possible to adapt existing cross-linking and solvent treatment equipment without requiring specific, high-cost dedicated machinery. The technical hurdles are concentrated on precisely controlling the electromagnetic radiation interference patterns and optimizing polymer material selection and pre-treatment, which are deemed highly feasible based on the patent's disclosure.
Success Scenario
Upon adopting this technology, licensees could produce high-performance structured polymer materials at lower costs and with higher efficiency than conventional methods. This is expected to significantly enhance product performance and create clear differentiation against competitors. For example, medical devices could see improved biocompatibility and functionality, and filter products could achieve up to 30% higher filtration efficiency. Consequently, entry into new market segments or expansion of existing market share is anticipated.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2020-546512
REGISTRATION NO.
7460154
FILING DATE
2019/03/13
GRANT DATE
2024/03/25
EXPIRATION DATE
2039/03/13
PATENT HOLDER
国立大学法人京都大学
Examination History
2020年10月02日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2022年02月15日
出願審査請求書
2023年03月22日
拒絶理由通知書
2023年07月07日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2023年07月07日
意見書
2023年10月17日
拒絶理由通知書
2023年11月29日
意見書
2023年11月29日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2024年02月27日
特許査定