Polymers are a ubiquitous part of daily life, being used in nearly every object we interact with over the course of a day. Despite this ubiquity, the polymer field is still rapidly advancing and evolving, as innovators push materials into ever more ambitious applications and consumers demand greater levels of performance and lower environmental impact.
Our polymer patent experts continue to build on our long history of working with innovators across the spectrum of polymer technology, spanning the manufacture of simple ‘pure’ polymers, the use of high-performance polymers for specialist applications and the development of complex polymer composite materials. We are proud to work with several of the biggest chemical companies in the polymer area, as well as a range of SMEs and universities.
We recognise that innovations in the polymer field are often defined in terms of improvements in physical or chemical performance, due to difficulties in characterising such materials in purely structural and compositional terms: this can present a particular set of challenges, especially at the European Patent Office (EPO). Our polymer IP specialists have a huge amount of experience in successfully addressing these issues, both during examination and in post-grant opposition, exploiting our knowledge of EPO practice and case law in this area and our understanding of the nature of polymer materials themselves.
Our work encompasses the exciting and ever-expanding possibilities presented by advanced composite polymer materials, as innovators exploit the significant improvements in properties that can arise when polymers are mixed with other components. We have a great deal of experience in assisting clients in this area, from obtaining and protecting patents, to successfully challenging the IP rights of others.
In recent times, there has been a significant shift towards looking at the lifecycle of polymers more broadly, with innovators and consumers interested not only in how polymers perform during use, but also considering the ‘before’ and ‘after’ - how the polymers are sourced and produced and what happens to the materials at the end of their useful life. As the forward-looking European IP firm, we are especially excited to be working with clients at the forefront of the ‘green polymer’ revolution, advising on how IP can be used to drive the new environmentally friendly materials of tomorrow to commercial success.
Read more on our Polymer spotlight page.
