Materials Science and Engineering

Patents

A patent is an exclusive intellectual property right granted for an invention. To be patented, the invention (a product or process) must provide a new way of doing something or offer a new technical solution to a problem. To get a patent, the inventors must disclose technical information about the invention to the public in a patent application.

I recommend starting your patent search with these databases:

SciFinder-n 

If you need: chemical science patents
SciFinder-n is the most comprehensive chemical information database. It indexes chemically related information from 64 patent issuing authorities. When you search for your topic in SciFinder-n, look for the "patent" filter under "Document Type." You can also look at the Patent Search Tutorial offered by SciFinder-n online. In order to use SciFinder, you must register for an account using your Gatorlink email address.

Patent Lens

If you need: broad search for patents
Searches patents from 95 jurisdictions, drawing from US (USPTO), European (EPO), Australian (AU), and World (WIPO) patents. The structured search allows you to create search strings and combine search concepts.

A Note on Patent Searching

Searching for chemical information in patents can be notoriously difficult because patents primarily serve as legal documents rather than as a source for sharing scientific knowledge. Some inventors (and patent attorneys) deliberately use obscure language in their patent applications to discourage reading. The patent classification and keyword system can also be difficult to navigate. If you have trouble navigating the patent literature, feel free to reach out to me so that I can help.

For more information about patents, visit the Patents and Trademarks guide linked below.

Connecting from off campus? You will need UF authentication to access many of the electronic resources in this guide, including databases, journal articles, and e-books. Learn how to connect from off campus.