Wuxi DK Electronic Materials (DKEM) has filed two patent infringement lawsuits with the Jiangsu High People’s Court against Jiangsu Riyu Photovoltaic New Materials and Suzhou Jinyin New Materials Technology, seeking CNY 200 million in damages in each case, along with related legal costs.
DKEM said both cases have been formally accepted and registered by the court, although hearing dates have not yet been scheduled.
The lawsuits involve two Chinese invention patents—ZL201180032359.1 and ZL201180032701.8—covering thick-film conductive paste formulations for semiconductor devices, including solar cells. According to DKEM, the patents are held by its subsidiary Solamet Electronic Materials and relate to lead-tellurium-lithium and oxide-based conductive paste technologies.
In its filings, DKEM is seeking court injunctions to halt the manufacture, sale, and offering for sale of the allegedly infringing conductive pastes. The company is also requesting the destruction of dedicated production equipment and molds, as well as compensation for economic losses, enforcement costs, and other related expenses.
The disputed patents originate from the intellectual property portfolio of DuPont’s former Solamet photovoltaic paste business, which was acquired by another entity in 2021 for approximately $190 million. DKEM later consolidated control over the Solamet assets and associated intellectual property rights.
Suzhou Jinyin is described in Chinese financial disclosures as a leading supplier of front-side silver paste for solar cells, ranking third globally by market share. Founded in 2011, the company was later acquired by listed electronics manufacturer Suzhou Good-Ark Electronics. Jiangsu Riyu, meanwhile, is a fast-growing photovoltaic paste supplier that submitted a Hong Kong listing application in 2025 and has announced plans to expand into n-type and back-contact paste products.
The latest filings follow a series of earlier high-value patent actions by DKEM. In 2025, one of its subsidiaries brought a similar lawsuit against Zhejiang Guangda Electronic Technology. A Solamet-linked entity also pursued related claims against Changzhou Juhe New Materials in 2021, with both domestic and overseas disputes reportedly settled in August 2022.
