How to Cite a Patent in ACS Style

Learn how to cite a patent in ACS style with inventors, patent title, country or patent office, patent number, assignee, publication date, and URL.

ACS patent citations are common in chemistry, materials science, pharmaceuticals, catalysis, and engineering papers. A patent reference should make the invention traceable, not just provide a search URL.

  • Last reviewed: July 26, 2026
  • ACS citation guide
  • Includes examples and cleanup checks
  • Independent educational project

ACS patent citation format

A practical ACS patent citation usually includes inventors, patent title, country or patent office, patent number, publication date, assignee when available, and a stable URL.

ACS patent citation template

Inventor 1; Inventor 2. Patent Title. Country Patent Number, Publication Date. Assignee. URL.

ACS patent citation example

Goodenough, J. B.; Mizushima, K. Electrochemical Cell with Lithium Cobalt Oxide Cathode. US Patent 4,357,215, November 2, 1982. University of Oxford. https://patents.google.com/patent/US4357215A/en.

What each patent field means

  • Inventors are the people credited with the invention.
  • Assignee is the organization or owner listed on the patent record.
  • Patent number identifies the record and should include the country or office when needed.
  • Publication date helps distinguish related patent applications and granted patents.
  • A stable URL, such as Google Patents, helps readers retrieve the record.

Common ACS patent citation mistakes

  • Citing only a Google Patents URL without the inventor and patent number.
  • Confusing the patent assignee with the inventor.
  • Omitting the country or patent office when the patent number is ambiguous.

Related ACS tools

Use these pages to turn the guide into a formatted ACS reference or a complete reference list.

PatentExamplesReference ListReference cleanup service

ACS citation guides

These focused guides answer long-tail ACS citation questions and link back to the matching generator when you are ready to format a reference.

How to cite a patent in ACS styleA step-by-step ACS patent citation guide for inventors, assignees, patent numbers, dates, and URLs.How to cite a website in ACS styleLearn when to include author, page title, website name, URL, and access date for ACS web references.ACS journal article citation formatA focused guide to ACS journal article references, journal abbreviations, volume, pages, and DOI links.ACS DOI citation guideUse DOI metadata carefully for journal articles, datasets, preprints, and chemistry sources.ACS reference list cleanup checklistCheck source types, DOI links, journal abbreviations, patent fields, and in-text citation consistency.

Sources and method

Citation examples are maintained from public ACS citation patterns and checked against authoritative identifier and metadata sources. Always follow the final requirements from your instructor, department, or target journal.

Editorial review

Last reviewed: July 26, 2026. Chem Citation Tools is an independent educational project for chemistry citation workflows. The site is not affiliated with the American Chemical Society, and generated citations should be reviewed before academic or journal submission.

FAQ

Can I generate the citation after reading this guide?
Yes. Use the related generator links above to create the final ACS reference.
Is this an official ACS page?
No. Chem Citation Tools is an independent educational project and is not affiliated with the American Chemical Society.
Should I review citations before submission?
Yes. Always compare generated citations with your instructor, department, or target journal requirements.