Rice Patents

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1911/79705

This collection includes granted patents (not applications) by Rice faculty, students and staff that list Rice University as the original assignee (owner). For questions, please contact the Kelley Center for Government Information, Data and Geospatial Services by email at govhelp@rice.edu or by phone at 713-348-5483. If you are a Rice inventor and do not find your patent listed, please contact the Kelley Center to provide us with information about your patent.

Please email any comments or suggestions about this collection of Rice patents to govhelp@rice.edu

Visit our guide for more information on patents and local library services.

Please note: The subject search is not meaningful for patents. Instead use the top search box to conduct a keyword search of patents' full text.

Browse

Now showing 1 - 16 of 16

Cement-based direct ink for 3D printing of complex architected structures
(2021-02-09) Rahman, Muhammad M.; Sajadi, Seyed Mohammad; Kumar, Ashok; Boul, Peter J.; Thaemlitz, Carl; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA); United States Patent and Trademark Office
Provide is a cement ink for a cement ink for 3D printing (which also includes additive manufacturing) of 3D cement structures and materials. The cement ink includes an American Petroleum Institute (API) Class G cement, a nano-clay, a superplasticizer, a hydroxyethyl cellulose, and a defoamer. The nano-clay may be hydrophilic bentonite. The superplasticizer may be a polycarboxylate ether. The defoamer may be 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. Processes for forming the cement ink and printing 3D cement structures using the cement ink are also provided.
Charge coupled device based on atomically layered van der waals solid state film for opto-electronic memory and image capture
(2016-08-30) Lei, Sidong; Ge, Liehui; George, Antony; Li, Bo; Vajtai, Robert; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
An opto-electronic sensor may provide one or more layers of atomically layered photo-sensitive materials. The sensor may include a gate electrode layer, a dielectric layer in contact with the gate electrode layer, and a working media layer that is photo-sensitive deposited on the dielectric layer. The working media layer may provide one or more layers of one or more materials where each of the one or more layers is an atomic layer. The sensor may also include side electrodes in contact with the working media layer.
Composition for energy generator- storage- and strain sensor and methods of use thereof
(2012-11-13) Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Kumar, Ashavani; Botello-Mendez, Andres Rafael; Gullapalli, Hemtej; Terrones Maldonado, Mauricio; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Compositions and devices for harvesting electrical energy from mechanical and thermal energy, storing such produced energy, and sensing strain based on low cost materials and processes. In embodiments, the compositions are flexible and include a flexible polymer embedded and coated with a nanostructured piezoelectric material.
Conformal coating on nanostructured electrode materials for three-dimensional applications
(2016-04-12) Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Ou, Fung Suong; Shajiumon, Manikoth M.; Gowda, Sanketh R.; Reddy, Arava L. M.; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A fabrication process for conformal coating of a thin polymer electrolyte layer on nanostructured electrode materials for three-dimensional micro/nanobattery applications, compositions thereof, and devices incorporating such compositions. In embodiments, conformal coatings (such as uniform thickness of around 20-30 nanometer) of polymer Polymethylmethacralate (PMMA) electrolyte layers around individual Ni—Sn nanowires were used as anodes for Li ion battery. This configuration showed high discharge capacity and excellent capacity retention even at high rates over extended cycling, allowing for scalable increase in areal capacity with electrode thickness. Such conformal nanoscale anode-electrolyte architectures were shown to be efficient Li-ion battery system.
Direct gas fluorination of boron nitrides and compositions including fluorinated boron nitrides
(2024-02-13) Khabashesku, Valery N.; Meiyazhagan, Ashok Kumar; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A method for producing fluorinated boron nitride involves heating a reactor chamber, providing boron nitride in the reactor chamber, flowing fluorine and an inert gas through the reactor chamber, and exposing the boron nitride to the flowing gases and the heat. The method may include boron nitride that is exfoliated or non-exfoliated. The fluorinated boron nitride that is produced from this method may have a hexagonal crystal structure or a cubic crystal structure. The method may additionally comprise removing the fluorinated boron nitride from the reactor chamber and mixing it with a surfactant. A suspension may comprise particles of fluorinated boron nitride suspended in a fluid, which may be polar or non-polar, and may additionally include a surfactant. The fluorinated boron nitride may have a hexagonal or a cubic crystal structure. Furthermore, the boron nitride may be exfoliated or non-exfoliated.
Direct ink printing of multi-material composite structures
(2024-01-02) Sajadi, Seyed Mohammad; Boul, Peter; Tiwary, Chandra Sekhar; Rahman, Muhammad M.; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Thaemltiz, Carl; William Marsh Rice University; Saudi Arabian Oil Company; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Methods for fabricating a multi-material composite structure are described. Methods for fabricating a multi-material composite structure include forming a first colloidal ink solution with a first material matrix, water, and a rheology modifying agent; forming a second colloidal ink solution with a second material matrix, water, and a rheology modifying agent; printing a first layer on a substrate using a first printing nozzle carrying the first colloidal ink solution; printing a second layer on top of the first layer using a second printing nozzle carrying the second colloidal ink solution; forming a 3D structure by printing a plurality of layers including the first layer and the second layer printed in an alternating pattern; and sintering the 3D structure to form the multi-material composite structure.
Dynamic strain hardening in polymer nanocomposites
(2016-06-07) Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Carey, Brent Joseph; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
The present invention provides methods of strengthening composites. In some embodiments, such methods generally comprise a step of applying a dynamic stress to the composite in order to increase at least one of the stiffness or strength of the composite. In some embodiments, the composite comprises: a polymer matrix; nanomaterial fillers; and an interphase between the polymer matrix and the nanomaterial fillers. In some embodiments, the stiffness or strength of the composite increases permanently in response to the applied stress. In some embodiments, the increase in the stiffness or strength of the composite may be associated with an increase in the storage modulus of the composite, a decrease in the loss modulus of the composite, and a decrease in the loss tangent of the composite. In some embodiments, the applied stress results in a rearrangement of the interphase.
Electrodes with three dimensional current collectors and methods of making the same
(2017-02-14) Galande, Charudatta; Singh, Neelam; Khatiwada, Suman; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of forming electrodes on a surface. In some embodiments, the formed electrodes have a three-dimensional current collector layer. In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to the formed electrodes. In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to energy storage devices that contain the formed electrodes.
Energy storage devices including at least one electrode comprising a metal diboride, and related methods
(2020-09-15) Zhou, Zhou; Kato, Keiko; Babu, Ganguli; Khabashesku, Valery N.; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC; United States Patent and Trademark Office
An energy storage device including a first electrode comprising lithium, a second electrode comprising a metal diboride, an electrolyte disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and providing a conductive pathway for lithium ions to move to and from the first electrode and the second electrode, and a separator within the electrolyte and between the first electrode and the second electrode. A method of forming an energy storage device including forming a first electrode to include lithium, forming a second electrode to include a metal diboride, disposing an electrolyte between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrolyte providing a conductive pathway for lithium ions to move to and from the first electrode and the second electrode, and disposing a separator within the electrolyte and between the first electrode and the second electrode.
Flexible and transparent supercapacitors and fabrication using thin film carbon electrodes with controlled morphologies
(2018-01-30) Jung, Yung Joon; Jung, Hyun Young; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; Northeastern University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Mechanically flexible and optically transparent thin film solid state supercapacitors are fabricated by assembling nano-engineered carbon electrodes in porous templates. The electrodes have textured graphitic surface films with a morphology of interconnected arrays of complex shapes and porosity. The graphitic films act as both electrode and current collector, and when integrated with solid polymer electrolyte function as thin film supercapacitors. The nanostructured electrode morphology and conformal electrolyte packaging provide enough energy and power density for electronic devices in addition to possessing excellent mechanical flexibility and optical transparency.
Fluorine and hydrogen-based adhesive compositions and methods of making the same
(2021-11-16) Chipara, Alin C.; Chipara, Mircea; Tiwary, Chandra S.; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; The Board of Regents of The University Of Texas System; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to adhesive compositions that include a fluorinated molecule and a hydrogen-containing molecule that are non-covalently associated with one another. The molecules may be non-covalently associated with one another through dipole-dipole interactions that create a fluorine-hydrogen electronegativity difference between at least some of the fluorine atoms of the fluorinated molecule and at least some of the hydrogen atoms of the hydrogen-containing molecule. The fluorinated molecule and the hydrogen-containing molecule may be in different phases, such as a liquid phase for one molecule and a solid phase for the other molecule. Additional embodiments pertain to methods of enhancing an adhesiveness of a surface by applying an adhesive composition of the present disclosure to the surface. Further embodiments pertain to methods of making the adhesive compositions by mixing a fluorinated molecule with a hydrogen-containing molecule such that the molecules become non-covalently associated with one another.
Growth methods for controlled large-area fabrication of high-quality graphene analogs
(2017-02-28) Najmaei, Sina; Liu, Zheng; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Lou, Jun; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of growing chalcogen-linked metallic films on a surface in a chamber. In some embodiments, the method comprises placing a metal source and a chalcogen source in the chamber, and gradually heating the chamber, where the heating leads to the chemical vapor deposition of the chalcogen source and the metal source onto the surface, and facilitates the growth of the chalcogen-linked metallic film from the chalcogen source and the metal source on the surface. In some embodiments, the chalcogen source comprises sulfur, and the metal source comprises molybdenum trioxide. In some embodiments, the growth of the chalcogen-linked metallic film occurs by formation of nucleation sites on the surface, where the nucleation sites merge to form the chalcogen-linked metallic film. In some embodiments, the formed chalcogen-linked metallic film includes MoS2.
Methods of preventing corrosion of surfaces by application of energy storage-conversion devices
(2017-05-02) Galande, Charudatta; Singh, Neelam; Khatiwada, Suman; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
The present disclosure pertains to methods of protecting a surface (e.g., a metal surface) from corrosion by conformably attaching a hybrid device comprising at least one multilayer energy storage device and at least one energy conversion device. In some embodiments, the multilayer energy storage device is formed by the following steps: (1) applying a non-solid negative electrode current collector composition above the surface to form an negative electrode current collector layer above the surface; (2) applying a non-solid negative electrode composition above the negative electrode current collector layer to form an negative electrode layer above the negative electrode current collector layer; (3) applying a non-solid electrically insulating composition above the negative electrode layer to form an electrically insulating layer above the negative electrode layer; (4) applying a non-solid positive electrode composition above the electrically insulating layer to form a positive electrode layer above the electrically insulating layer; and (5) applying a non-solid positive electrode current collector composition above the positive electrode layer to form a positive electrode current collector layer above the positive electrode layer.
Patterned graphite oxide films and methods to make and use same
(2016-04-12) Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Pradhan, Bhabendra K.; Gao, Wei; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
The present invention relates to patterned graphite oxide films and methods to make and use same. The present invention includes a novel strategy developed to imprint any required conductive patterns onto self-assembled graphene oxide (GO) membranes.
Recycling Li-ion batteries using green chemicals and processes
(2023-02-28) Tran, Mai K.; Rodrigues, Marco-tulio F.; Babu, Ganguli; Gullapalli, Hemtej; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Rice University; William Marsh Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A process for extracting, recovering and recycling metals and materials from spent lithium ion batteries (LIB) that comprises the contacting battery waste products with a deep eutectic solvent, and leaching the metal from the battery waste product and extracting the metal into the deep eutectic solvent with heat and agitation. After the leaching and extracting, the process further includes recovering the dissolved metals ions from the deep eutectic solvent solution, followed by a step of regeneration of cathode materials.
Synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticle-embedded siloxane composites
(2014-12-09) Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Kumar, Ashavani; Goyal, Anubha; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Metal/metal oxide nanoparticle-embedded polymer films were synthesized in situ wherein the polymerizing agent was utilized for both reduction and polymerization (such as curing). This in situ method avoids the use of any external reducing agent/stabilizing agent and leads to a uniform distribution of nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. In some embodiments, additional heating can be utilized to form the nanoparticles embedded in the polymer film.

Browse

Browsing Rice Patents by Author "Ajayan, Pulickel M."

Results Per Page

Sort Options