Browsing by Author "Zhu, Jiang"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Fabrication of carbon nanotube reinforced epoxy polymer composites using functionalized carbon nanotubes
    (2009-10-13) Khabashesku, Valery N.; Zhu, Jiang; Peng, Haiqing; Barrera, Enrique V.; Margrave, John L.; Margrave, Mary Lou; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
    The present invention is directed to methods of integrating carbon nanotubes into epoxy polymer composites via chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes, and to the carbon nanotube-epoxy polymer composites produced by such methods. Integration is enhanced through improved dispersion and/or covalent bonding with the epoxy matrix during the curing process. In general, such methods involve the attachment of chemical moieties (i.e., functional groups) to the sidewall and/or end-cap of carbon nanotubes such that the chemical moieties react with either the epoxy precursor(s) or the curing agent(s) (or both) during the curing process. Additionally, in some embodiments, these or additional chemical moieties can function to facilitate dispersion of the carbon nanotubes by decreasing the van der Waals attractive forces between the nanotubes.
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    Fiber-reinforced polymer composites containing functionalized carbon nanotubes
    (2012-05-29) Zhu, Jiang; Khabashesku, Valery N.; Peng, Haiqing; Barrera, Enrique V.; Margrave, John L.; Margrave, Mary Lou; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
    The present invention is directed to methods of integrating carbon nanotubes into epoxy polymer composites via chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes, and to the carbon nanotube-epoxy polymer composites produced by such methods. Integration is enhanced through improved dispersion and/or covalent bonding with the epoxy matrix during the curing process. In general, such methods involve the attachment of chemical moieties (i.e., functional groups) to the sidewall and/or end-cap of carbon nanotubes such that the chemical moieties react with either the epoxy precursor(s) or the curing agent(s) (or both) during the curing process. Additionally, in some embodiments, these or additional chemical moieties can function to facilitate dispersion of the carbon nanotubes by decreasing the van der Waals attractive forces between the nanotubes.
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    Increasing bacterial succinate productivity
    (2014-08-05) San, Ka-Yiu; Bennett, George N.; Balzer, Grant; Zhu, Jiang; Thakker, Chandresh; Sánchez, Ailen; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
    Improved bacteria for making succinate and other 4 carbon dicarboxylates from the Krebs cycle have modifications to reduce acetate, lactate, EtOH and formate, as well as turn on the glyoxylate shunt, produce more NADH and overexpress In one embodiment, the bacteria are ΔadhEΔldhAΔiclRΔack-pta plus PYC+ and NAD+-dependent FDH+.
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    Increasing NADPH-dependent products
    (2014-12-09) San, Ka-Yiu; Bennett, George N.; Lin, Henry; Martinez, Irene; Zhu, Jiang; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
    A method of increasing cellular NADPH levels by expressing one or more genes that encode an enzyme that causes the production of NADPH. The system is combined with other enzymes that require NADPH, thus improving the overall yield of the desired product.
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    Sidewall functionalization of carbon nanotubes with organosilanes for polymer composites
    (2013-09-24) Barrera, Enrique V.; Zhu, Jiang; Zhang, Lei; Khabashesku, Valery N.; Margrave, John L.; Kim, Jong Dae; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
    The present invention is directed to methods of functionalizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs), particularly single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), with organosilane species, wherein such functionalization enables fabrication of advanced polymer composites. The present invention is also directed toward the functionalized CNTs, advanced CNT-polymer composites made with such functionalized CNTs, and methods of making such advanced CNT-polymer composites.