Rice Patents

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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.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 609

Additive manufacture-assisted method for making structural elements having controlled failure characteristics
(2024-06-18) Sajadi, Seyed Mohammad; Meiyazhagan, Ashok Kumar; Boul, Peter; Rahman, Muhammad; Thaemlitz, Carl; Ajayan, Pulickel; Rice University; Saudi Arabian Oil Company; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A process for making a layered multi-material structural element having controlled mechanical failure characteristics. The process includes the steps of: supplying a cementitious layer and forming a polymer layer on the cementitious layer by additive manufacture such that the polymer layer has a first thickness and the cementitious layer has a second thickness, wherein the polymer layer comprises a polymer and the cementitious layer comprises a cementitious material; and allowing the polymer from the polymer layer to suffuse into the cementitious layer for a period of time to obtain a suffused zone in the cementitious layer such that the suffused zone has a third thickness that is less than half the second thickness.
Methods of fabricating laser-induced graphene and compositions thereof
(2024-06-18) Tour, James M.; Chyan, Yieu; Arnusch, Christopher John; Singh, Swatantra Pratap; Li, Yilun; Luong X, Duy; Kittrell, Carter; Ye, Ruquan; Miller, Jordan; Kinstlinger, Ian; Cofer, Savannah; Rice University; B.G. Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd. at Ben-Gurion University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Methods that expand the properties of laser-induced graphene (LIG) and the resulting LIG having the expanded properties. Methods of fabricating laser-induced graphene from materials, which range from natural, renewable precursors (such as cloth or paper) to high performance polymers (like Kevlar). With multiple lasing, however, highly conductive PEI-based LIG could be obtained using both multiple pass and defocus methods. The resulting laser-induced graphene can be used, inter alia, in electronic devices, as antifouling surfaces, in water treatment technology, in membranes, and in electronics on paper and food Such methods include fabrication of LIG in controlled atmospheres, such that, for example, superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic LIG surfaces can be obtained. Such methods further include fabricating laser-induced graphene by multiple lasing of carbon precursors. Such methods further include direct 3D printing of graphene materials from carbon precurors. Application of such LIG include oil/water separation, liquid or gas separations using polymer membranes, anti-icing, microsupercapacitors, supercapacitors, water splitting catalysts, sensors, and flexible electronics.
Alkali-metal anode with alloy coating applied by friction
(2024-05-14) Tour, James M.; Salvatierra, Rodrigo Villegas; Luong, Duy Xuan; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
An electrochemical cell with a lithium-metal anode that suppresses dendrite formation and can be fabricated using a simple, inexpensive, and solvent-free process. The anode is coated with a layer of disordered nanomaterial, saturated with lithium ions, that suppresses dendrite formation during charging. The dendrite-suppression coating can be applied simply using a dry, abrasive technique in which the lithium-metal anode is alternately abraded to roughen the surface and polished using a polishing powder of a material that alloys with the lithium.
Hypothermic 3D bioprinting of living tissues supported by perfusable vasculature
(2024-05-07) Miller, Jordan; Ta, Anderson; Grigoryan, Bagrat; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for producing hydrogel matrix constructs. Methods of using hydrogel matrix constructs for tissue repair and regeneration and for the oxygenation of red blood cells are also disclosed.
Additive manufacture-assisted method for making structural elements having controlled failure characteristics
(2024-05-28) Sajadi, Seyed Mohammad; Meiyazhagan, Ashok Kumar; Boul, Peter; Rahman, Muhammad; Thaemlitz, Carl; Ajayan, Pulickel; Rice University; Saudi Arabian Oil Company; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A process for making a layered multi-material structural element having controlled mechanical failure characteristics. The process includes the steps of: supplying a cementitious layer and forming a polymer layer on the cementitious layer by additive manufacture such that the polymer layer has a first thickness and the cementitious layer has a second thickness, wherein the polymer layer comprises a polymer and the cementitious layer comprises a cementitious material; and allowing the polymer from the polymer layer to suffuse into the cementitious layer for a period of time to obtain a suffused zone in the cementitious layer such that the suffused zone has a third thickness that is less than half the second thickness.
Additive manufacture-assisted method for making structural elements having controlled failure characteristics
(2024-05-28) Sajadi, Seyed Mohammad; Meiyazhagan, Ashok Kumar; Boul, Peter; Rahman, Muhammad; Thaemlitz, Carl; Ajayan, Pulickel; Rice University; Saudi Arabian Oil Company; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A process for making a layered multi-material structural element having controlled mechanical failure characteristics. The process includes the steps of: supplying a cementitious layer and forming a polymer layer on the cementitious layer by additive manufacture such that the polymer layer has a first thickness and the cementitious layer has a second thickness, wherein the polymer layer comprises a polymer and the cementitious layer comprises a cementitious material; and allowing the polymer from the polymer layer to suffuse into the cementitious layer for a period of time to obtain a suffused zone in the cementitious layer such that the suffused zone has a third thickness that is less than half the second thickness.
Multicomponent plasmonic photocatalysts consisting of a plasmonic antenna and a reactive catalytic surface: the antenna-reactor effect
(2024-04-16) Halas, Nancy Jean; Nordlander, Peter; Robatjazi, Hossein; Swearer, Dayne Francis; Zhang, Chao; Zhao, Hangqi; Zhou, Linan; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A method of making a multicomponent photocatalyst, includes inducing precipitation from a pre-cursor solution comprising a pre-cursor of a plasmonic material and a pre-cursor of a reactive component to form co-precipitated particles; collecting the co-precipitated particles; and annealing the co-precipitated particles to form the multicomponent photocatalyst comprising a reactive component optically, thermally, or electronically coupled to a plasmonic material.
Hydrogel delivery of sting immunotherapy for treatment cancer
(2024-04-30) Young, Simon; Leach, David; Hartgerink, Jeffrey D.; Rice University; The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System; United States Patent and Trademark Office
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides for novel compositions of matter comprising multi domain peptide (MDP) hydrogels and cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs). Also disclosed are method of using such compositions in the treatment of cancer, including in particular the treatment of head and neck cancers, such as those resistant to CDN therapy.
Laser-induced graphene filters and methods of making and using same
(2024-04-16) Tour, James M.; Stanford, Michael G.; Li, John; Chyan, Yieu; Arnusch, Christopher John; Presutti, Steven E.; Rice University; B.G. NEGEV TECHNOLOGIES and APPLICATIONS LTD., at Ben-Gurion University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Virus and microbe-killing, self-sterilizing resistive heated air filters and methods of making and using same methods. The air filter is includes laser-induced graphene (LIG), a porous conductive graphene foam formed through photothermal conversion of a polyimide film (or another source or source of polymer or other LIG precursor material) by a laser source. The LIG in the air filter can capture particulates and bacteria. The bacteria cannot proliferate even when submerged in culture medium. Through a periodic Joule-heating mechanism, the filter easily reaches greater than 300° C. This destroys any microorganisms including bacteria, along with molecules that can cause adverse biological reactions and diseases such as viruses, pyrogens, allergens, exotoxins, endotoxins, teichoic acids, mycotoxins, nucleic acids, and prions.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing of graphene materials
(2024-04-30) Tour, James M.; Sha, Junwei; Li, Yilun; Miller, Jordan; Kinstlinger, Ian; Cofer, Savannah; Chyan, Yieu; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Three-dimensional (3D) printing of graphene materials and methods and apparatuses for making same. In some embodiments, combined metal powder and carbon growth sources (such as powder Ni and sucrose) are utilized in the 3D printing process. In other embodiments, metal powders with binders (such as powder Ni and a polymer bases binder) are utilized in the 3D printing process. The metal in the resulting 3D printed composite material can then be etched or otherwise removed yielding the 3D printed graphene materials.
Determination of fluid-phase-specific petrophysical properties of geological core for oil, water and gas phases
(2024-03-05) Vinegar, Eva; Singer, Philip M.; Hirasaki, George J.; Chen, Zeliang; Wang, Xinglin; Vinegar, Harold J.; Rice University; Vinegar Technologies LLC; United States Patent and Trademark Office
The following invention is used for determining the relative permeability of a fluid in a rock for three different phases: water, oil, and gas, in both conventional and unconventional formations. The permeability of a phase describes how much it can flow in porous media given a pressure gradient and is useful in evaluating reservoir quality and productivity. The following invention is a method to determine the three-phase relative permeabilities in both conventional and unconventional formations using NMR restricted diffusion measurements on core with NMR-active nuclei, combined with centrifugation of the core. In addition, the tortuosity, pore size (surface-to-volume ratio), fluid-filled porosity, and permeability is determined for each of the three phases in a rock.
Partitioned machine learning architecture
(2024-03-05) Rouhani, Bita Darvish; Mirhoseini, Azalia; Koushanfar, Farinaz; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A system may include a processor and a memory. The memory may include program code that provides operations when executed by the processor. The operations may include: partitioning, based at least on a resource constraint of a platform, a global machine learning model into a plurality of local machine learning models; transforming training data to at least conform to the resource constraint of the platform; and training the global machine learning model by at least processing, at the platform, the transformed training data with a first of the plurality of local machine learning models.
Method of estimating permeability using NMR diffusion measurements
(2024-03-19) Vinegar, Harold J.; Singer, Philip M.; Hirasaki, George J.; Chen, Zeliang; Wang, Xinglin; Vinegar, Eva; Rice University; Vinegar Technologies LLC; United States Patent and Trademark Office
This invention is useful for determining the permeability of a geological formation using 1H NMR diffusion measurements acquired in the laboratory and using downhole 1H NMR well logging. The current technology for obtaining formation permeability downhole using NMR is not adequate for low-permeability, unconventional source rock formations with high organic content. This new method uses laboratory 1H NMR diffusion measurements for creating continuous downhole well logs of the mobile-hydrocarbon permeability of the hydrocarbon-filled pore space of downhole geological formations.
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.
Visible light-activated dyes and methods of use thereof
(2024-02-27) Xiao, Han; Tang, Juan; Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Disclosed herein are photoactivable fluorophores comprising one or more thiocarbonyl groups as well as conjugates and compositions thereof. The present disclosure also provides methods of preparing photoactivatable fluorophores as well as methods of imaging using the photoactivatable fluorophores, conjugates, and compositions of the present disclosure.
Theranostic methods and systems for diagnosis and treatment of malaria
(2024-01-02) Lapotko, Dmitri; Hleb, Katsiaryna; Braam, Janet; Olson, John S.; William Marsh Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for employing nanobubbles for theranostic purposes are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprising introducing a photothermal nanobubble into a malaria-infected red blood cell is provided.
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.
Stoichiometric tuning of nucleic acid hybridization probes by auxiliary oligonucleotide species
(2024-01-23) Zhang, David Yu; Wu, Ruojia; Wang, Juexiao; William Marsh Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
This invention describes a method of controlling the hybridization yield of nucleic acid probes by adjusting the relative concentrations of auxiliary oligonucleotides to the probes and the targets. The auxiliary oligonucleotide is partially or fully complementary to either the probe or the target, and is released upon hybridization of the probe to the target.
Method for printing objects having laser-induced graphene (LIG) and/or laser-induced graphene scrolls (LIGS) materials
(2023-11-07) Tour, James M.; Luong X, Duy; Subramanian, Ajay; William Marsh Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Laser-induced graphene (LIG) and laser-induced graphene scrolls (LIGS) materials and, more particularly to LIGS, methods of making LIGS (such as from polyimide (PI)), laser-induced removal of LIG and LIGS, and 3D printing of LIG and LIGS using a laminated object manufacturing (LOM) process.
High resolution microendoscope employing differential structured illumination and method of using same
(2023-10-31) Keahey, Pelham; Richards-kortum, Rebecca; William March Rice University; United States Patent and Trademark Office
A high-resolution microendoscope system includes a light source, a fiber optic bundle configured to transmit light from the light source to a sample, a disc configured to receive light returned from the sample, the disc having spaced apart segments, the spaced-apart segments being at least one of openings and transparent portions, a first camera configured to capture a first image based at least in part on light passing through the disc, and a second camera configured to capture a second image based at least in part on light reflected from the disc.

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