US Patent 7964159 - Monitoring fluidic interaction with nanotube conduit

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7964159.html

This patent has priority from 2005 and includes some broad claims for using nanotubes in nanofluidic diagnostics. Claim 1 reads:

1. An analytical device comprising:

two reservoirs capable of fluid containment; and

at least one nanotube placing said reservoirs in fluid communication with one another, a portion of the exterior of the at least one nanotube being exposed to the environment exterior to the reservoirs, at least a portion of the lumen of at least one nanotube being observable by electron or ion-beam microscopy.

US Patent 7824653 - Water soluble quantum dots

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7824653.html

This patent from Drexel University teaches manufacturing of CdS and ZnS quantum dots aapted for bioconjugation and a high quality emission spectra. Claim 1 reads:

1. A water soluble quantum dot comprising:

a metal sulfide capped with a material consisting essentially of one or more carboxylated molecules.

US Patent 7744843 - Bulk synthesis of CNTs

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7744843.html

This patent from Drexel University teaches a way of using chlorine gas to facilitate the mass production of single walled carbon nanotubes. Claim 5 reads:

5. A method for synthesizing carbon nanotubes, comprising:

extracting metal from a carbide substrate using one or more halogens at a temperature in the range of from about 700 C. to about 2000 C.; and

growing carbon nanotubes in a non-vacuum pressure environment on the substrate upon conversion of the carbide substrate into carbon.

US Patent 7647848 - Simultaneous inspection and nanomanipulation

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7647848.html

This patent is from Drexel University's Cell and Protein Mechanics Lab and teaches a system that integrated an atomic force microscope with a nanomanipulation tool to simultaneously image and strain biological samples. Claim 1 reads:

1. A device for simultaneous inspection and manipulation of a sample, said device comprising:

a base unit;

a sample holder mounted on said base unit;

an inspection device operatively associated with said base unit for inspecting a sample on said sample holder; and

at least one nano-manipulator mounted in an operative position on said base unit to permit manipulation of the sample on said sample holder to deform said sample by exerting a force on said sample using said at least one nano-manipulator;

wherein said at least one nano-manipulator is mounted such that manipulation of the sample does not prevent operative inspection of said sample by said inspection device during or after manipulation of the sample.

US Patent 7597870 - Metal sulfide capped quantum dots

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7597870.html

Quantum dots are usefully employed as biomarkers but the photoluminescence of qdots can include broadband emission which is disruptive to the identification of compounds. This patent from Drexel University reaches a modification of quantum dots to overcome this problem. Claim 1 reads:

1. A water soluble quantum dot suitable for bioconjugation consisting essentially of: one or more metal sulfides capped with carboxylated molecules.