US Patent 7399400 - Polymer CNT biosensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7399400.html

There have been various proposals and designs for biosensors formed form aligned nanotube arrays but which be costly to fabricate. This patent from Nano-Proprietary teaches a biosensor using disordered nanotubes to lower production costs and enhance reproducibility. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensor for detecting an analyte comprising:

carbon nanotubes lacking alignment;

a polymer immobilized to the carbon nanotubes; and

a sensing element for detecting the analyte,

wherein the sensing element is immobilized to the carbon nanotube, wherein the polymer is an insulating, redox or conducting polymer and wherein the polymer is polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene or any substituted derivatives thereof.

US Patent 7367215 - Nanowire antifuse hydrogen sensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7367215.html

This patent from Nano-Proprietary teaches using nanowires for a hydrogen sensor in which an increase in hydrogen concentration gradually allows current flow between the nanowire junctions. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method comprising the steps of: a) forming, directly on a dielectric surface, at least one precisely-defined metal-alloy nanowire comprising nanobreakjunctions which close when exposed to predefined threshold concentrations of hydrogen; b) forming a circuit comprising said nanowire; and c) monitoring an electrical property within said circuit so as to determine when said nanobreakjunctions close.

US Patent 7300634 - CNT field emission for air purification

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7300634.html

Ultraviolet light is used in various purification systems. Many of these systems use fluorescent lamps as the source of the ultraviolet light which have limited life expectancies, take time to fully turn on and can be toxic to the environment. This patent form Nano-proprietary teaches an alternative using field emission cathodes (such as carbon nanotubes) in ultraviolet sources for air or water purification. Claim 1 reads:

1. A photocatalytic cleaner for air or water, comprising: a photocatalytic material coating a substrate; an anode, positioned a predetermined distance from the substrate, comprising a phosphor adapted to emit ultraviolet light in response to bombardment by electrons; and a field emission cathode, positioned a predetermined distance from the anode, operable for emitting electrons in response to an electric field.

US Patent 7287412 - Palladium nanoparticle hydrogen sensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7287412.html

Palladium nanowires have previously been used in hydrogen sensors but with limited operational temperature ranges and hydrogen concentrations. This patent from Nano-Proprietary teaches an improved configuration using palladium nanoparticles or nanowires in a resistive layer. Claim 1 reads:

1. An apparatus for sensing hydrogen comprising: a substrate comprising an insulating material; a conductive patterned layer deposited on the substrate; and a plurality of nanoparticles comprising palladium deposited on the conductive patterned layer, wherein the conductive patterned layer is oxidized to form a resistive layer; wherein some of the nanoparticles and portions of the resistive layer from at least one conductive path in the presence of hydrogen.

Patent Landscape for Electron Emitting Nanomaterials

I recently published an article in the Nanotechnology Law and Business Journal (http://www.nanolabweb.com/) exploring the U.S. patent landscape for electron emitting nanomaterials. These materials represent an early area of commercialization for nanotechnology in the electronics area and have already been the source of some legal conflicts (Nano-Proprietary v. Canon lawsuit). Some of the currently proposed applications that use these materials include flat panel displays, lighting devices, microwave electronics, and lithography tools. The article discusses why nanomaterials are beneficial for these applications as well as the major patent holders for these nanomaterials.

For those interested in the patent data for these nanomaterials that I used in writing this article(Excel spreadsheet containing 300 patents sorted according to assignee and application area) send an E-mail to blaise_mouttet@yahoo.com with nanomaterial database in the title.

US Patent 7244513 - Porous silicon powder used to make nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7244513.html

Patent claims to intermediate products used in a manufacturing process often may be preferred over claiming the process itself since claims to structure may often be easier to enforce than claims to methods. This patent from Nano Proprietary is directed toward an intermediate product used in the formation of silicon nanoparticles. Claim 1 reads:

1. A porous silicon powder comprising a plurality of silicon particles wherein only the outermost layers of said particles are porous, and wherein the outermost porous layers of said silicon particles comprise a thickness which ranges from at least about 1 angstrom to at most about 500 nanometers.

US Patent 7195938 - Nanotube coating for field emitter fabrication

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7195938.html

Nano-proprietary is a very active player in the application of electron emitting carbon nanotubes. They have the licence of the basic patent for this technology and are commercializing a new type of flat panel display using surface electron emission displays (SEDs). This patent claims a fabrication method which provides SED fabrication using low tech. solutions. Carbon nanotubes are printed on a substrate using inkjet technology and scotch tape is used to remove access nanotubes leaving a sufficient density to form the SEDs.

1. A method for making a field emission cathode comprising the steps of: depositing a carbon nanotube ("CNT") mixture on a cathode structure using a spraying process; contacting the deposited CNT mixture with an adhesive material; and separating the adhesive material from the deposited CNT mixture.