US Patent 8110026 - Graphene-polymer gas barrier

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8110026.html

Gas diffusion barriers are important to some types of chemical processing and sensor applications as well as materials for food packaging. This patent from Princeton University teaches using graphene material to produce improved gas diffusion barriers. Claim 1 reads:

1. A gas diffusion barrier, comprising:

a polymer matrix; and

a functional graphene having a surface area of from about 300 m2/g to 2600 m2/g,

wherein said functional graphene is made by thermally exfoliating graphite oxide at a temperature of from 300 to 2000° C.

US Patent 7745528 - Graphene-rubber nanocomposites

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7745528.html

This patent from Princeton University teaches a method to incorporate graphene into a polymer matrix to improve the strength and electrical conductivity of seals an packaging materials. Claim 1 reads:

1. A polymer composition, comprising:

a polymer matrix comprising an elastomer; and

a functional graphene which displays no signature of graphite and/or graphite oxide, as determined by X-ray diffraction.

US Patent 7700498 - Self-repair of nanostructures by liquidification

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7700498.html

Manufacturing limitations make structural defects and nonuniformity at sub-micron dimensions more likely than in microscale systems. This patent from Princeton University teaches a method to correct such defects for silicon or metal nanostructures by liquification and resolidification. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of reducing geometrical and/or structural defects in a nanoscale device having at least one nanostructure with a minimum dimension about one micrometer or less comprising the steps of:

providing the nanoscale device;

fabricating a guiding surface on an exposed surface of the nanostructure;

liquifying the nanostructure for a period of time; and

permitting the liquified nanostructure to resolidify.

US Patent 7414294 - Intermediate band core/shell quantum dots provided in organic matrix

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7414294.html

This patent discloses a quantum dot based composites useful for solar cells in which band matching is achieved between quantum dots and an organic matrix. Claim 1 reads:

1. A photosensitive device comprising:

a plurality of quantum dots, each quantum dot having a shell; and

an organic matrix, the quantum dots being embedded in the organic matrix, at least the quantum dots and the organic matrix being photoconductive semiconductors, the shell around each quantum dot being arranged as a tunneling barrier to require an electron in a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the organic matrix to perform quantum mechanical tunneling to reach the respective quantum dot, and a first quantum state above the band gap in each quantum dot being between the LUMO and a highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the organic matrix, wave functions of the first quantum state of the plurality of quantum dots to overlap as an intermediate band.

US Patent 7282456 - Repair of nanostructures using guiding structure

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7282456.html

One of the problems with many of the proposals of nanoelectronic devices is that the nanowires and similar structures used to form the devices are subject to some degree of defects which must be compensated for by the architecture design. This patent from Princeton University teaches a method of reducing such defects in nanoscale structures by a process somewhat analogous to annealing. One of the key insights was the inclusion of a guiding surface which controls the nanostructure height leading to high aspect ratios. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of reducing geometrical and/or structural defects in a nanoscale device having at least one nanostructure with a minimum dimension about one micrometer or less comprising the steps of: providing the nanoscale device; placing a guiding surface adjacent an exposed surface of the nanostructure; liquifying the nanostructure for a period of time; and permitting the liquified nanostructure to resolidify.