US Patent 7834468 - IV-VI semiconductor nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7834468.html

This patent from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has early priority (9/5/2001) and includes some broad claims to nanocrystals of PbSe and PbS which may be useful to thermal imaging devices. Claim 1 reads:

1. A plurality of semiconductor nanoparticles having an elementally passivated surface, wherein the nanoparticles comprise a IV-VI semiconductor material.

US Patent 7615204 - Super long carbon nanotube strands

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7615204.html

This patent is based on a collaboration between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Tsinghua University and teaches a CVD fabrication method capable of producing long carbon nanotubes which may make the development of some speculative projects such as the space elevator more attainable. Claim 1 reads:

1. A continuous carbon nanotube strand having a length of at least 10 cm when it is directly synthesized.

US Patent 7505102 - Carbon nanotrees

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7504152.html

This patent from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute teaches the fabrication of a new type of nanostructure based on carbon or a variety of other materials having a nanoscale tree shape. Claim 1 reads:

1. A particle comprising a base having a shape of an inverted truncated right circular cone, wherein diameter of the inverted truncated right circular cone ranges from 1 nm to 100 microns, height of the inverted truncated right circular cone ranges from 5 nm to 1000 microns, and aspect ratio of the inverted truncated right circular cone ranges from 5 to 5000.

US Patent 7473411 - Carbon nanotube foam

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7473411.html

This patent from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute teaches a more compacted form of carbon nanotube foam applicable to a variety of high energy storage devices (e.g. fuel cells, Li-ion batteries, supercapacitors). Claim 1 reads:

1. A composition of matter comprising a carbon nanotube foam, wherein the foam comprises a cellular film containing an open cellular structure and the film is located on a substrate which promotes growth of carbon nanotubes in a direction normal to the substrate surface, wherein: the cellular structure of the cellular film comprises rims and depressions; the rims comprise carbon nanotubes substantially aligned in a first direction; and the depressions comprise carbon nanotubes substantially aligned in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.