US Patent 7931763 - TiO2 nanoadditive for solid propellant fuel

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7931763.html

This patent is based on research from the University of Central Florida and teaches how titania nanoparticles can improve the burn rates of solid propellants. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for enhancing solid propellant burn rates, comprising the steps of:

providing a solid propellant fuel;

providing nanoparticles of TiO2 additive, where the titania additive is 10 nm or less; and

mixing the nanoparticles of TiO2 additive with the solid propellant fuel,

wherein the nanoparticle additive function as a catalyst to modify burn rate of the fuel.

US Patent 7807265 - Partially passivated qdots

http://ip.com/patent/US7807265

Passivation of quantum dot nanocrystals via a core/shell structure provides an increase in the qdot visible brightness. However, complete passivation can reduce the optical sensitivity of quantum dots to analytes. This patent from the University of Central Florida Research Foundation teaches a partial passivation quantum dot structure optimizing the brightness and the sensitivity for qdot biosensors. Claim 1 reads:

1. A core shell particle, comprising:

a luminescent nanocrystal core, and

a partially passivating semiconducting shell on a surface said nanocrystal, and

an analyte selective shell covalently attached to said semiconductor shell.

US Patent 7534453 - Cerium oxide nanoparticles for enhanced brain cell survivability

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7534453.html

This patent from the University of Central Florida Research Foundation teaches that cerium oxide nanoparticles are useful to reduce damage from free radicals offering a potential treatment for stroke and traumatic brain injuries. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for enhancing the survivability of living biological cells comprising:

selecting a plurality of living biological cells, wherein the cells are brain cells;

adding in-vitro, one single application of non agglomerated, ultra fine, engineered nanoparticles of cerium oxide of the size approximately 2 nm to approximately 10 nm wherein the nanoparticles contain a plurality of oxygen vacancies in a lattice structure and the oxygen vacancies support biological activity as free radical scavengers to cultures of the plurality of living brain cells; and

enhancing a lifespan of the living brain cell cultures when the cerium oxide particles function as a regenerative free radical scavenger wherein after one free radical scavenging event has occurred, the cerium oxide particles remain biologically available for more than one free radical scavenging event.

US Patent 7471388 - Tunable nanoparticle resonator

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7471388.html

Metal nanoparticles are very useful for molecular analysis techniques such as Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. This patent from the University of Central Florida teaches using a silicon cantilever as a tuning mechanism to adjust the responsiveness of the metal nanoparticles to different wavelengths. Claim 1 reads:

1. A frequency tunable resonant apparatus comprising:

a top substrate and a bottom substrate separated by a distance;

a nanostructure having a diameter smaller than an excitation wavelength of the nanostructure; and

a movable silicon cantilever in a vicinity of said nanostructure between said top and said bottom substrate, wherein a plasmon resonance of said nanostructure is tuned to several different excitation wavelengths according to a proximity of said movable silicon cantilever to said nanostructure enabling the detection of several species with said nanostructure.