US Patent 7790242 - Electrostatic deposition of graphene

http://ip.com/patent/US7790242

In order to produce single layer graphene sheets the "scotch tape" method has been employed to mechanically separate a layer from pyrolytic graphite. Some epitaxial techniques have also been used but result in multilayer graphene sheets. This patent from the University of Louisville Research Foundation teaches an alternative technique based on electrostatic deposition of graphene which may be easier for mass production. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for electrostatic deposition of graphene on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

securing a graphite sample to a first electrode;

electrically connecting the first electrode to a positive terminal of a power source;

electrically connecting a second electrode to a ground terminal of the power source;

placing the substrate over the second electrode; and

using the power source to apply a voltage, such that graphene is removed from the graphite sample and deposited on the substrate.

US Patent 7591897 - Low temperature rapid synthesis of metal oxide nanowires

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7591897.html

This patent from the University of Louisville Research Foundation teaches a high volume method of manufacturing metal nanowire materials. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for synthesis of a metal oxide nanomaterial, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a metal substrate;

creating a non-equilibrium gas comprising oxygen plasma at a low temperature at the point of the surface of the metal substrate of between about 50° C. and the temperature of the boiling point of the metal substrate;

exposing said metal substrate to said oxygen plasma having a neutral oxygen atom density of at least about 1×10^21/m^3 for nucleation of a metal oxide on a surface of said metal substrate;

forming the nanomaterial comprising a metal oxide nanostructure from the metal oxide on the surface of said metal substrate; and

controlling and maximizing the growth rate of said metal oxide nanostructure on said metal substrate by optimizing the density of said neutral oxygen atoms in said oxygen plasma.