US Patent 8183180 - Drilling fluid including graphene

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8183180.html

This patent from William Marsh Rice University includes some broad claims for gas and oil drilling fluids in which graphene is used to help prevent the penetration of the drilling fluid into rock formations and reduce wear on drilling tools. Claim 1 reads:

1. A drilling fluid comprising a graphene,

wherein the graphene is selected from the group consisting of chemically converted graphene, chemically converted graphene prepared by a reduction of graphite oxide, chemically converted graphene functionalized with a plurality of aryl groups, graphene functionalized with a plurality of aryl groups, graphene functionalized with a plurality of alkyl groups, functionalized graphite oxide, graphite oxide that has been functionalized through esterification or amidation of carboxylic acid groups, graphite oxide that has been functionalized with a plurality of alkyl groups, graphite oxide that has been functionalized with a plurality of aryl groups, reduced graphite oxide, and combinations thereof.                             

US Patent 8128901 - Purification of CNTs with liquid bromine

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8128901.html

This patent from William Marsh Rice University teaches a method to purify single walled carbon nanotubes without significantly damaging the nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of removing metal impurities from carbon nanotubes comprising:

treating carbon nanotubes with distilled anhydrous liquid bromine in a substantially oxygen- and water-free atmosphere; and

removing the distilled anhydrous liquid bromine from the carbon nanotubes.

US Patent 8124503 - CNT diameter selection by pretreatment of metal catalysts

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8124503.html

This patent from William Marsh Rice University teaches a way to fabricate small diameter (<1nm) carbon nanotubes by modifying catalyst particles prior to CVD growth. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for producing at least one nanotube, said method comprising the steps of:

placing at least one catalyst particle on a nanotube growth substrate surface;

modifying said at least one catalyst particle; and

growing said at least one nanotube, wherein said step of modifying said at least one catalyst particle comprises modifying the diameter of said at least one catalyst particle, by chemically treating, wherein the chemically treating comprises reducing with a liquid solution.

US Patent 7959779 - Manipulating SWCNTs

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7959779.html

This patent is based on research from Richard Smalley's group at Rice University and has priority from 1996. The claims appear to be basic to sorting mixtures of single walled nanotubes by length, diameter, or chirality which determine semiconductor or metallic characteristics. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method comprising:

a) providing a mixture of single-wall carbon nanotubes;

b) cutting the single-wall carbon nanotubes;

c) dispersing the single-wall carbon nanotubes; and

d) fractionating the mixture by a characteristic selected from the group consisting of lengths, diameters, helicities and combinations thereof.

US Patent 7939136 - Forming arrays of CNTs

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7939136.html

This patent from Rice University has priority going back to 1997 and includes some basic claims to forming large arrays of carbon nanotubes on a substrate. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of forming a macroscopic array of fullerene nanotubes, said method comprising the step of assembling subarrays of at least about 106 fullerene nanotubes into a composite array, wherein the subarrays are made according to the method comprising:

(a) providing at least about 1000000 fullerene nanotubes of substantially similar length;

(b) introducing a linking moiety onto at least one end of the fullerene nanotubes;

(c) providing a substrate coated with a material to which the linking moiety will attach; and

(d) contacting the fullerene nanotubes containing the linking moiety with the substrate.

US Patent 7939047 - Bandgap separation of CNTs

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7939047.html

This patent from Rice University teaches a chromotographic separation of functionalized carbon nanotubes based on the semiconductor bandgap. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for separating CNTs by type, the method comprising the steps of:

a) dispersing a plurality of CNTs of different type as individual nanotubes in a solvent to form a first mixture;

b) selectively-functionalizing metallic and semi-metallic CNTs within the first mixture using a first diazonium species, in sub-stoichiometric amount, to yield a second mixture comprising selectively-functionalized metallic and semi-metallic CNTs and unfunctionalized semiconducting CNTs;

c) reacting the CNTs in the second mixture with a second diazonium species to yield a third mixture comprising differentially-functionalized metallic and semi-metallic CNTs possessing a first chemical property and functionalized semiconducting CNTs possessing a second chemical property; and

d) performing at least one chromatographic separation on the third mixture, so as to separate the differentially-functionalized metallic and semi-metallic CNTs from the functionalized semiconducting CNTs on the basis of their functionalization-induced differential chemical properties.

US Patent 7938969 - Size separation of magnetic nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7938969.html

Magnetic nanoparticles have usefulness as biological tags and in some memory devices. This patent from Rice University teaches a method of separating magnetic nanoparticles by size. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for separating magnetic nanoparticles comprising:

providing a sample comprising a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles;

passing the sample through a first magnetic field;

at least partially isolating magnetic nanoparticles of a first nanoparticle size desired;

altering the strength of the first magnetic field to produce a second magnetic field; and

at least partially isolating magnetic nanoparticles of a second nanoparticle size desired.

US Patent 7897248 - Oriented nanofibers embedded in a polymer matrix

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7897248.html

This patent from Rice University has early priority going back to 1999 and includes some basic claims to CNT-polymer composites. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composite comprising:

a polymer matrix reinforced with carbon nanotubes, wherein the carbon nanotubes are dispersed in the polymer matrix; and

 wherein the carbon nanotubes are integrated into the polymer matrix;

wherein the integration comprises alignment of the carbon nanotubes and formation of at least one type of linkage to at least a sidewall of the carbon nanotubes;

wherein the at least one type of linkage is selected from the group consisting of between the carbon nanotubes and the polymer matrix, between the carbon nanotubes, and combinations thereof.

US Patent 7893513 - Nanostructured optical rectenna

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7893513.html

This patent from Rice University teaches a fabrication method for rectennas based on nanostructured elements. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanoelectronic device, comprising:

a first nanostructure, comprising:

a nanotube having first and second opposing ends;

a metallic nanoparticle attached to the first end; and

an insulating nanoparticle attached to the second end.

US Patent 7858186 - Fluorinated nanodiamond

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858186.html

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has commonly been used to form diamond thin films and coatings but requires high temperature and cost. This patent from Rice University teaches an alternative technique using nanodiamonds to form coated surfaces. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanodiamond coated surface comprising:

a) a substrate surface; and

b) fluorinated nanodiamond crystallites,

wherein the fluorinated nanodiamond crystallites are covalently bound to the substrate surface via a silane linker species; and

wherein the silane linker species further comprises an amine that is covalently bound to the fluorinated nanodiamond crystallites.

US Patent 7821079 - Inkjet printing and patterning of nanotube transistors

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7821079.html

Over the past two decades Rice University has been central in the development of techniques to fabricate single walled carbon nanotubes. This latest patent from Rice teaches an inkjet printing process of nanotubes including patterning of semiconducting and conducting regions. Claim 1 reads:

1. A process for making thin film (TF) electronic devices comprising the steps of:

using an ink jet printer mechanism to print electronic device patterns on a substrate as a composite ink mixture of metallic carbon nanotubes (m-NTs) and semiconductor carbon nanotubes (s-NTs), wherein the m-NTs are active and dominate the characteristics of the composite ink mixture in any of the electronic device patterns designated as a conductor patterns;

de-activating a portion of the m-NTs in any of the electronic device patterns designated as resistive device patterns; and

de-activating substantially all of the m-NTs in any of the electronic patterns designated as semiconducting device patterns.

US Patent 7820130 - Functionalized nanodiamond powder

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7820130.html

In terms of nanotechnology research William Marsh Rice University is probably most well known for developments relating to fullerene and carbon nanotubes but this patent from Rice instead deals with nanoparticulate diamonds and proposes a functionalized solution to provide uniform distribution of the diamond nanopowder. Claim 1 reads:

1. A functionalized nanodiamond powder,

wherein the surface of the functionalized nanodiamond powder is derivatized with fluorine;

wherein the functionalized nanodiamond powder comprises at least 5 atomic percent fluorine; and

wherein the functionalized diamond powder exhibits greater than 10-fold reduced particle agglomeration relative to pristine nanodiamond.

US Patent 7730547 - Nanotube strain sensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7730547.html

This patent is from William Marsh Rice University and includes some basic claims to sensing strain with carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A device for measuring mechanical conditions, wherein the device comprises:

a sensing element comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and

an electrical probe in contact with the plurality of carbon nanotubes;

wherein the electrical probe is sensitive to an electrical property of the carbon nanotubes in a measureable way.

US Patent 7692218 - CNT ChemFet

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7692218.html

This patent is based on basic research from Rice University and appears to be basic to using carbon nanotubes as the channel for CHEMFET biosensors. Claim 1 reads:

1. A field effect transistor comprising:

a source;

a drain;

a gate;

a dielectric layer that coats the gate; and

at least one carbon nanotube disposed at least partially in said dielectric layer, said at least one carbon nanotube having a portion which is functionalized with at least one indicator molecule that is exposed from the dielectric layer, the at least one carbon nanotube being on the gate for transmitting charge from the at least one indicator molecule to the gate.

US Patent 7682523 - CNT security ink

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7682523.html

This patent from Rice University teaches an anti-counterfeiting ink using carbon nanotubes as a key ingredient. Claim 1 reads:

1. A fluorescent ink, comprising:

a solvent;

a surfactant; and

carbon nanotubes suspended in the solvent;

wherein the carbon nanotubes are dispersed in the solvent;

wherein the carbon nanotubes are fluorescent and have diameters of less than about 3 nm; and

wherein the carbon nanotubes have a visible excitation and an emission following the visible excitation; and

wherein the fluorescent ink is suitable for deposition on a surface.

US Patent 7632569 - Fullerene nanotube array

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7632569.html

The late Richard Smalley was a pioneer in developing manufacturing methods for single-walled carbon nanotubes. Many of the nanotube patents emerging from Smalley's group at Rice University have priority going back to the 1990's and were limited in scope to single walled carbon nanotubes. In more recent years several continuation patents have issued extending the scope to "fullerene nanotubes" which may encompass double-walled and multi-walled nanotubes as well. This patent with priority going back to 1997 appears basic to arrays of nanotubes formed on a substrate which is relevant to application such as field emission displays. Claim 1 reads:

1. A macroscopic array comprising

(i) at least about 1000000 fullerene nanotubes, wherein (a) all of the fullerene nanotubes in the macroscopic array are in generally parallel orientation, and (b) all of the fullerene nanotubes in the macroscopic array have a substantially similar length, and

(ii) a substrate attached to one end of said array and oriented substantially perpendicularly to the nanotubes in said array.