Patents Assigned to EMPA
  • Patent number: 11965063
    Abstract: A polymeric liquid material formed of molecular building blocks of core-shell type architecture, wherein each building block consists of a hyperbranched polysiloxane core and a functional siloxane shell peripherally attached thereto, the material comprising bridging oxygen moieties (Si—O—Si), hydrolysable alkoxy moieties (Si—O—R) and organofunctional moieties (R?—Si—) and (R1—S1-R2) and less than 0.5 mass percent hydroxy moieties (Si—OH). The core has a degree of polymerization DPcore in the range of 1.3 to 2.7, the shell is formed of R?-substituted siloxane moieties and has a degree of polymerization DPshell in the range of 0.3 to 2.5. At least 75 atomic percent of all Si atoms in the core are bonded exclusively to alkoxy or bridging oxygens, the remainder each being bonded to 3 oxygens and 1 carbon. The total Si to free hydrolysable alkoxy molar ratio in the material is 1:1.25 to 1:2.75, and the material has a viscosity in the range of 10-100,000 cP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: EMPA Eidgenoessische Matereialpruefungs- und Forschungsanstalt
    Inventors: Matthias Koebel, Ana Stojanovic, Wim Malfait, Adilien Nour
  • Publication number: 20240035400
    Abstract: In order to provide a more reliable configuration for a hydraulic drive for accelerating and braking in particular a gas exchange valve (20) of internal combustion engines or other reciprocating engines, in particular if the occurring maximum travel of the moving mass can deviate considerably from an expected setpoint position, it is proposed that the drive piston (23) has at least one control edge (31) corresponding to an inflow opening (33), which, when a defined travel hab has been attained, prevents the inflow of drive pressure p1 into the drive chamber (27) and/or prevents the low-loss outflow of pressure medium from the brake chamber (29) to the basic pressure level (40), wherein the remaining hydraulic drive force vanishes, becomes small or changes its sign when said travel hab is attained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicants: EMPA Eidgenossische Material-prufungs- Und Forschungsanstalt, Wolfgang Schneider Ingenieurburo
    Inventors: Patrik Soltic, Andyn Omanovic, Wolfgang Schneider
  • Publication number: 20240026534
    Abstract: The disclosed invention comprises a vacuum system cluster tool (0), comprising a dual chamber setup with at least one chemical vapour deposition chamber (1) and at least one physical vapour deposition chamber (3), with corresponding chemical vapour deposition means (10, 11, 12, 13) and corresponding physical vapour deposition means (30, 31, 32, 33) attached, as compact inexpensive, simply constructed vacuum system cluster tool (1) without mechanical sample transfer is created.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: EMPA Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt
    Inventors: Carlos GUERRA, Laszlo PETHO, Johann MICHLER, Aleksandra SZKUDLAREK
  • Publication number: 20230327191
    Abstract: A solid-state battery (20) with a solid electrolyte (8) and to the method for producing same. The method includes: protonating a body (11) made of, a protonatable ceramic material, to form a protonated layer (12, 13) on the body (11); deprotonating the protonated layer (13) to obtain a porous layer provided with mini-cavities (18); depositing a metal element forming an anode (14) on the deprotonated layer (13) on a first side (7) of the body (11), and infiltrating mini-cavities (18) of the porous layer by the metal element, and assembling a cathode (15) on a second side (9) of the body (11), preferably opposite the first side (7) of the anode (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicants: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for materials Testing and Research
    Inventors: Rabeb GRISSA, Corsin Battaglia
  • Publication number: 20230327190
    Abstract: A solid-state battery (20) with a solid electrolyte (8) and to the method for producing same. The method includes: protonating a body (11) containing, preferably being entirely made of, a protonatable ceramic material, to form a protonated layer (12, 13) on the body (11); depositing a metal element forming an anode (14) on the protonated layer (13) on a first side (7) of the body (11); assembling a cathode (15) on a second side (9) of the body (11), preferably opposite the first side (7) of the anode (14); and forming dendrites (18) from the metal element in the protonated layer (13) of the body (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicants: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for materials Testing and Research
    Inventors: Rabeb GRISSA, Corsin Battaglia
  • Publication number: 20230114145
    Abstract: A composite multi-layer textile, comprising at least one nanofibre layer with nanofibres with diameters below 100 nm and one support layer with microfibres with diameters below three microns, wherein the layers were produced by electrospinning. The multi-layer textile shows a general transmittance at #=550 nm greater than 60%, which shows improved properties concerning transparency, breathability and robustness. This is achieved in that the at least one nanofibre layer and the support layer are fused, forming solid domains in the multi-layer textile, at closed areas of a pattern used in the production process, wherein the solid domains are separated from each other or connected, showing defined shapes, with regular or irregular spatial distribution, while the fibre morphology of nanofibres of the nanofibre layer and microfibres of support layer is preserved on top of the open areas beside the solid domains, attaining a general transmittance greater than that given by the sum of the individual layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicants: EMPA EIDGENÖSSISCHE MATERIALPRÜFUNGS- UND FORSCHUNGSANSTALT, ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL)
    Inventors: Davide Barana, Giuseppino Fortunato, Anne Géraldine Guex, René Rossi, Thierry Pelet, Klaus Schönenberger, Sacha Sidjanski, Diane Baatard
  • Patent number: 11534979
    Abstract: Use of a sensor read out system with at least one fiber optical sensor, which is connected via at least one signal line to a processing unit as part of an additive manufacturing setup, for in situ and real time quality control of a running additive manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: EMPA Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt
    Inventors: Kilian Wasmer, Sergey Shevchik, Farzad Vakili Farahani, Georgios Violakis, Sébastien Vaucher
  • Patent number: 11515564
    Abstract: Disclosed are electrochemical devices, such as sodium ion conducting solid state electrolytes, sodium battery electrodes, and solid-state sodium metal batteries including these electrodes and solid state electrolytes. One example method for preparing a sodium/sodium-??-alumina interface with low interfacial resistance and capable of achieving high current density in an electrochemical cell includes the steps of: (a) providing a precursor electrolyte having a resistive surface region, wherein the precursor electrolyte comprises sodium-??-alumina; (b) removing at least a portion of the resistive surface region; (c) heating the precursor electrolyte thereby forming a solid state electrolyte, and (d) placing a side of the solid state electrolyte in contact with a sodium anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, EMPA
    Inventors: Marie-Claude Bay, Corsin Battaglia, Michael Wang, Jeff Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11484972
    Abstract: The present invention benefits from the determination that pre-selected spectral bandwidths that avoid the spectrum of an electronic transition of a metal/alloy vapor allow for welds substantially free from detritus that may discolor the weld. Accordingly, the present invention provides analytical methods, welding methods and fiber lasers configured to provide high quality metal/alloy welds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignees: IPG Photonics Corporation, Medtronic, Inc., EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
    Inventors: Matthias Leistner, Sebastian Favre-Bulle, Audrey Mashkin
  • Publication number: 20220340763
    Abstract: Described herein are compounds for use in coating compositions and methods of using the same. Also described herein is a method of treating metal products (e.g., aluminum alloy products), including applying the coating composition to at least one surface of the metal product. Further described herein is a joined structure, including the coated aluminum alloy product and another metal or alloy. The coating compositions enhance the bond performance of the joined structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicants: Novelis Inc., EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
    Inventors: Corrado Bassi, Michéle Edith Berner, Sabyasachi Gaan, Patrik Schmutz
  • Publication number: 20220106455
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of a nano- and/or microscale cellulose-based foam. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a suspension (1) comprising nano- and/or microscale cellulose in an aqueous medium, (ii) simultaneously cooling and agitating the suspension (1) in a mechanical step (2a; 2b) to obtain an at least partially frozen suspension. (iii) freezing the at least partially frozen suspension (5) to obtain a substantially frozen suspension, (iv) treating the suspension under solvent-exchange (7; 8) and (v) removing the solvent (10; 13) to obtain a substantially dry foam (40A) comprising nano- and/or microscale cellulose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicants: Weidmann Holding AG, EMPA Eidgenössische
    Inventors: Stefan TRUNIGER, Carlo ANTONINI, Thomas GEIGER, Otto NYLÉN
  • Patent number: 11293861
    Abstract: A dual-comb spectrometer 5 with two lasers 10, 12 serving as a local oscillator and an interrogator. The lasers output light beams with respective frequency combs C1, C2 of defined free spectral range, FSR. A detector 30 can detect heterodyne mixing of the combined beams to detect an RF frequency comb C3. Respective control signals are supplied to the lasers which have functional forms configured to cause the frequencies of the lasers' frequency combs C1, C2 to tune over a defined fraction of their FSR. This enables a reduction of the effective spectral sampling period by a factor equal to the ratio of the FSR to the spectral resolution of the spectrometer, which will typically be several orders of magnitude, so that the spectral sampling period can be reduced from the GHz to the MHz range, which in turn enables a gapless spectrum to be obtained in a short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignees: IRsweep AG, EMPA EIDGENÖSSISCHE MATERIAL PRÜFUNGS—UND FORSCHUNGSANSTALT
    Inventors: Michele Gianella, Andreas Hugi, Markus Mangold, Akshay Nataraj, Lukas Emmenegger
  • Publication number: 20220089819
    Abstract: A polymeric liquid material formed of molecular building blocks of core-shell type architecture, wherein each building block consists of a hyperbranched polysiloxane core and a functional siloxane shell peripherally attached thereto, the material comprising bridging oxygen moieties (Si—O—Si), hydrolysable alkoxy moieties (Si—O—R) and organofunctional moieties (R?—Si—) and (R1-S1-R2) and less than 0.5 mass percent hydroxy moieties (Si—OH). The core has a degree of polymerization DPcore in the range of 1.3 to 2.7, the shell is formed of R?-substituted siloxane moieties and has a degree of polymerization DPshell in the range of 0.3 to 2.5. At least 75 atomic percent of all Si atoms in the core are bonded exclusively to alkoxy or bridging oxygens, the remainder each being bonded to 3 oxygens and 1 carbon. The total Si to free hydrolysable alkoxy molar ratio in the material is 1:1.25 to 1:2.75, and the material has a viscosity in the range of 10-100,000 cP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: EMPA Eidgenoessische Materialpruefungs- und Forschungsanstalt
    Inventors: Matthias KOEBEL, Ana STOJANOVIC, Wim MALFAIT, Adilien NOUR
  • Publication number: 20220042428
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to ensure that a hydraulic drive (10) for accelerating and braking a gas exchange valve (20) of internal combustion engines or other reciprocating engines operates in a simple, reliable and recuperative manner. To this end, a first pressure tank (41) for providing a first pressure p1, a restoring energy accumulator preferably embodied as a spring (25), and at least one hydraulic basic pressure tank (40) having a lower pressure p0 than the first pressure tank (41) are provided. A controllable opening (49) of a first valve (46) is arranged with at least one non-return valve (47) located upstream or downstream of the opening in the flow path, in a connection line (48) between the first hydraulic pressure tank (41) and the working cylinder (22), said non-return valve allowing the pressure medium (30) to flow towards the working cylinder (22) but preventing it from flowing back towards the pressure tank (41).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicants: EMPA Eidgenossische Material-prufungs- Und Forschungsanstalt, Wolfgang Schneider Ingenieurburo
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schneider, Patrik Soltic, Andyn Omanovic
  • Publication number: 20220042333
    Abstract: This method is suitable for the strengthening of concrete or timber structures (1, 4) by applying prestressed Carbon FRP or Glass FRP lamella (8). Firstly, at least one groove (22) is cut into the concrete or timber structure (1, 4) along the direction in which the concrete or timber structure (1, 4) is to be strengthened. The grooves (22) are filled with epoxy resin (9) and a layer of epoxy resin (9) is put onto the entire section to be equipped with the CRFP or GFRP lamella (8). The lamella (8) will be prestressed and anchored at both ends. U-shaped brackets (24) are then being put over the two end sections of the CFRP or GFRP lamella (8) by inserting and submerging its both U-legs (27) into holes (26) filled with resin as well. These holding brackets (24) will then tightly press onto the CFRP or GFRP lamella (8) to prevent cracking or fracture of the concrete or timber and bending away of the extremities of the CFRP or GFRP lamella.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicants: S&P Clever Reinforcement Company AG, Eidg. Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt EMPA
    Inventors: Martin HÜPPI, Ardalan HOSSEINI, Niloufar MOSHIRI, Davood MOSTOFINEJAD, Christoph CZADERSKI, Masoud MOTAVALLI
  • Publication number: 20210371591
    Abstract: The present invention exploits reactive organophosphorus compounds containing unsaturated vinyl groups, which can be used in a flexible and highly controlled manner to prepare various macromolecular derivatives either via radical reactions or via Michael addition with suitable nucleophiles. Based on the fact that secondary amine groups on the one hand and vinyl groups on the other hand can work as mutual linking sites, an arsenal of novel and useful addition products can be built up. By selecting the number of secondary amine sites and vinyl sites of the participating reaction partners, very different addition products can be formed. In particular, one can form either linear chain type macromolecules (i.e. linear oligomers or polymers) or highly crosslinked network polymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: EMPA Eidgenoessische Materialpruefungs- und Forschungsanstalt
    Inventors: Sabyasachi GAAN, Rudolf HUFENUS, Rashid NAZIR, Pietro SIMONETTI, Khalifah SALMEIA, Dambarudhar PARIDA, Ali GOONEIE
  • Patent number: 11074901
    Abstract: A unit cell of an artificial phononic crystal for building of an artificial phononic metamaterial, showing reduced mechanical vibrations in a defined frequency range with at least one band gap in the band structure dispersion relation of the unit cell. The unit cell includes at least one building block and at least one mechanical connection connected to the building block, showing reduced mechanical vibrations in a defined frequency range with tailored dispersion properties with at least one band gap is sought. This is accomplished by forming the building block as a toroid, with a central opening and a front surface from which a first multiplicity of struts, which are tiltable relatively to the principal direction, is extending from the front surface. More than one strut is inclined with respect to the principal direction so that a rotation of the toroid around the principal direction is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: EMPA EIDGENÖSSISCHE MATERIALPRÜFUNGS—UND FORSCHUNGSANSTALT
    Inventors: Tommaso Delpero, Andrea Bergamini
  • Patent number: 11067442
    Abstract: A waveguide spectrometer includes at least one substrate layer with at least one waveguide. Each waveguide extends from an inlet face proceeding partly through the substrate layer to a reflecting element. A multiplicity of photo detectors is arranged on a front side of the substrate layer, while the photo detectors are electrically connected to an electronic read out system. The spectrometer can be made lightweight and easier to produce by forming the waveguides as surface waveguides, each showing a longitudinal opening with a width to the front side of the substrate layer between the inlet face and the reflecting element. The photo detectors are in print distributed at the front side on top of the substrate layer at least partly overlapping the longitudinal opening along an overall length of sampled region and the electrical connection of the photo detectors with the electronic read out system is achieved by a multiplicity of printed electrical conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: MICOS ENGINEERING GMBH, EMPA EIDGENÖSSISCHE MATERIALPRÜFUNGS- UND FORSCHUNGSANSTALT
    Inventors: Mohammadreza Madi, Edoardo Alberti, Ivan Shorubalko
  • Publication number: 20210210685
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for deposition layers of an electronic device by slot-die deposition. Preferably, the method comprises slot-die deposition of formulation for providing compact inorganic layers, mesoporous inorganic layers, a carbon layer and a layer comprising organic-inorganic perovskite. In a preferred embodiment, the layers of a monolithic perovskite solar cell are entirely deposited by slot-die deposition. The method renders the manufacturing process of such electronic devices more efficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicants: EMPA EIDGENÖSSISCHE MATERIALPRÜFUNGS- UND FORSCHUNGSANSTALT, SOLARONIX S.A.
    Inventors: Anand VERMA, David MARTINEAU, Frank NÜESCH, Jacob HEIER, Tobias MEYER
  • Patent number: 10968204
    Abstract: The invention relates to flame retardants comprising atriazine compound according to Formula 1: (1) with R=phosphite substituted with alkyl, functionalized alkyl, aryl, functionalized aryl, except halogen-substituted alkyl or aryl; R?=alkylene, arylene, alkoxy or aryloxy, all unsubstituted or functionalized, except halogen-substituted; X1 and X2=hetero atoms and X1=X2 or X1 not=X2 and to specific triazine compounds as such.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignees: Bruag Fire Protection AG, EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
    Inventors: Khalifah Salmeia, Sabyasachi Gaan, Markus Brühwiler