Patents Assigned to West Virginia University
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Patent number: 10941042Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure relates to processes for preparation of a carbon foam material, the process comprising heating in a microwave heating apparatus a mixture comprising a coal material and a flux agent. In other aspects, relates to processes for preparation of a carbon foam material, the process comprising heating in a microwave heating apparatus a mixture comprising a coal material, a foaming pitch material and a flux agent. In a further aspect, the mixture comprising a coal material, a foaming pitch material and a flux agent after heating in the microwave heating apparatus can form a pseudo-fluid material. In a still further aspect, the pseudo-fluid material can be arranged in mold, and then further heated to form a carbon foam. The disclosure, in further aspects, relates to processes further providing carbon materials such as carbon composite materials, graphite, graphite flakes, and graphene.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2018Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Alfred Stiller, Christopher Yurchick
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Patent number: 10906807Abstract: A method for producing elemental carbon and hydrogen gas directly from a hydrocarbon (for example, natural gas or methane) using a chemical reaction or series of reactions. In an aspect, other materials involved such as, for example, elemental magnesium, remain unchanged and function as a catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2019Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: West Virginia University Research CorporationInventor: Alfred H. Stiller
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Patent number: 10894956Abstract: Described herein are phospholipid nanogels that can contain a low concentration (less than about 250 ?Units/?L) of an exoglycosidase enzyme. Also described herein are systems and devices that can contain a phospholipid nanogel that can contain a low concentration (less than about 250 ?Units/?L) of an exoglycosidase enzyme. Also described herein are methods of using the phospholipid nanogels described herein and devices and systems that can contain a phospholipid nanogel described herein.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2018Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Lisa Holland, Srikanth Gattu
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Patent number: 10889763Abstract: Disclosed are compositions for catalysts comprising a zeolite promoted by metal and or metal oxide. In some aspects, the metal and/or metal oxide comprise a mixture of two or more metal or metal oxides. In various aspects, the zeolite is a pentasil zeolite and/or a ZSM-5 type zeolite. Also disclosed are processes for making the disclosed heterogeneous catalysts comprising preparing a mixture of a zeolite and one or more metal salts, which can include use of incipient wetness impregnation methods. In various aspects, also disclosed are methods for direct, non-oxidative preparation of higher hydrocarbons from natural gas, including selective for high yield production of C6 and higher hydrocarbons. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2019Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventor: Jianli Hu
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Patent number: 10883053Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure relates to processes for preparation of a carbon foam material, the process comprising devolatization of coal-derived pitches or extracts at atmospheric pressure near green coke temperatures, thereby forming a solid coke-like material. In a further aspect, the process can further comprise grinding the solid coke-like material to a powder, providing the ground powder to a mold, and then reheating above green coking temperature (e.g., >600° C.) to further devolatize the material and form a porous solid foam material. The process further provides carbon materials such as carbon composite materials and sp2-hybridized carbon in the form of graphene oxide or graphene. In various aspects, the disclosure relates to the carbon foam and other materials prepared using the disclosed processes. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2018Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Christopher Yurchick, Alfred Stiller
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Patent number: 10865760Abstract: A quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator for producing corona discharge plasma from is presented. The quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator has a folded cavity made of opposing concentric cavity members that are nested together to form a continuous cavity ending in a aperture. A center conductor with a tip is positioned in the cavity. The folded cavity advantageously permits the coaxial cavity resonator to resonate at a lower operating frequency than an unfolded quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator of the same length. Embodiments of the quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator use narrower apertures to reduce radiative losses, and include center conductors that are reactive load elements, such as helical coils. When a radio frequency (RF) oscillation is produced in the quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator, corona discharge plasma is formed at the tip of the center conductor. The corona discharge plasma can be used to ignite combustible materials in combustion chambers of combustion engines.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2017Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: James E. Smith, Franz A. Pertl
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Patent number: 10804768Abstract: A wind turbine is disclosed. The wind turbine includes a shaft rotatable about an axis, a plurality of hubs fixedly attached to the shaft, and a plurality of vanes. The vanes are releasably engaged with each of the plurality of hubs. The vanes disengage from the hubs once the shaft rotates about the axis at a cut-out speed of the wind turbine. In another embodiment, the vanes are releasably engaged with the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Justin R. Chambers, James E. Smith
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Patent number: 10751561Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling a split belt treadmill having two belts to self-pace. A feedback process estimates a first current step speed for a user on each belt by measuring stride length and step duration. A feed-forward process estimates a second current step speed for the user on each belt by measuring three forces and three moment components associated with foot contact with the belt. A command speed for each belt is produced by combining the first and second current step speeds with a Kalman filter. A belt speed associated with each belt is adjusted based upon the command speed.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2018Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITYInventors: Sergiy Yakovenko, Matthew Boots
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Patent number: 10739344Abstract: The present invention provides a purified antibody that recognizes the conserved zinc fingers linker region (ZnFL) in multiple KRAB-ZNF. The purified antibody recognizes at least one of a conserved zinc finger linker sequence of TGEKPY (SEQ ID NO: 1), TGEKPYK (SEQ ID NO: 2), and TGEKPYE (SEQ ID NO: 3). A method of treating a patient having cancer comprising administering an effective amount of a purified antibody recognizing at least one of a conserved zinc finger linker sequence of TGEKPY (SEQ ID NO: 1), TGEKPYK (SEQ ID NO: 2), and TGEKPYE (SEQ ID NO: 3) is set forth. A diagnostic kit and an affinity matrix detecting one of these conserved zinc finger linker sequences are disclosed. A method of detecting cancerous cells comprising subjecting a cancerous cell to a purified pan-ZNF specific antibody is provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2015Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Alexey Ivanov, Joseph Addison
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Patent number: 10696555Abstract: The disclosure provides for methods of oxidizing carbide anions, or negative ions, from salt like carbides at low temperatures below about 600° C. In another aspect, the disclosure provides for reactions with intermediate transition metal carbides. In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides for a system of reactions where salt-like carbide anions and intermediate carbide anions are oxidized to produce pure carbon of various allotropes.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventor: Alfred H. Stiller
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Patent number: 10682320Abstract: This invention provides a composition comprising Formula I, or salt thereof, wherein X is either chlorine or bromine, Y is either hydrogen or an alkyl group having a carbon chain length from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and R is an alkyl group having a carbon chain length from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, except that X is not chlorine when Y is hydrogen and R is an ethyl group. A method of preventing bone erosion in a patient and a method of reducing inflammation in a patient using the compositions of Formula I are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2013Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignees: West Virginia University, Temple University-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, University of Pittsburgh-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher EducationInventors: John B. Barnett, Harry C. Blair, Jonathan Soboloff
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Patent number: 10677046Abstract: Various examples are provided for gas leakage detection from geologic storage sites. In one example, a system for detection of gas leakage from a geologic storage site includes permanent down-hole gauges (PDGs) disposed at different depths within a well and an evaluation system that can determine a three-dimensional (3D) location of the gas leakage from the geologic storage site and a leakage indicator. The 3D location and leakage indicator can be determined using pressure data provided by the PDGs. The geologic storage site can store, e.g., CO2, natural gas or other type of gas. In another example, a method for detecting gas leakage from a geologic storage site includes receiving pressure data provided by PDGs disposed within one or more wells associated with the geologic storage site, determining key performance indicators using the pressure data and determining a 3D location and a leakage indicator using the key performance indicators.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2016Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Shahab D. Mohaghegh, Seyed Alireza Haghighat
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Patent number: 10634747Abstract: A Positron Emission Tomography (“PET”) insert for use with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (“MRI”) scanning device, the PET insert including a plurality of photodetector modules provided adjacent each other in an array, the plurality of photodetector modules configured for placement adjacent a body of a patient and sized to be received in a magnetic bore of the MRI scanning device with the patient, the photodetector modules providing detection of gamma annihilation photons, and a Radio Frequency (“RF”) coil provided between the patient and the plurality of photodetector modules. Each of the plurality of photodetector modules includes a pixelated scintillator array provided for alignment adjacent the patient's body, and a shielding block including silicon photomultiplier pads and passive electronic circuitry only.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Stanislaw Majewski, James Proffitt, James Lewis, Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, Alexander Stolin
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Patent number: 10583388Abstract: A method for capturing CO2 comprising dissolving at least one pure amino acid (AA) in water without the use of a catalyst for establishing protonation of an amino group of the amino acid, adding at least one base solution to the amino acid and water solution to deprotonate the protonated amino group of the amino acid and forming an amino acid-XOH—H2O wherein X is sodium or potassium, and subjecting CO2 to the amino acid-XOH—H2O to form new nanomaterials is provided. A regenerable nanofiber is disclosed comprising a NaHCO3 nanofiber, a KHCO3 nanofiber, or an amino acid nanofiber made from subjecting a CO2 gas to an amino acid aqueous solvent. Preferably, the amino acid aqueous solvent is one or more of a Gly-NaOH—H2O, an Ala-NaOH—H2O, a Phe-NaOH—H2O, a Gly-KOH—H2O, an Ala-KOH—H2O, and a Phe-KOH—H2O.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Bingyun Li, Xianfeng Wang, David Hopkinson, James Hoffman, Adefemi Egbebi, Kevin P. Resnik
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Patent number: 10568560Abstract: A dual modality probe is disclosed having both a positron emission tomography sensor and a ultrasound sensor. A dual imaging system is provided having the probe and at least one external positron emission tomography detector and a data acquisition computer system for collecting data simultaneously from the positron emission sensor and the ultrasound sensor of the probe and the positron emission tomography detector. A method for evaluating a target organ of a patient utilizing the probe and imaging system, and performing a biopsy of the organ is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Osama Mukdadi, Mohamad W. Salkini, Stanislaw Majewski, James Proffitt
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Patent number: 10529975Abstract: One embodiment includes forming surface-modifying phases on a surface of a functional electrode via atomic layer deposition and controlling the chemistry of constituent phases, the crystalline nature of the constituent phases and the thickness of the surface-modifying phase via the atomic layer deposition such that the thickness is between about 2 nm to about 200 nm. The surface-modifying phases enhances the performance of electrocatalytic activity of the functional electrode and the device.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2015Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Xueyan Song, Yun Chen, Kirk Gerdes, Shiwoo Lee
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Patent number: 10513794Abstract: A multilayered cathode for a lithium sulfur battery comprising at least one current collector working electrode having a surface comprising a carbon containing layer, two or more sulfur containing layers wherein at least one of the sulfur layers is located in juxtaposition to and in communication with the carbon containing layer, and at least one outermost layer comprising a positively charged polymer for forming interconnected layers of the sulfur containing layer, the carbon containing layer, and the polymer. Preferably, the cathode has layers that are alternatively arranged of two or more different sulfur containing layers. A lithium sulfur battery is provided and a method of making a multilayered cathode for a lithium sulfur battery is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2015Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Jianhua Yan, Bingyun Li, Xingbo Liu
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Patent number: 10507453Abstract: A nanoclay based solid sorbent is provided having a nanoclay with at least one surface, and at least one amine containing compound wherein the amine containing compound is attached to the surface, as well as a method of making it. A method of capturing carbon dioxide gas is disclosed includes passing a gas from an effluent process stream containing carbon dioxide through the nanoclay based solid sorbent and capturing the carbon dioxide gas on the surface and within the nanoclay based solid sorbent. The nanoclay based solid sorbent having the captured carbon dioxide gas is regenerated by undergoing one or more cycles of desorption of the captured carbon dioxide gas from the nanoclay. The regenerated nanoclay based solid sorbent may then be reused.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2012Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Rakesh K. Gupta, Sushant Agarwal, Elliot Roth
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Patent number: 10494264Abstract: The disclosure provides for methods of oxidizing carbide anions, or negative ions, from salt like carbides at temperatures from about 150° C. to about 750° C. In another aspect, the disclosure provides for reactions with intermediate transition metal carbides. In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides for a system of reactions where salt-like carbide anions and intermediate carbide anions are oxidized to produce pure carbon of various allotropes.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2018Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: West Virginia University Research CorporationInventor: Alfred H. Stiller
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Patent number: 10468241Abstract: Disclosed are various examples related to ion or particle spectrometry utilizing a monolithic collimator and energy analyzer. In one example, a particle selection device includes a single substrate including a curved channel energy analyzer section and a straight channel collimator section, wherein particles pass through the collimator section and enter the energy analyzer section of the substrate. The channel outlets in the collimator section are aligned with the channel inlets of the energy analyzer section. Electric and/or magnetic fields can be applied across the channels of the energy analyzer for ion or particle discrimination. A particle detector at the outlet of the energy analyzer section can provide indications of detected ions and/or particles.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: West Virginia UniversityInventors: Earl Scime, Amy M. Keesee, Matthew Phillip Dugas, Steven Brian Ellison, Joseph Christopher David Tersteeg, Drew B. Elliott