Patents Examined by Melissa S Swain
  • Patent number: 11345977
    Abstract: Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Rare Element Resources Ltd.
    Inventor: Henry Kasaini
  • Patent number: 11344866
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use, in a method for in-situ activation of at least one hydrotreating, in particular hydrocracking, catalyst, of at least one nitrogen compound having at least one of the following characteristics: a) a nitrogen content by weight in the range from 15 to 35 wt %, relative to the total weight of the nitrogen compound; b) a number of nitrogen atoms in the range from 2 to 20; c) a boiling point in the range from 140° C. to 300° C.; and d) said nitrogen compound being in liquid form at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The present invention also relates to the method for in-situ activation of at least one hydrotreating catalyst comprising at least one step of sulphiding said hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of a sulphiding agent, and a step of passivation of said hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of said at least one nitrogen compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Arkema France
    Inventor: Francis Humblot
  • Patent number: 11319613
    Abstract: A method, and systems in which such method may be practiced, allow for the separation of elemental metals from metal alloy. A metal alloy is atomized to form metal alloy particulates. The metal alloy particulates are exposed to an oxidizing agent, such as chlorine gas in the presence of a salt, such as NaCl, an acid, such as HCl, and water. The resulting solution may be filtered to remove particulates, reduced, filtered, reduced, filtered, and so on. In aspects, the method is used to refine gold alloy by oxidation of elemental sponge gold to gold chloride followed by reduction to pure elemental gold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Enviro Metals, LLC
    Inventor: David Caldwell
  • Patent number: 11279626
    Abstract: Provided is a method of extracting a metal ion, which comprises contacting a compound of formula (R2SiO)n with a source of the metal ion, whereby the compound and the metal ion form a complex, wherein each R is independently C1-10alkyl, and n is 3-10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the California State University
    Inventors: Robert E. Pellenbarg, Kimberley R. Cousins
  • Patent number: 11274193
    Abstract: The present invention relates to modelling doughs comprising; a) at least one starch-containing material; b) at least on low vapour pressure polar solvent; and c) an aqueous component. Typically the doughs will also contain optional ingredients such as softeners, preservatives and/or additives. The invention further relates to filled doughs comprising the modelling doughs incorporating an inert filler and to methods for the production of both the modelling dough and the filled dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA OF SWEDEN AB
    Inventors: Staffan Thuresson, Jonas Modell, Krister Thuresson
  • Patent number: 11267712
    Abstract: Methods for preparing selective catalytic metal microstructures and nanostructures having at least one surface ligand. The methods include providing a preliminary metal microstructure or nanostructure having at least one preliminary surface ligand, and replacing the preliminary surface ligand with at least one surface ligand to provide the catalytic metal microstructure or nanostructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shutang Chen, Gugang Chen
  • Patent number: 11260382
    Abstract: The invention discloses a core-shell structured catalyst comprising a core covered with a shell. The core is made of hematite, tourmaline, germanium, maifanite or kaolin. The invention also provides a method for preparing the catalyst including mixing raw materials of the core with water to form seed-balls with a particle size of 2-4 mm; mixing the seed-balls with raw materials of the shell and water, such that the seed-balls are covered with the raw materials of the shell to form pellets with a particle size of 3-5 mm; processing the pellets at 60-90° C. and then calcining to active the pellets at 450-550° C. to obtain a core-shell structured catalyst. The invention further discloses use of the core-shell structured catalyst in the ozone oxidation reaction. In the invention, a core-shell structured catalyst with good morphology and catalytic performance is prepared, and the production cost of the catalyst is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Duo Wu, Xingmin Gao, Zhangxiong Wu
  • Patent number: 11261089
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate having good powder flowability and good dispersibility in water. An anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate powder containing agglomerated particles formed by agglomerating anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate particles having a modal pore diameter/mean particle diameter ratio of 0.2 to 0.34 exhibits good powder flowability and good dispersibility in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventors: Shota Minami, Akihito Bando
  • Patent number: 11259527
    Abstract: Methods of improving characteristics of plants and soil by administering an effective amount of a extracted Haematococcus based composition in low concentration applications are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: HELIAE DEVELOPMENT, LLC
    Inventors: Sandip Shinde, Stephen Ventre, Nicholas Donowitz, Michael Clint Rohlfsen, Laura Carney
  • Patent number: 11253820
    Abstract: A lithium extraction composite comprising: (i) a porous support and (ii) particles of a lithium-selective sorbent material coated on at least one surface of the support, wherein the support has a planar membrane, fiber (or rod), or tubular shape. A method for extracting and recovering a lithium salt from an aqueous solution by use of the above-described composition is also described, the method comprising (a) flowing the aqueous source solution through a first zone or over a first surface of the lithium extraction composite to result in selective lithium intercalation in the lithium-selective sorbent material in the first zone or first surface; and (b) simultaneously recovering lithium salt extracted in step (a) from said lithium-selective sorbent material by flowing an aqueous stripping solution through a second zone or over a second surface of the lithium extraction composite in which lithium ions from the first zone or first surface diffuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: UT-Battelle, LLC, All American Lithium LLC
    Inventors: Ramesh R. Bhave, Stephen Harrison, Bruce A. Moyer, M. Parans Paranthaman
  • Patent number: 11254999
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for extracting or separating metal ions using a composition including: an ionic liquid of formula C+,?X, in which: C+ is an onium cation including at least one hydrocarbon chain R1 including from 6 to 20 carbon atoms; XP? is an anion of charge p, the ionic liquid having a solubility in water at 20° C. of at least 10 g/l; an acid; and water. The composition includes two liquid phases: a phase enriched in ionic liquid ?IL; and a phase enriched in water ?w, the pH of which is less than or equal to 4.7. The composition is useful for extracting a metal ion from an acidic aqueous medium including a metal ion, for separating metal ions from an aqueous medium including at least two metal ions or for purifying an acidic aqueous solution including a metal ion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE GRENOBLE, UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO, UNIVERSITÉ SAVOIE MONT BLANC
    Inventors: Nicolas Papaiconomou, Joao Manuel Da Costa E Araujo Pereira Coutinho, Matthieu Gras, Isabelle Billard
  • Patent number: 11248278
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to the recovery of metal(s) using molten salt and related systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Phoenix Tailings, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Anthony Villalon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11235282
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses to concentrate lithium containing solutions using forward osmosis units are provided, which, for example, can include providing at least one forward osmosis unit having at least one lithium containing solution chamber having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet, at least one brine chamber having at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet, and at least one selectively permeable membrane positioned between the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and the at least one brine chamber, and conveying a lithium containing solution through the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and a concentrated brine solution through the at least one brine chamber, said conveying causing water from the lithium containing solution to be drawn through the at least one selectively permeable membrane and into the concentrated brine solution, such that a concentrated lithium containing solution exits through the first outlet and a less concentrated
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Terralithium LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Harrison, Dennis L. Howe, Brian J. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 11230753
    Abstract: Overburden from surface coal mining in many regions can produce a rain runoff laden with selenium, in the selenate form, as well as rare earth elements (REEs). This occurs from rainwater leaching through exposed selenium/mineral-containing rocks in the overburden. The mineral-containing runoff water is caught in ponds, or deep mine water is collected from pools. Alternatively, leachate can be collected from coal gob or refuse piles. Extraction of REEs, as well as remediation of deleterious substances such as selenium, is performed by treatment with sulfur-modified iron (SMI) in a contact bed of an upflow reactor vessel. After a period of use of the SMI, the spent SMI is subjected to a recovery process for REEs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventor: Peter F. Santina
  • Patent number: 11198921
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for dissolving metals in perhalide containing ionic liquids, and to the extraction of metals from mineral ores; the remediation of materials contaminated with heavy, toxic or radioactive metals; and to the removal of heavy and toxic metals from hydrocarbon streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas)
    Inventors: Robin Don Rogers, John Holbrey
  • Patent number: 11198615
    Abstract: A method of pretreatment and bromine recovery of PCB Incineration ash is disclosed that relates to the field of comprehensive recovery of valuable metals by full wet method, especially relates to a method of valuable metals and bromine recovery, precious metals enrichment in pretreatment process of PCB Incineration ash. The major steps includes alkali leaching, Cu extraction back-extraction, neutralization-precipitation to separate, Bromine evaporative crystallization, regeneration, acid pickling, Zn evaporative crystallization, removal of Zn and Cu. Compared with the traditional comprehensive recovery process of ash, the invention can separate bromine from ash and recover valuable metals such as copper, zinc and lead with the maximum extent, at the same time, the enrichment of silver and other precious metals is beneficial to the subsequent recovery of precious metals. It has high added recovery value and no tailless discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yufeng Wu, Dean Pan, Bin Li, Tieyong Zuo
  • Patent number: 11196107
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a method for recycling lead paste in a spent lead-acid battery, comprising: (1) pretreating lead paste in a spent lead-acid battery as a raw material under vacuum; mixing the pretreated lead paste with a chlorination reagent to obtain reactants; and heating the reactants under vacuum to carry out a chlorination volatilization reaction, so that lead element in the pretreated lead paste is combined with chlorine element in the chlorination reagent to form lead chloride, which is then volatilized, and after the reaction is completed, chlorination residue and a crude lead chloride product are obtained by condensation and crystallization after volatilization; (2) purifying the crude lead chloride product obtained in the step (1) under vacuum to obtain a refined lead chloride product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jiakuan Yang, Kang Liu, Sha Liang, Ye Chen, Keke Xiao, Junxiong Wang, Wenhao Yu, Mingyang Li, Huijie Hou, Jingping Hu, Bingchuan Liu
  • Patent number: 11186486
    Abstract: Here are described methods for the delithiation of carbon-free olivines, for instance, by the addition of an external carbon source in the presence of an oxidizing agent, e.g. a persulfate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: HYDRO-QUÉBEC, CIC ENERGIGUNE
    Inventors: Montserrat Galceran Mestres, Montserrat Casas Cabanas, Abdelbast Guerfi, Michel Armand, Karim Zaghib
  • Patent number: 11186895
    Abstract: A continuous solvent extract process is provided for concentrating rare earth elements from leachates generated from coal sources. The process involves solvent extraction which utilizes an organic extractant mixed into an organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Joshua Michael Werner, Alind Chandra, Rick Q. Honaker
  • Patent number: 11186657
    Abstract: There is provided a hyper-branched polymer represented by the following formula (1) and having a weight-average molecular weight in a range of 1,000 to 1,000,000. In the formula (1), A1 is a group containing an aromatic ring, A2 is a group containing an amide group, A3 is a group containing sulfur, R0 is hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, ml is in a range of 0.5 to 11, and n1 is in a range of 5 to 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Usuki, Akiko Kito, Atsushi Yusa