Patents by Inventor Alexander M. Van Herk

Alexander M. Van Herk has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11970563
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a nanoparticulate composition comprising nanoparticles formed from an amphipathic block copolymer comprising a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, where the nanoparticles are provided in the form of micelles, cylindrical worm structures or vesicles and the size of the nanoparticles is from 25 to 500 nm, wherein: the composition is substantially free of heavy metals and compounds comprising sulfur. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming said nanoparticulate composition by polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA) via non-transition-metal catalysed controlled radical polymerization (NTMC-CRP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: Nanyang Technological University, Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Atsushi Goto, Jit Sarkar, Longqiang Xiao, Feifei Li, Alexander M. Van Herk, Alexander William Jackson
  • Patent number: 11534375
    Abstract: Present disclosure relates to a solvent-free method of encapsulating a hydrophobic active in personal care, hydrophobic active in crop protection or a hydrophobic active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in polymeric nanoparticles. The method includes mixing the hydrophobic active in a polymer melt, wherein the polymer melt comprises a melt of a block co-polymer, wherein the polymer melt acts as a solvent for the hydrophobic active. The method further includes maintaining the polymer melt in water for sufficient time to allow self-assembly of the block co-polymer to encapsulate the hydrophobic active therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Praveen Thoniyot, Parijat Kanaujia, Alexander M. Van Herk
  • Patent number: 11529317
    Abstract: There is provided a method of preparing silica nanocapsules, the method comprising mixing a surfactant with water at a temperature that is above the gel-to-liquid transition temperature of the surfactant to form a mixture, passing the mixture one or more times through at least one pore to obtain a dispersion of vesicles, and adding a silica precursor to the dispersion of vesicles to form silica nanocapsules. Also provided is a silica nanocapsule formed from a vesicle template, and a method of delivering one or more types of molecules to a subject. In a specific embodiment, hollow silica nanocapsules having substantially lens-shaped are synthesized by employing dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODAB) or dioctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DODAC) as the vesicle template and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the silica precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Eun Ju Park, Alexander M. Van Herk, Praveen Thoniyot
  • Publication number: 20220032254
    Abstract: There is provided a method of producing silica capsules, the method comprising: adding a silica precursor to emulsified droplets in the presence of salt and alcohol to enhance silica growth around the emulsified droplets by an ion association effect, thereby forming silica capsules. Also provided are silica capsules producible by such a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Praveen Thoniyot, Alexander M. Van Herk
  • Publication number: 20210100753
    Abstract: There is provided a method of preparing silica nanocapsules, the method comprising mixing a surfactant with water at a temperature that is above the gel-to-liquid transition temperature of the surfactant to form a mixture, passing the mixture one or more times through at least one pore to obtain a dispersion of vesicles, and adding a silica precursor to the dispersion of vesicles to form silica nanocapsules. Also provided is a silica nanocapsule formed from a vesicle template, and a method of delivering one or more types of molecules to a subject. In a specific embodiment, hollow silica nanocapsules having substantially lens-shaped are synthesized by employing dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODAB) or dioctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DODAC) as the vesicle template and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the silica precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Eun Ju PARK, Alexander M. VAN HERK, Praveen THONIYOT
  • Publication number: 20210002408
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a nanoparticulate composition comprising nanoparticles formed from an amphipathic block copolymer comprising a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, where the nanoparticles are provided in the form of micelles, cylindrical worm structures or vesicles and the size of the nanoparticles is from 25 to 500 nm, wherein: the composition is substantially free of heavy metals and compounds comprising sulfur. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming said nanoparticulate composition by polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA) via non-transition-metal catalysed controlled radical polymerization (NTMC-CRP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Atsushi GOTO, Jit SARKAR, Longqiang XIAO, Feifei LI, Alexander M. VAN HERK, Alexander William JACKSON
  • Publication number: 20200179248
    Abstract: Present disclosure relates to a solvent-free method of encapsulating a hydrophobic active in personal care, hydrophobic active in crop protection or a hydrophobic active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in polymeric nanoparticles. The method includes mixing the hydrophobic active in a polymer melt, wherein the polymer melt comprises a melt of a block co-polymer, wherein the polymer melt acts as a solvent for the hydrophobic active. The method further includes maintaining the polymer melt in water for sufficient time to allow self-assembly of the block co-polymer to encapsulate the hydrophobic active therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Praveen Thoniyot, Parijat Kanaujia, Alexander M. Van Herk