Patents by Inventor Cristian I. Contescu
Cristian I. Contescu 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).
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Publication number: 20140008564Abstract: The present invention provides magnetically responsive activated carbon, and a method of forming magnetically responsive activated carbon. The method of forming magnetically responsive activated carbon typically includes providing activated carbon in a solution containing ions of ferrite forming elements, wherein at least one of the ferrite forming elements has an oxidation state of +3 and at least a second of the ferrite forming elements has an oxidation state of +2, and increasing pH of the solution to precipitate particles of ferrite that bond to the activated carbon, wherein the activated carbon having the ferrite particles bonded thereto have a positive magnetic susceptibility. The present invention also provides a method of filtering waste water using magnetic activated carbon.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Applicant: UT-BATTELLE LLCInventors: Patricia Taboada-Serrano, Constantino Tsouris, Cristian I. Contescu, Joanna McFarlane
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Patent number: 8551617Abstract: The present invention provides magnetically responsive activated carbon, and a method of forming magnetically responsive activated carbon. The method of forming magnetically responsive activated carbon typically includes providing activated carbon in a solution containing ions of ferrite forming elements, wherein at least one of the ferrite forming elements has an oxidation state of +3 and at least a second of the ferrite forming elements has an oxidation state of +2, and increasing pH of the solution to precipitate particles of ferrite that bond to the activated carbon, wherein the activated carbon having the ferrite particles bonded thereto have a positive magnetic susceptibility. The present invention also provides a method of filtering waste water using magnetic activated carbon.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLCInventors: Patricia Taboada-Serrano, Constantino Tsouris, Cristian I. Contescu, Joanna McFarlane
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Patent number: 8445138Abstract: A lightweight, durable lead-acid battery is disclosed. Alternative electrode materials and configurations are used to reduce weight, to increase material utilization and to extend service life. The electrode can include a current collector having a buffer layer in contact with the current collector and an electrochemically active material in contact with the buffer layer. In one form, the buffer layer includes a carbide, and the current collector includes carbon fibers having the buffer layer. The buffer layer can include a carbide and/or a noble metal selected from of gold, silver, tantalum, platinum, palladium and rhodium. When the electrode is to be used in a lead-acid battery, the electrochemically active material is selected from metallic lead (for a negative electrode) or lead peroxide (for a positive electrode).Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2011Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: UT-Battelle LLCInventors: Edgar Lara-Curzio, Ke An, James O. Kiggans, Jr., Nancy J. Dudney, Cristian I. Contescu, Frederick S. Baker, Beth L. Armstrong
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Publication number: 20110294008Abstract: A lightweight, durable lead-acid battery is disclosed. Alternative electrode materials and configurations are used to reduce weight, to increase material utilization and to extend service life. The electrode can include a current collector having a buffer layer in contact with the current collector and an electrochemically active material in contact with the buffer layer. In one form, the buffer layer includes a carbide, and the current collector includes carbon fibers having the buffer layer. The buffer layer can include a carbide and/or a noble metal selected from of gold, silver, tantalum, platinum, palladium and rhodium. When the electrode is to be used in a lead-acid battery, the electrochemically active material is selected from metallic lead (for a negative electrode) or lead peroxide (for a positive electrode).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2011Publication date: December 1, 2011Inventors: Edgar Lara-Curzio, Ke An, James O. Kiggans, JR., Nancy J. Dudney, Cristian I. Contescu, Frederick S. Baker, Beth L. Armstrong
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Patent number: 8017273Abstract: A lightweight, durable lead-acid battery is disclosed. Alternative electrode materials and configurations are used to reduce weight, to increase material utilization and to extend service life. The electrode can include a current collector having a buffer layer in contact with the current collector and an electrochemically active material in contact with the buffer layer. In one form, the buffer layer includes a carbide, and the current collector includes carbon fibers having the buffer layer. The buffer layer can include a carbide and/or a noble metal selected from of gold, silver, tantalum, platinum, palladium and rhodium. When the electrode is to be used in a lead-acid battery, the electrochemically active material is selected from metallic lead (for a negative electrode) or lead peroxide (for a positive electrode).Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: UT-Battelle LLCInventors: Edgar Lara-Curzio, Ke An, James O. Kiggans, Jr., Nancy J. Dudney, Cristian I. Contescu, Frederick S. Baker, Beth L. Armstrong
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Publication number: 20100209605Abstract: Anchored nanostructure materials and methods for their fabrication are described. The anchored nanostructure materials may utilize nano-catalysts that are formed by mechanical ball milling of a metal powder. Nanostructures may be formed as anchored to the nano-catalyst by heating the nanocatalysts and then exposing the nano-catalysts to an organic vapor. The nanostructures are typically single wall or multi-wall carbon nanotubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2010Publication date: August 19, 2010Applicant: BABCOCK & WILCOX TECHNICAL SERVICES Y-12, LLCInventors: Paul A. Menchhofer, Roland D. Seals, Cristian I. Contescu, Timothy D. Burchell
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Publication number: 20100175506Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing a carbon fiber-pitch binder composition, the method comprising combining surface-modified carbon fibers with a molten pitch binder such that the surface-modified carbon fibers are substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout said molten pitch binder, wherein said surface-modified carbon fibers possess a surface that has been modified in a manner that increases the dispersability of the carbon fibers into said molten pitch binder. The invention is also directed to a method for producing a toughened graphite electrode and a method for processing metal in an electric arc furnace. The invention is also directed to carbon fiber-pitch binder compositions prepared by the inventive method in which carbon fibers are substantially homogeneously dispersed in the composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2009Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: UT-BATTELLE, LLCInventors: Peter J. Pappano, Cristian I. Contescu
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Publication number: 20100155335Abstract: The present invention provides magnetically responsive activated carbon, and a method of forming magnetically responsive activated carbon. The method of forming magnetically responsive activated carbon typically includes providing activated carbon in a solution containing ions of ferrite forming elements, wherein at least one of the ferrite forming elements has an oxidation state of +3 and at least a second of the ferrite forming elements has an oxidation state of +2, and increasing pH of the solution to precipitate particles of ferrite that bond to the activated carbon, wherein the activated carbon having the ferrite particles bonded thereto have a positive magnetic susceptibility. The present invention also provides a method of filtering waste water using magnetic activated carbon.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2008Publication date: June 24, 2010Applicant: UT-BATTELLE, LLCInventors: Patricia Taboada-Serrano, Constantino Tsouris, Cristian I. Contescu, Joanna McFarlane
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Publication number: 20090269666Abstract: A lightweight, durable lead-acid battery is disclosed. Alternative electrode materials and configurations are used to reduce weight, to increase material utilization and to extend service life. The electrode can include a current collector having a buffer layer in contact with the current collector and an electrochemically active material in contact with the buffer layer. In one form, the buffer layer includes a carbide, and the current collector includes carbon fibers having the buffer layer. The buffer layer can include a carbide and/or a noble metal selected from of gold, silver, tantalum, platinum, palladium and rhodium. When the electrode is to be used in a lead-acid battery, the electrochemically active material is selected from metallic lead (for a negative electrode) or lead peroxide (for a positive electrode).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2008Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Edgar Lara-Curzio, Ke An, James O. Kiggans, JR., Nancy J. Dudney, Cristian I. Contescu, Frederick S. Baker, Beth L. Armstrong
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Patent number: 6225257Abstract: Microporous carbonaceous materials, useful in the storage of gaseous fuels such as methane and natural gas, are improved through modification of their microporous structure in a post-carbonization process. This modification is done by heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere containing carbon dioxide with or without other diluting gases such as nitrogen, argon or water-vapor. The post-carbonization process involved modifying a starting microporous carbon with heat treatment in which the carbon is contacted with a carbon dioxide-containing atmosphere. This new treatment can be favorably applied either to selected and commercially available activated microporous carbons which have been designed for applications other than fuel gas storage or to synthetic microporous carbons proposed for storage of light gases.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 1999Date of Patent: May 1, 2001Assignee: Niagara Mohawk Power CorporationInventors: Karol Putyera, Cristian I. Contescu, Kwabena A. G. Amankwah, Wayne S. Amato