Patents by Inventor Ezra Lee Clark

Ezra Lee Clark 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).

  • Methods for synthesizing metal oxide nanowires
    Patent number: 9409141
    Abstract: A method of synthesizing a metal oxide nanowire includes the steps of: combining an amount of a transition metal or a transition metal oxide with an amount of an alkali metal compound to produce a mixture; activating a plasma discharge reactor to create a plasma discharge; exposing the mixture to the plasma discharge for a first predetermined time period such that transition metal oxide nanowires are formed; contacting the transition metal oxide nanowires with an acid solution such that an alkali metal ion is exchanged for a hydrogen ion on each of the transition metal oxide nanowires; and exposing the transition metal oxide nanowires to the plasma discharge for a second predetermined time period to thermally anneal the transition metal oxide nanowires. Transition metal oxide nanowires produced using the synthesis methods described herein are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: University of Louisville Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mahendra Kumar Sunkara, Vivekanand Kumar, Jeong H. Kim, Ezra Lee Clark
  • METHODS FOR SYNTHESIZING METAL OXIDE NANOWIRES
    Publication number: 20130017145
    Abstract: A method of synthesizing a metal oxide nanowire includes the steps of: combining an amount of a transition metal or a transition metal oxide with an amount of an alkali metal compound to produce a mixture; activating a plasma discharge reactor to create a plasma discharge; exposing the mixture to the plasma discharge for a first predetermined time period such that transition metal oxide nanowires are formed; contacting the transition metal oxide nanowires with an acid solution such that an alkali metal ion is exchanged for a hydrogen ion on each of the transition metal oxide nanowires; and exposing the transition metal oxide nanowires to the plasma discharge for a second predetermined time period to thermally anneal the transition metal oxide nanowires. Transition metal oxide nanowires produced using the synthesis methods described herein are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Mahendra Kumar Sunkara, Vivekanand Kumar, Jeong H. Kim, Ezra Lee Clark