Patents by Inventor Francis R. Thibodeau

Francis R. Thibodeau 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).

  • Publication number: 20160046771
    Abstract: Oligomer-grafted nanofiller compositions and composites including oligomer-grafted nanofillers are disclosed. An oligomer-grafted nanofiller composition for disposition in a polymer matrix, the polymeric matrix comprising polymers derived from a plurality of polymerizable units, can include a nanoparticle, one or more coupling groups bonded to the nanoparticle; and one or more oligomers bonded to the one or more coupling groups. In an embodiment the oligomer is derived from two or more polymerizable units, at least one polymerizable unit being at least substantially similar to at least one of the polymerizable units of the polymer matrix. In another embodiment the oligomer comprises two or more polymerizable units and improves dispersion, interfacial strength, or both dispersion and interfacial strength between the nano-particle and the polymer matrix. Composites and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Francis R. THIBODEAU, Yuqiang QIAN, Andreas STEIN, Christopher W. MACOSKO, Nicholas D. PETKOVICH
  • Publication number: 20150344666
    Abstract: The invention concerns nanofiller composition comprising (i) a nanoparticle; (ii) a plurality of coupling groups bonded to the nanoparticle; (iii) one or more (a) oligomers or (b) organic isocyanate residues bonded to the one or more coupling groups; and, optionally, (iv) one or more dispersing moieties that facilitate dispersion of the nanoparticle bonded to one or more of the coupling groups or organic isocyanate residues; as well as laminates comprising such nanoparticles in at least one layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher W. Macosko, Andreas Stein, Yuqiang Qian, Gregory Moriarty, Siyao He, Francis R. Thibodeau
  • Publication number: 20140275323
    Abstract: Oligomer-grafted nanofiller compositions and composites including oligomer-grafted nanofillers are disclosed. An oligomer-grafted nanofiller composition for disposition in a polymer matrix, the polymeric matrix comprising polymers derived from a plurality of polymerizable units, can include a nanoparticle, one or more coupling groups bonded to the nanoparticle; and one or more oligomers bonded to the one or more coupling groups. In an embodiment the oligomer is derived from two or more polymerizable units, at least one polymerizable unit being at least substantially similar to at least one of the polymerizable units of the polymer matrix. In another embodiment the oligomer comprises two or more polymerizable units and improves dispersion, interfacial strength, or both dispersion and interfacial strength between the nanoparticle and the polymer matrix. Composites and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Francis R. Thibodeau, Yuqiang Qian, Andreas Stein, Christopher W. Macosko
  • Patent number: 5378437
    Abstract: A variety of processes for recovering gold from gold ore are disclosed. Briefly, the methods include culturing at least one microorganism species capable of producing cyanide ion under conditions wherein the microorganism produces cyanide ion, thus forming a cyanide ion-containing culture; contacting the cyanide ion-containing culture with gold ore, causing production of gold ion-cyanide ion complexes and biosorption of said complexes to said cultures; and recovering gold from the culture. The invention may be practiced with a variety of microorganisms, including Chromobacterium violaceum and Chlorella vulgaris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Geobiotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis G. Kleid, William J. Kohr, Francis R. Thibodeau
  • Patent number: 5290526
    Abstract: A variety of processes for recovering gold from gold ore are disclosed. Briefly, the methods include culturing at least one microorganism species capable of producing cyanide ion under conditions wherein the microorganism produces cyanide ion, thus forming a cyanide ion-containing culture; contacting the cyanide ion-containing culture with gold ore, causing production of gold ion-cyanide ion complexes and biosorption of said complexes to said cultures; and recovering gold from the culture. The invention may be practiced with a variety of microorganisms, including Chromobacterium violaceum and Chlorella vuloaris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Geobiotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis G. Kleid, William J. Kohr, Francis R. Thibodeau
  • Patent number: 5162105
    Abstract: A variety of processes for recovering gold from gold ore are disclosed. Briefly, the methods include culturing at least one microorganism species capable of producing cyanide ion under conditions wherein the microorganism produces cyanide ion, thus forming a cyanide ion-containing culture; contacting the cyanide ion-containing culture with gold ore, causing production of gold ion-cyanide ion complexes and biosorption of said complexes to said cultures; and recovering gold from the culture. The invention may be practiced with a variety of microorganisms, including Chromobacterium violaceum and Chlorella vulgaris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Geobiotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis G. Kleid, William J. Kohr, Francis R. Thibodeau
  • Patent number: 5152969
    Abstract: A variety of processes for recovering gold from gold ore are disclosed. Briefly, the methods include culturing at least one microorganism species capable of producing cyanide ion under conditions wherein the microorganism produces cyanide ion, thus forming a cyanide ion-containing culture; contacting the cyanide ion-containing culture with gold ore, causing production of gold ion-cyanide ion complexes and biosorption of said complexes to said cultures; and recovering gold from the culture. The invention may be practiced with a variety of microorganisms, including Chromobacterium violcaceum and Chlorella vulgaris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Geobiotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis G. Kleid, William J. Kohr, Francis R. Thibodeau