Patents by Inventor Geraud J. Dubois

Geraud J. Dubois 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: 11498063
    Abstract: A porous substrate susceptible to one or both of hydroxylation and alkoxylation by a first protic solvent is exposed to a first relative pressure of the first protic solvent. The porous substrate includes a first plurality of pores having a first average pore diameter and a second plurality of pores having a second average pore diameter that is greater than the first average pore diameter. The first relative pressure is effective to one or both of hydroxylate or alkoxylate substantially only pores of the first average pore diameter to form a first modified porous substrate. The first modified porous substrate is reacted with a first functionalizing reagent that is effective to functionalize one or both of hydroxylated or alkoxylated surfaces, thereby functionalizing substantially only the first plurality of the pores, to form a first functionalized porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Bruno Michel, Patrick Ruch, Sarmenio Saliba, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 10906007
    Abstract: A thin film composite membrane (TFC) includes an active layer on a support. The active layer includes at least 8 barrier layers of star-polymers each having at least three linear polymers attached at a central core. Each of the barrier layers has a thickness between 5 and 50 nm, and the barrier layers have alternating charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Victor Y. Lee, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Joseph Sly
  • Patent number: 10695724
    Abstract: A porous membrane with a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) greater than about 10 kDa, and a coating on at least a portion of a major surface of the porous membrane. The coating includes a star polymer having a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic arms, wherein the hydrophobic core contacts the porous membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Victoria Piunova, Joseph Sly, Andy T. Tek, Ran Wang
  • Patent number: 10654002
    Abstract: A thin film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membrane includes a porous support with surfaces having thereon a hydrophilic self-assembled monolayer. An active layer on the support is sufficiently dense to remove an ionic species from a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, San Jose State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Victoria Piunova, Joseph Sly, Daniel Stillman
  • Patent number: 10640396
    Abstract: A method includes removing glyphosate from a solution by contacting the solution with a mesoporous inorganic particle having an average pore size of greater than zero and less than about 50 nm, wherein the mesoporous inorganic particle is functionalized with a positively charged moiety selected from ammonium, amine and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Young-Hye Na, Lianna C. Samuel, Ran Wang
  • Publication number: 20200030784
    Abstract: A porous substrate susceptible to one or both of hydroxylation and alkoxylation by a first protic solvent is exposed to a first relative pressure of the first protic solvent. The porous substrate includes a first plurality of pores having a first average pore diameter and a second plurality of pores having a second average pore diameter that is greater than the first average pore diameter. The first relative pressure is effective to one or both of hydroxylate or alkoxylate substantially only pores of the first average pore diameter to form a first modified porous substrate. The first modified porous substrate is reacted with a first functionalizing reagent that is effective to functionalize one or both of hydroxylated or alkoxylated surfaces, thereby functionalizing substantially only the first plurality of the pores, to form a first functionalized porous substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Bruno Michel, Patrick Ruch, Sarmenio Saliba, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 10471418
    Abstract: A porous substrate susceptible to one or both of hydroxylation and alkoxylation by a first protic solvent is exposed to a first relative pressure of the first protic solvent. The porous substrate includes a first plurality of pores having a first average pore diameter and a second plurality of pores having a second average pore diameter that is greater than the first average pore diameter. The first relative pressure is effective to one or both of hydroxylate or alkoxylate substantially only pores of the first average pore diameter to form a first modified porous substrate. The first modified porous substrate is reacted with a first functionalizing reagent that is effective to functionalize one or both of hydroxylated or alkoxylated surfaces, thereby functionalizing substantially only the first plurality of the pores, to form a first functionalized porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Bruno Michel, Patrick Ruch, Sarmenio Saliba, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 10384172
    Abstract: A thin film composite membrane includes an active layer on a support membrane, wherein the active layer includes at least two chemically distinct first and second crosslinked polyamide film sub-layers. The first film sub-layer includes a polyamide unit; and the second film sub-layer includes a copolyamide with two chemically distinct polyamide units. The first film sub-layer is closer to the support than is the second film sub-layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
    Inventors: Radwan A. Alrasheed, Blake W. Davis, Jacquana T. Diep, Geraud J. Dubois, Young-Hye Na, Majed S. Nassar, Ankit Vora
  • Publication number: 20190092651
    Abstract: A method includes removing glyphosate from a solution by contacting the solution with a mesoporous inorganic particle having an average pore size of greater than zero and less than about 50 nm, wherein the mesoporous inorganic particle is functionalized with a positively charged moiety selected from ammonium, amine and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Young-Hye Na, Lianna C. Samuel, Ran Wang
  • Patent number: 10217661
    Abstract: An article may include a structure including a patterned metal on a surface of a substrate, the patterned metal including metal features separated by gaps of an average dimension of less than about 1000 nm. A porous low dielectric constant material having a dielectric value of less than about 2.7 substantially occupies all gaps. An interface between the metal features and the porous low dielectric constant material may include less than about 0.1% by volume of voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud J. Dubois, Gregory Fritz, Teddie P. Magbitang, Hiroyuki Miyazoe, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 10155675
    Abstract: A method includes removing glyphosate from a solution by contacting the solution with a mesoporous inorganic particle having an average pore size of greater than zero and less than about 50 nm, wherein the mesoporous inorganic particle is functionalized with a positively charged moiety selected from ammonium, amine and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Young-Hye Na, Lianna Samuel, Ran Wang
  • Publication number: 20180339271
    Abstract: A thin film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membrane includes a porous support with surfaces having thereon a hydrophilic self-assembled monolayer. An active layer on the support is sufficiently dense to remove an ionic species from a liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Victoria Piunova, Joseph Sly, Daniel Stillman
  • Publication number: 20180178168
    Abstract: A porous membrane with a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) greater than about 10 kDa, and a coating on at least a portion of a major surface of the porous membrane. The coating includes a star polymer having a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic arms, wherein the hydrophobic core contacts the porous membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Victoria Piunova, Joseph Sly, Andy T. Tek, Ran Wang
  • Patent number: 10005042
    Abstract: A thin film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membrane includes a porous support with surfaces having thereon a hydrophilic self-assembled monolayer. An active layer on the support is sufficiently dense to remove an ionic species from a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, San Jose State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Victoria Piunova, Joseph Sly, Daniel Stillman
  • Patent number: 9931598
    Abstract: A porous membrane with a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) greater than about 10 kDa, and a coating on at least a portion of a major surface of the porous membrane. The coating includes a star polymer having a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic arms, wherein the hydrophobic core contacts the porous membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Robert D. Miller, Young-hye Na, Victoria Piunova, Joseph Sly, Andy T. Tek, Ran Wang
  • Patent number: 9868650
    Abstract: A method for removing glyphosate from a solution by contacting the solution with a polymeric particle including a moiety selected from the group consisting of ammonium, amine and combinations thereof, wherein the moiety is positively charged in the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert D. Allen, Geraud J. Dubois, Young-Hye Na, Lianna C. Samuel, Joseph Sly, Ran Wang
  • Publication number: 20170361281
    Abstract: A thin film composite membrane (TFC) includes an active layer on a support. The active layer includes at least 8 barrier layers of star-polymers each having at least three linear polymers attached at a central core. Each of the barrier layers has a thickness between 5 and 50 nm, and the barrier layers have alternating charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Victor Y. Lee, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Joseph Sly
  • Publication number: 20170365511
    Abstract: An article may include a structure including a patterned metal on a surface of a substrate, the patterned metal including metal features separated by gaps of an average dimension of less than about 1000 nm. A porous low dielectric constant material having a dielectric value of less than about 2.7 substantially occupies all gaps. An interface between the metal features and the porous low dielectric constant material may include less than about 0.1% by volume of voids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud J. Dubois, Gregory Fritz, Teddie P. Magbitang, Hiroyuki Miyazoe, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 9782727
    Abstract: A thin film composite membrane (TFC) includes an active layer on a support. The active layer includes at least 8 barrier layers of star-polymers each having at least three linear polymers attached at a central core. Each of the barrier layers has a thickness between 5 and 50 nm, and the barrier layers have alternating charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geraud J. Dubois, Victor Y. Lee, Robert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Joseph Sly
  • Patent number: 9773698
    Abstract: An article may include a structure including a patterned metal on a surface of a substrate, the patterned metal including metal features separated by gaps of an average dimension of less than about 1000 nm. A porous low dielectric constant material having a dielectric value of less than about 2.7 substantially occupies all gaps. An interface between the metal features and the porous low dielectric constant material may include less than about 0.1% by volume of voids. A method may include depositing a filling material including a silicon-based resin having a molecular weight of less than about 30,000 Da and a porogen having a molecular weight greater than about 400 Da onto a structure comprising a patterned metal. The deposited filling material may be subjected to a first thermal treatment to substantially fill all gaps, and subjected to a second thermal treatment and a UV radiation treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud J. Dubois, Gregory Fritz, Teddie P. Magbitang, Hiroyuki Miyazoe, Willi Volksen