Patents by Inventor Nai-Hong Li

Nai-Hong Li 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: 20120309851
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for removing residual surface material from porous polymerized particle surfaces. The particles thus produced have an increase in surface porosity and uniformity in a variety of applications. Desirably, substantially the entire surface communicates with the interior of the particles. Also provided are the particles produced by such methods, further modifications of such particles, and methods for using the particles in a variety of applications. All described methods, compositions, and articles of manufacture are within the scope of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, Yuchiong Hsuanyu, James R. Benson, Marc Freed
  • Publication number: 20110091512
    Abstract: The present invention relates to porous cross-linked polymeric particles having cavities joined by interconnecting pores wherein all or nearly all of the cavities at the interior of each particle communicate with the surface of the particle. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a porous, cross-linked large polymeric particle as well as the product of this process. This process involves combining a continuous phase with an aqueous discontinuous phase to form an emulsion, then placing this emulsion into a mold to produce large particles having shapes derived from a mold, e.g., ellipsoids, spheroids, cylinders, prisms, etc. Also included in the invention are modifications of the particles as well as methods for using the particles in a variety of applications. All described methods, compositions, and articles of manufacture are within the scope of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: SUNSTORM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nai-Hong LI
  • Patent number: 6750303
    Abstract: Functional polymers containing hydroxyl groups as supports for use with catalysts can increase the activity of these catalysts which results in improved ethylene polymerization. The present invention seeks to provide catalysts with improved activity by incorporating 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) into the support of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Peter Phung Minh Hoang, Charles Russell, Jason Roy Kearns, Sieghard E. Wanke, David T. Lynch, Nai-Hong Li
  • Publication number: 20030199389
    Abstract: Functional polymers containing hydroxyl groups as supports for use with catalysts can increase the activity of these catalysts which results in improved ethylene polymerization. The present invention seeks to provide catalysts with improved activity by incorporating 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) into the support of the catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: Peter Phung Minh Hoang, Charles Russell, Jason Roy Kearns, Sieghard E. Wanke, David T. Lynch, Nai-Hong Li
  • Patent number: 6583082
    Abstract: Functional polymers containing hydroxyl groups as supports for use with catalysts can increase the activity of these catalysts which results in improved ethylene polymerization. The present invention seeks to provide catalysts with improved activity by incorporating 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) into the support of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Peter Phung Minh Hoang, Charles Russell, Jason Roy Kearns, Sieghard E. Wanke, David T. Lynch, Nai-Hong Li
  • Publication number: 20020103073
    Abstract: Functional polymers containing hydroxyl groups as supports for use with catalysts can increase the activity of these catalysts which results in improved ethylene polymerization. The present invention seeks to provide catalysts with improved activity by incorporating 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) into the support of the catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: The Governors of the University of Alberta
    Inventors: Peter Phung Minh Hoang, Charles Russell, Jason Roy Kearns, Sieghard E. Wanke, David T. Lynch, Nai-Hong Li
  • Patent number: 6291598
    Abstract: A polymerized material produced by the polymerization of an organic amide monomer in the presence of an organic carbonate and a process for the preparation thereof. The process comprises the steps of: heating an amount of the organic anide monomer to a temperature above its melting point; first mixing an amount of an anionic initiator with at least a portion of the amount of heated organic amide mnonomer to produce an amount of activated monomer, wherein the anionic initiator is not comprised of an alkali metal; second mixing an amount of the organic carbonate with at least a portion of the amount of heated organic amide monomer to produce an amount of dissolved organic carbonate; and polymerizing the amounts of heated organic amide monomer and activated monomer in the presence of the amount of dissolved organic carbonate to produce the polymerized material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Inventors: Michael C. Williams, Nai-Hong Li, Yatin Sankholkar
  • Patent number: 6100306
    Abstract: The present invention relates to porous crosslinked polymeric microbeads having cavities joined by interconnecting pores wherein at least some of the cavities at the interior of each microbead communicate with the surface of the microbead. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a porous, crosslinked polymeric microbead as well as the product of this process. This process involves combining an oil phase with an aqueous discontinuous phase to form an emulsion, adding the emulsion to an aqueous suspension medium to form an oil-in-water suspension of dispersed emulsion droplets, and polymerizing the emulsion droplets to form microbeads. At least 10% of the microbeads produced in accordance with the present invention are substantially spherical or substantially ellipsoidal or a combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Biopore Corporation
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, James R. Benson, Naotaka Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5863957
    Abstract: The present invention relates to porous crosslinked polymeric microbeads having cavities joined by interconnecting pores wherein at least some of the cavities at the interior of each microbead communicate with the surface of the microbead. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a porous, crosslinked polymeric microbead as well as the product of this process. This process involves combining an oil phase with an aqueous discontinuous phase to form an emulsion, adding the emulsion to an aqueous suspension medium to form an oil-in-water suspension of dispersed emulsion droplets, and polymerizing the emulsion droplets to form microbeads. At least 10% of the microbeads produced in accordance with the present invention are substantially spherical or substantially ellipsoidal or a combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Biopore Corporation
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, James R. Benson, Naotaka Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5760097
    Abstract: The present invention relates to porous crosslinked polymeric microbeads having cavities joined by interconnecting pores wherein at least some of the cavities at the interior of each microbead communicate with the surface of the microbead. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a porous, crosslinked polymeric microbead as well as the product of this process. This process involves combining an oil phase with an aqueous discontinuous phase to form an emulsion, adding the emulsion to an aqueous suspension medium to form an oil-in-water suspension of dispersed emulsion droplets, and polymerizing the emulsion droplets to form microbeads. At least 10% of the microbeads produced in accordance with the present invention are substantially spherical or substantially ellipsoidal or a combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Biopore Corporation
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, James R. Benson, Naotaka Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5653922
    Abstract: The present invention relates to porous crosslinked polymeric microbeads having cavities joined by interconnecting pores wherein at least some of the cavities at the interior of each microbead communicate with the surface of the microbead. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a porous, crosslinked polymeric microbead as well as the product of this process. This process involves combining an oil phase with an aqueous discontinuous phase to form an emulsion, adding the emulsion to an aqueous suspension medium to form an oil-in-water suspension of dispersed emulsion droplets, and polymerizing the emulsion droplets to form microbeads. At least 10% of the microbeads produced in accordance with the present invention are substantially spherical or substantially ellipsoidal or a combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Biopore Corporation
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, James R. Benson, Naotaka Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5583162
    Abstract: The present invention relates to porous crosslinked polymeric microbeads having cavities joined by interconnecting pores wherein at least some of the cavities at the interior of each microbead communicate with the surface of the microbead. Approximately 10% of the microbeads of the present invention are substantially spherical or substantially ellipsoid or a combination of the two. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a porous, crosslinked polymeric microbead as well as the product of this process. This process involves combining a continuous phase with an aqueous discontinuous phase to form an emulsion, adding the emulsion to an aqueous suspension medium to form an oil-in-water suspension of dispersed emulsion droplets, and polymerizing the emulsion droplets to form microbeads. Also included in the invention are modifications of the microbeads as well as methods for using the microbeads in a variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Biopore Corporation
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, James R. Benson
  • Patent number: 5288763
    Abstract: Porous, polymer particles comprising a functionalized cross-linked copolymer having microporous regions and macroporous regions in the polymer matrix thereof, wherein the functional groups are essentially present only within the macroporous regions, as well as processes for preparing these particles based on a template polymerization technique followed by removal of the template polymer from the particles are disclosed. The particles of the invention are useful in chromatography, and in various analytical, diagnostic techniques and solid state peptide, DNA synthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, Kam W. Leong
  • Patent number: 5168104
    Abstract: A method to prepare uniform populations of macroscopic beads containing pores of at least 0.1 microns diameter is described. The beads consist essentially of a copolymer of a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer and a crosslinking polyethylenically unsaturated monomer, said resulting copolymer optionally being derivatized with functional groups, linking moieties, and/or affinity ligands. The macroporous beads are obtained by utilizing, as porogen in the polymerization reaction, porous inorganic particles which have been preabsorbed with a blowing agent. The blowing agent is not activated until after the polymerization takes place; when the blowing agent is activated, the organic polymer which isolates the inorganic porogen particles from each other in the bead is destroyed. Upon subsequent dissolution of the inorganic porogen, a network of pores throughout the organic copolymer-formed particle is formed. The resulting beads are useful in a variety of chromatographic, analytical and biomedical techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Chembiomed, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nai-Hong Li, M. Abdul Mazid
  • Patent number: 5047438
    Abstract: Porous, rigid resin particles are prepared having a predetermined particle size distribution, surface area and porosity by polymerizing in the pores of porous inorganic template particles a reaction mixture comprising monovinyl monomers, polyvinyl crosslinking monomers and a polymerization initiator in a liquid medium in which the monomers and initiator are phase separable and extractable therefrom into the pores of the template particles. The extracted mixture is polymerized in the pores of the template particles, and the template particles are removed without destruction of the polymerizate. The isolated polymerizate mirrors the characteristics of the template particles. The surface of the polymerizate may be modified in various ways to contain desired functionality. The particles of the invention are useful in chromatography, adsorption, ion exchange, and in catalysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Supelco, Inc.
    Inventors: Binyamin Feibush, Nai-Hong Li
  • Patent number: 4933372
    Abstract: Porous, rigid resin particles are prepared having a predetermined particle size distribution, surface area and porosity by polymerizing in the pores of porous inorganic template particles a reaction mixture comprising monovinyl monomers, polyvinyl crosslinking monomers and a polymerization initiator in a liquid medium in which the monomers and initiator are phase separable and extractable therefrom into the pores of the template particles. The extracted mixture is polymerized in the pores of the template particles, and the template particles are removed without destruction of the polymerizate. The isolated polymerizate mirrors the characteristics of the template particles. The surface of the polymerizate may be modified in various ways to contain desired functionality. The particles of the invention are useful in chromatography, adsorption, ion exchange, and in catalysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Supelco, Inc.
    Inventors: Binyamin Feibush, Nai-Hong Li