Patents by Inventor Robert K. Grasselli

Robert K. Grasselli 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: 4781803
    Abstract: Improved electrolytic processes employing oxygen anodes. The improvement comprises the step of conducting a electrolysis process in an electrolytic cell having a platinum based amorphous metal alloy oxygen anode having the formulaPt.sub.p A.sub.a D.sub.dwhereA is Cr, Mo, W, Fe, Os, Ir, Cu, Ni, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ti, Ru, Nb, V, Ta, Au and mixtures thereof;D is B, C, Si, Al, Ge, P, As, Sb, Sn and mixtures thereof;p ranges from about 40 to 92;a ranges from about 0 to 40; andd ranges from about 8 to 60, with the proviso that p+a+d=100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Jonathan H. Harris, Michael A. Tenhover, Robert K. Grasselli, Michael D. Ward
  • Patent number: 4778930
    Abstract: The present invention is a process for the oxidation of olefins to unsaturated aldehydes and acids using a catalyst containing antimony, iron, bismuth, molybdenum plus at least one of nickel, cobalt, magnesium, zinc, cadmium or calcium within certain compositional limits. These catalysts may also contain certain elements that further enhance the desirability of the oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Grasselli, Dev D. Surech, Harley F. Hardman
  • Patent number: 4767878
    Abstract: High yields of unsaturated nitriles are obtained by the oxidation of olefin-ammonia mixtures in the presence of a catalyst comprising the oxides of bismuth, molybdenum, iron and at least one element of the Group II metals as essential components, and optionally the oxides of cobalt, nickel, phosphorus, arsenic and an alkali metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Grasselli, Harley F. Hardman
  • Patent number: 4766232
    Abstract: Certain catalysts containing iron and molybdenum plus bismuth or tellurium and nickel, cobalt, manganese, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, calcium or beryllium have been found to give especially large volumes of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile in a given time when boron, gallium or indium are incorporated into the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Grasselli, Dev D. Suresh, Arthur F. Miller
  • Patent number: 4762961
    Abstract: The vapor phase dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons is achieved with a spinel of the formula AV.sub.2-x C.sub.x O.sub.4 where A is a bivalent metal, V is vanadium substantially in +3 oxidation state, C is a trivalent metal, or with a crystalline perovskite DV.sub.1-y C.sub.y O.sub.3 where D is one or more of Y, the rare earths and Bi, and V is again vanadium in +3 oxidation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Assignee: Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Andrew T. Guttmann, James F. Brazdil, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4746584
    Abstract: Novel amorphous metal alloy electrodes have the formulaePt.sub.p A.sub.a D.sub.dwhereA is Ir, Pd, Rh, Ru and mixtures thereof;D is B, Al, As, P, Sb, Ge, Sn, Si and mixtures thereof;p is from about 40 to 92 percent;a is from about 1 to 40 percent;d is from about 8 to 40 percent; and p+a+d=100; andNi.sub.n E.sub.e F.sub.f G.sub.gwhereE is Mo, W and mixtures thereof;F is Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Cr and mixtures thereof;G is Al, Ga and mixtures thereof;n is from about 30 to 90 percent;e is from about 10 to 50 percent;f is from about 0 to 25 percent;g is from about 10 to 40 percent; and n+e+f+g=100.These electrodes are useful for hydrogen formation and oxidation and operate at lower potentials than existing electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Tenhover, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4746753
    Abstract: Bismuth cerium molybdate catalysts promoted with alkali metal and other optional ingredients provide high yields of acrylonitrile in the ammoxidation of propylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: James F. Brazdil, Jr., Dev D. Suresh, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4746641
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for ammoxidation of paraffins containing 2-5 C atoms over a vanadium-antimony oxide catalyst, the catalyst, and a precursor slurry for making such catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1988
    Assignee: Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Andrew T. Guttmann, Robert K. Grasselli, James F. Brazdil
  • Patent number: 4743706
    Abstract: This invention relates to a novel vapor phase process for the production of unsaturated acids and esters, such as acrylic acid and methyl acrylate, by reacting a primary alcohol with a saturated monocarboxylic acid, ester, or anhydride in the presence of oxygen over a solid catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Andrew T. Guttmann, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4737355
    Abstract: Disclosed is making an inorganic crystalline vanadium III oxidic compound from a pentavalent vanadium compound, which process comprises (1) reducing a pentavalent vanadium oxidic compound to substantially the V.sup.III state by heating at 100.degree. C. or less an aqueous medium slurry or solution of said pentavalent compound containing a reducing agent selected from hydrazine and hydrocarbylhydrazine, (2) providing in said aqueous medium, either before, during or after said reducing step, other metal cations in solution in the ratio called for by the desired crystalline compound, (3) removing the liquid aqueous medium, and (4) calcining the resulting dry solid at a temperature in the range from 400.degree. to 800.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere.Also disclosed is the vapor phase catalytic dehydrogenation of paraffins using certain spinels and perovskites as catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Andrew T. Guttmann, James F. Brazdil, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4736054
    Abstract: The ammoxidation of n-butane to acrylonitrile and hydrogen cyanide by a process comprising reacting a gaseous mixture containing n-butane, ammonia and oxygen in the presence of a metal promoted highly siliceous zeolite catalyst, where the zeolite is one comprising ZSM-5, ZSM-5-type aluminosilicate zeolites, or aluminum-free ZSM-5-type zeolites, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Thomas G. Attig, Kenneth J. Kuruc, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4728580
    Abstract: Novel materials having the ability to reversibly store hydrogen are amorphous metal alloys of the formulaA.sub.a M.sub.b M'.sub.cwhereinA is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Hg, Pd and Pt;M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pb, Ru, Cu, Cr, Mo, Si, W, Ni, Al, Sn, Co. Fe, Zn, Cd, Ga and Mn; andM' is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf, Nb, V, Ta and the rare earths; andwhereina ranges from greater than zero to about 0.80;b ranges from zero to about 0.70; andc ranges from about 0.08 to about 0.95;characterized in that (1) a substantial portion of A is disposed on the surface of said material and/or (2) that said material functions as an active surface layer for adsorbing/desorbing hydrogen in conjunction with a bulk storage material comprising a reversible hydrogen storage material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Grasselli, Michael A. Tenhover, Jonathan H. Harris
  • Patent number: 4721789
    Abstract: A process for making 3-cyanopyridine by the vapor phase catalytic reaction of 2-methylglutaronitrile with molecular oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert DiCosimo, James D. Burrington, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4705610
    Abstract: Anodes comprising substrate materials coated with iridium based amorphous metal alloys having the formulaeIr.sub.i D.sub.d E.sub.e F.sub.fandIr.sub.i Y.sub.y D.sub.d E.sub.e F.sub.fwhereY is yttriumD is Ti, Zr, Y, Nb, Ta, Ru, W, Mo and mixtures thereof;E is C, B, Si, P, Al, Ge, As, N, Sb and mixtures thereof;F is Rh, Pt, Pd and mixtures thereof;i is 35 to 96 or 50 to 96, respectively;y is 4 to 40;d is 0 to 40;e is 4 to 40;f is 0 to 45; andi+d+e+f=100, i+y+d+e+f=100, and if E is Si and/or P, then B is also present.A process for the use of the foregoing iridium based alloys as anodes for the electrolysis of halide-containing electrolyte solutions is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Tenhover, Jonathan H. Harris, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4696703
    Abstract: An amorphous metal alloy composition exhibiting corrosion resistance in acidic environments of the formula:Cr.sub.a M.sub.b B.sub.c C.sub.d R.sub.ewhereinM is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Nb and Ta;R is at least one element selected from the group consisting of N, P, As, S and Se; andwhereina ranges from about greater than 0.4 to about 0.6;b ranges from about 0.15 to about less than 0.4; andc ranges from zero to about 0.16.d ranges from zero to about 0.2; ande ranges from zero to about 0.3;with the proviso that the sum of (c+d+e) ranges from about 0.04 to about 0.35.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Richard S. Henderson, Michael A. Tenhover, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4665259
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for converting methane to a higher order hydrocarbon comprising contacting a gaseous reactant comprising methane with a phosphate-containing catalyst for a sufficient period of time and at an effective temperature to provide said higher order hydrocarbon, said catalyst being represented by the formulaM.sub.x PO.sub.ywhereinM is selected from the group consisting of Pb, Bi, Sb, Sn, Tl, In, Mn, Cd, Ge or a mixture of two or more thereof,x is from about 0.1 to about 10, andy is the number of oxygens needed to fulfill the valence requirements of the other elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: James F. Brazdil, Raymond G. Teller, Joseph P. Bartek, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4655891
    Abstract: A process for the photochemical dehydrogenation of alcohols comprises the steps of forming a suspension of semiconductor powder in the alcohol and photochemically activating the suspension in the presence of an oxidant with illumination having an energy at least equal to the band gap of the semiconductor powder. The process is one carried out at about ambient temperature and with gentle agitation. The semiconductor powder has the general formula A.sub.x B.sub.y C.sub.z where A is selected from Bi, Sn, Pt, Pd, Cu, Fe, W, V, Sb, Mo, Ru or Ag and mixtures thereof; B is Te, Sb, Ti, Cd, Mo, W or V and mixtures thereof; C is O or S; x equals 0.1 to 5; y equals 1 to 3; and z is a number necessary to satisfy the other elements, and is optionally metallized by an element selected from Pt, Pd, Cu or Ag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Ward, James F. Brazdil, Jr., Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4615967
    Abstract: A thin film device for recording information in readable form that decreases its light absorbancy in response to increased temperature. The film includes two elements from column IVa of the Periodic Table, such as silicon, germanium, tin and lead, bound with one of or a mixture of sulfur and selenium.The as-deposited inventive materials contain tetrahedral units, some ethane-like units and some rings and chains. Upon heating the ethane-like units are converted to rings and chains and tetrahedral units producing a dramatically decreased light absorbancy. The materials are stable at relatively high operating temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Tenhover, Robert K. Grasselli
  • Patent number: 4609442
    Abstract: Amorphous metal alloys have the formulaM.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b M.sup.3.sub.cwhereM.sup.1 is Fe, Co, Ni, Pd and combination thereof;M.sup.2 is Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta and combination thereof;M.sup.3 is Rh, Os, Ir, Pt and combinations thereof;a ranges from about 0 to 60;b ranges from about 10 to 70; andc ranges from about 5 to 70, with the proviso that a+b+c=100.These alloys have utility as anodes in electrolytic processes and a process for the generation of halogens from halide-containing solutions includes a step of conducting electrolysis of the solutions in an electrolytic cell having an amorphous metal alloy anode of the formulaM.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b M.sup.3.sub.c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Tenhover, Richard S. Henderson, Jonathan H. Harris, Robert K. Grasselli, Michael D. Ward
  • Patent number: RE32484
    Abstract: A vapor phase catalytic oxydehydrogenation process for the conversion of a steam of mixed isomeric isoamylenes, methyl butanols or mixtures thereof to isoprene with relatively short contact times at a reactor temperature in the range of 500.degree. F. to 1100.degree. F. at from 0.5 to about 10 atmospheres pressure. The catalysts comprise an alkali metal as an essential catalytic ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Grasselli, Harley F. Hardman