Patents Represented by Attorney Samuel L. Borkowsky
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Patent number: 8329140Abstract: A method and system for storing and evolving hydrogen (H2) employ chemical compounds that can be hydrogenated to store hydrogen and dehydrogenated to evolve hydrogen. A catalyst lowers the energy required for storing and evolving hydrogen. The method and system can provide hydrogen for devices that consume hydrogen as fuel.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2008Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: David L. Thorn, William Tumas, P. Jeffrey Hay, Daniel E. Schwarz, Thomas M. Cameron
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Patent number: 8278380Abstract: Carbon nanotubes were prepared by coating a substrate with a coating solution including a suitable solvent, a soluble polymer, a metal precursor having a first metal selected from iron, nickel, cobalt, and molybdenum, and optionally a second metal selected from aluminum and magnesium, and also a binding agent that forms a complex with the first metal and a complex with the second metal. The coated substrate was exposed to a reducing atmosphere at elevated temperature, and then to a hydrocarbon in the reducing atmosphere. The result was decomposition of the polymer and formation of carbon nanotubes on the substrate. The carbon nanotubes were often in the form of an array on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Hongmei Luo, Qingwen Li, Eve Bauer, Anthony Keiran Burrell, Thomas Mark McCleskey, Quanxi Jia
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Patent number: 8247234Abstract: Compounds having stable isotopes 13C and/or 2H were synthesized from precursor compositions having solid phase supports or affinity tags.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2011Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Jurgen G. Schmidt, David B. Kimball, Marc A. Alvarez, Robert F. Williams, Rudolfo A. Martinez
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Patent number: 8236181Abstract: The amount of silica in cooling tower water is reduced by passing cooling tower water through a column of silica gel.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Enid J. Sullivan, Bryan J. Carlson, Robert M. Wingo, Thomas W. Robison
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Patent number: 8228055Abstract: The transverse critical-current uniformity in a superconducting tape was determined using a magnetic knife apparatus. A critical current Ic distribution and transverse critical current density Jc distribution in YBCO coated conductors was measured nondestructively with high resolution using a magnetic knife apparatus. The method utilizes the strong depression of Jc in applied magnetic fields. A narrow region of low, including zero, magnetic field in a surrounding higher field is moved transversely across a sample of coated conductor. This reveals the critical current density distribution. A Fourier series inversion process was used to determine the transverse Jc distribution in the sample.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Fred M. Mueller, Jens Haenisch
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Patent number: 8153014Abstract: A mixture of single-walled carbon nanotubes (“SWNTs”) is separated into fractions of enriched chirality by preparing an aqueous suspension of a mixture of SWNTs and a surfactant, injecting a portion of the suspension on a column of separation medium having a density gradient, and centrifuging the column. In some embodiments, salt is added prior to centrifugation. In other embodiments, the centrifugation is performed at a temperature below room temperature. Fractions separate as colored bands in the column. The diameter of the separated SWNTs decreases with increasing density along the gradient of the column. The colored bands can be withdrawn separately from the column.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Stephen K. Doorn, Sandip Niyogi
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Patent number: 8101786Abstract: The reaction of halo-boron compounds (B—X compounds, compounds having one or more boron-halogen bonds) with silanes provides boranes (B—H compounds, compounds having one or more B—H bonds) and halosilanes. Inorganic hydrides, such as surface-bound silane hydrides (Si—H) react with B—X compounds to form B—H compounds and surface-bound halosilanes. The surface bound halosilanes are converted back to surface-bound silanes electrochemically. Halo-boron compounds react with stannanes (tin compounds having a Sn—H bond) to form boranes and halostannanes (tin compounds having a Sn—X bond). The halostannanes are converted back to stannanes electrochemically or by the thermolysis of Sn-formate compounds. When the halo-boron compound is BCl3, the B—H compound is B2H6, and where the reducing potential is provided electrochemically or by the thermolysis of formate.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2010Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: David L Thorn, William Tumas, Daniel E Schwarz, Anthony K Burrell
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Patent number: 8080175Abstract: A scintillator having a host lattice of MgAl2O4 was prepared by hot pressing under a vacuum environment a powder mixture of MgAl2O4, CeO2, and LiF.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2009Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventor: Ching-Fong Chen
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Patent number: 8063111Abstract: Anion-conducing polymers and membranes with enhanced stability to aqueous alkali include a polymer backbone with attached sulfonium, phosphazenium, phosphazene, and guanidinium residues. Compositions also with enhanced stability to aqueous alkali include a support embedded with sulfonium, phosphazenium, and guanidinium salts.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Bryan S. Pivovar, David L. Thorn
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Patent number: 7977102Abstract: Compounds having stable isotopes 13C and/or 2H were synthesized from precursor compositions having solid phase supports or affinity tags.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2007Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Jurgen G. Schmidt, David B. Kimball, Marc A. Alvarez, Robert F. Williams, Rudolfo A. Martinez
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Patent number: 7959841Abstract: Uniformly dense, diamond-silicon carbide composites having high hardness, high fracture toughness, and high thermal stability are prepared by consolidating a powder mixture of diamond and amorphous silicon. A composite made at 5 GPa/1673K had a measured fracture toughness of 12 MPa·m1/2. By contrast, liquid infiltration of silicon into diamond powder at 5 GPa/1673K produces a composite with higher hardness but lower fracture toughness.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2006Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventor: Yusheng Zhao
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Patent number: 7938997Abstract: Bulk, superhard, B—C—N nanocomposite compacts were prepared by ball milling a mixture of graphite and hexagonal boron nitride, encapsulating the ball-milled mixture at a pressure in a range of from about 15 GPa to about 25 GPa, and sintering the pressurized encapsulated ball-milled mixture at a temperature in a range of from about 1800-2500 K. The product bulk, superhard, nanocomposite compacts were well sintered compacts with nanocrystalline grains of at least one high-pressure phase of B—C—N surrounded by amorphous diamond-like carbon grain boundaries. The bulk compacts had a measured Vicker's hardness in a range of from about 41 GPa to about 68 GPa.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Yusheng Zhao, Duanwei He
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Patent number: 7915047Abstract: A coating is used to detect a fluid leak.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2007Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: David L. Thorn, Karl K. Jonietz, James M. Boncella
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Patent number: 7914588Abstract: Fluorescent metal nanoclusters were prepared.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2007Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Jennifer S. Martinez, R. Brian Dyer, Dung M. Vu, Yuping Bao, Chang Zhong
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Patent number: 7846378Abstract: Ceramic nanopowder was sealed inside a metal container under a vacuum. The sealed evacuated container was forced through a severe deformation channel at an elevated temperature below the melting point of the ceramic nanopowder. The result was a dense nanocrystalline ceramic structure inside the metal container.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2009Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Jason Cooley, Ching-Fong Chen, David Alexander
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Patent number: 7846980Abstract: Anion-conducing polymers and membranes with enhanced stability to aqueous alkali include a polymer backbone with attached sulfonium, phosphazenium, phosphazene, and guanidinium residues. Compositions also with enhanced stability to aqueous alkali include a support embedded with sulfonium, phosphazenium, and guanidinium salts.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2009Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Bryan S. Pivovar, David L. Thorn
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Patent number: 7839499Abstract: A hydrogen sensor for detecting/quantitating hydrogen and hydrogen isotopes includes a sampling line and a microplasma generator that excites hydrogen from a gas sample and produces light emission from excited hydrogen. A power supply provides power to the microplasma generator, and a spectrometer generates an emission spectrum from the light emission. A programmable computer is adapted for determining whether or not the gas sample includes hydrogen, and for quantitating the amount of hydrogen and/or hydrogen isotopes are present in the gas sample.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2008Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Yixiang Duan, Quanxi Jia, Wenqing Cao
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Patent number: 7837852Abstract: The reaction of halo-boron compounds (B—X compounds, compounds having one or more boron-halogen bonds) with silanes provides boranes (B—H compounds, compounds having one or more B—H bonds) and halosilanes. Inorganic hydrides, such as surface-bound silane hydrides (Si—H) react with B—X compounds to form B—H compounds and surface-bound halosilanes. The surface bound halosilanes are converted back to surface-bound silanes electrochemically. Halo-boron compounds react with stannanes (tin compounds having a Sn—H bond) to form boranes and halostannanes (tin compounds having a Sn—X bond). The halostannanes are converted back to stannanes electrochemically or by the thermolysis of Sn-formate compounds. When the halo-boron compound is BCl3, the B—H compound is B2H6, and where the reducing potential is provided electrochemically or by the thermolysis of formate.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2009Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: David L. Thorn, William Tumas, Daniel E. Schwarz, Anthony K. Burrell
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Patent number: 7771569Abstract: Light hydrocarbon enrichment is accomplished using a vertically oriented distillation column having a plurality of vertically oriented, nonselective micro/mesoporous hollow fibers. Vapor having, for example, both propylene and propane is sent upward through the distillation column in between the hollow fibers. Vapor exits neat the top of the column and is condensed to form a liquid phase that is directed back downward through the lumen of the hollow fibers. As vapor continues to ascend and liquid continues to countercurrently descend, the liquid at the bottom of the column becomes enriched in a higher boiling point, light hydrocarbon (propane, for example) and the vapor at the top becomes enriched in a lower boiling point light hydrocarbon (propylene, for example). The hollow fiber becomes wetted with liquid during the process.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2009Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Dali Yang, David Devlin, Robert S. Barbero, Martin E. Carrera, Craig W. Colling
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Patent number: 7767078Abstract: A system and method were used to treat produced water. Field-testing demonstrated the removal of contaminants from produced water from oil and gas wells.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2008Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLCInventors: Enid J. Sullivan, Lynn Katz, Kerry Kinney, Robert S. Bowman, Soondong Kwon