Patents Assigned to Rice University
  • Publication number: 20130209347
    Abstract: A gas to gas heat exchanger, such as use in a HiPco system, and an improved system and process by which gas from the gas to gas heat exchanger and the gaseous catalyst carrier stream can be introduced into the HiPco core reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Christopher L. Harris
  • Patent number: 8506921
    Abstract: A hot filament chemical vapor deposition method has been developed to grow at least one vertical single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT). In general, various embodiments of the present invention disclose novel processes for growing and/or producing enhanced nanotube carpets with decreased diameters as compared to the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Robert H. Hauge, Ya-Qiong Xu
  • Publication number: 20130203137
    Abstract: Improved bacteria for making succinate and other 4 carbon dicarboxylates from the Krebs cycle have modifications to reduce acetate, lactate, EtOH and formate, as well as turn on the glyoxylate shunt, produce more NADH and overexpress In one embodiment, the bacteria are ?adhE?ldhA?iclR?ack-pta plus PYC+ and NAD+-dependant FDH+.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ka-Yiu San, George N. Bennett, Grant J. Balzer, Jiangfeng Zhu, Chandresh Thakker, Ailen M. Sanchez
  • Patent number: 8504948
    Abstract: In general, the invention relates to a method for designing a biological circuit. The method includes obtaining a target circuit objective for the biological circuit, determining an objective function corresponding to the target circuit objective, obtaining a number of nodes for the biological circuit, obtaining a set of possible circuit subgraphs using the number of nodes, obtaining a specific dissipation energy (SDE) for each one of the set of possible circuit subgraphs by optimizing the objective function, selecting at least one circuit subgraph from the set of possible circuit subgraphs with the lowest SDE, and designing the biological circuit using the at least one selected one circuit subgraph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignees: William Marsh Rice University, The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Deepak Nagrath, Marco Avila-Elchiver, Martin Yarmush
  • Publication number: 20130190472
    Abstract: Provided are polyamide nanocomposites incorporating carbon nanotubes and other filler species. Also provided are related methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicants: William Marsh Rice University, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Karen I. Winey, Jayanta Chattopadhyay, W. Edward Billups
  • Patent number: 8486686
    Abstract: A new culture method for producing high levels of a metabolite, such as succinic acid uses oxygen rich culture without pH adjustment to increase the biomass, acclimation in under oxygen lean conditions having <5% partial pressure of oxygen, and the production of high levels of succinate under oxygen deprived conditions. The method can be performed in a single reactor, and is amenable to efficient scale up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Laurent Segueilha, Ka-Yiu San, George Bennett, Irene Martinez
  • Patent number: 8487796
    Abstract: A method for automatic gain control comprising the steps of measuring a signal using compressed sensing to produce a sequence of blocks of measurements, applying a gain to one of the blocks of measurements, adjusting the gain based upon a deviation of a saturation rate of the one of the blocks of measurements from a predetermined nonzero saturation rate and applying the adjusted gain to a second of the blocks of measurements. Alternatively, a method for automatic gain control comprising the steps of applying a gain to a signal, computing a saturation rate of the signal and adjusting the gain based upon a difference between the saturation rate of the signal and a predetermined nonzero saturation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard G. Baraniuk, Jason N. Laska, Petros T. Boufounos, Mark A. Davenport
  • Patent number: 8483492
    Abstract: The recently introduced theory of Compressive Sensing (CS) enables a new method for signal recovery from incomplete information (a reduced set of “compressive” linear measurements), based on the assumption that the signal is sparse in some dictionary. Such compressive measurement schemes are desirable in practice for reducing the costs of signal acquisition, storage, and processing. However, the current CS framework considers only a certain task (signal recovery) and only in a certain model setting (sparsity). We show that compressive measurements are in fact information scalable, allowing one to answer a broad spectrum of questions about a signal when provided only with a reduced set of compressive measurements. These questions range from complete signal recovery at one extreme down to a simple binary detection decision at the other. (Questions in between include, for example, estimation and classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard Baraniuk, Marco F. Duarte, Mark A. Davenport, Michael B. Wakin
  • Publication number: 20130168543
    Abstract: A transport of plasmonic particles through a mineral formation is analyzed by flowing a plasmonic particles solution through an immobile phase (e.g., a mineral formation), determining an absorbance of the plasmonic particles solution subsequent to flowing the plasmonic particles solution through the immobile phase, comparing the determined absorbance of the plasmonic particles solution with an absorbance of the plasmonic particles solution determined previous to flowing the plasmonic particles solution through the immobile phase, and determining an absorbance of the plasmonic particles to the immobile phase as a function of the comparison. The plasmonic particles solution may be produced by dissolving or suspending plasmonic particles in a mobile phase. Flowing the plasmonic particles solution through the immobile phase may include injecting the plasmonic particles solution into the immobile phase, and then flushing the plasmonic particles solution through the immobile phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Andrew R. Barron, Samuel J. Maguire-Boyle, Alvin W. Orbaek
  • Patent number: 8476407
    Abstract: This application provides a metallopeptide catalyst comprising dirhodium bound to one or more carboxylate residues of a peptide, protein or peptidomimetic. These stable metallopeptides can achieve structure-selective protein modification though molecular recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Zachary Thomas Ball, Brian Vincent Popp, Alexander Nikolaevich Zaykov
  • Patent number: 8460428
    Abstract: In various embodiments, methods for synthesizing single-crystalline zero-valent metal nanorings, such as single-crystalline copper nanorings, are described herein. The methods include providing a solution containing a metal cation, a complexing agent bound to the metal cation, thereby forming a metal complex that is at least partially soluble in the solution, and a reducing agent operable for reducing the metal complex to a zero-valent metal and then heating the solution for a sufficient time and at a sufficient temperature until zero-valent metal nanorings form. The solution may be an aqueous solution in an embodiment. Single-crystalline metal nanorings produced by the methods described herein may have a diameter less than about 100 ?m and a wall thickness between about 10 nm and about 500 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Jun Lou, Yongjie Zhan
  • Patent number: 8456345
    Abstract: A method for recovering a signal by measuring the signal to produce a plurality of compressive sensing measurements, discarding saturated measurements from the plurality of compressive sensing measurements and reconstructing the signal from remaining measurements from the plurality of compressive sensing measurements. Alternatively, a method for recovering a signal comprising the steps of measuring a signal to produce a plurality of compressive sensing measurements, identifying saturated measurements in the plurality of compressive sensing measurements and reconstructing the signal from the plurality of compressive sensing measurements, wherein the recovered signal is constrained such that magnitudes of values corresponding to the identified saturated measurements are greater than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard G. Baraniuk, Jason N. Laska, Petros T. Boufounos, Mark A. Davenport
  • Patent number: 8455392
    Abstract: A new type of solid acid catalyst, which promises better catalytic performance than conventionally prepared supported metal oxides due to its precisely synthesized nanostructure has been described. The catalyst is nanoparticulate in form and is comprised of monolayers of tungstated zirconia of the formula, WOxZryO4-2y made by impregnating a support with zirconium and tungsten. The support catalyst is further characterized in having a tugsten monolayer between greater than 0001 W/nm2 to about 30 W/nm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: William Marsh Rice University, Lehigh University
    Inventors: Israel E. Wachs, Elizabeth I. Ross-Medgaarden, Michael Sha-nang Wong
  • Patent number: 8449854
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method of preparing a superhard material involves using mixtures of boron with carbon nitride of C3N4 stoichiometry as precursors. The C3N4 may be nanospherical. The result of chemical interaction of these components is the formation of new ternary compound B—C—N compound with a cubic structure. According to some embodiments, the composition is BCxN, where x is about 0.5. According to some embodiments, the composition is BCxN, where x is about 0.2. According to some embodiments, the compound has a unit cell parameter a=3.645±0.005 ?. According to some embodiments, the unit cell parameter a is about 3.655 ?. Synthesis is carried out under the conditions of thermodynamic stability of diamond at pressures higher that 6.0 GPa and temperatures above 1000° C. The starting components are taken according to the following ratio: boron—20-60 wt. %, C3N4—40-80 wt. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Valery N. Khabashesku, Vladimir P. Filonenko, Valeri A. Davydov
  • Publication number: 20130130933
    Abstract: This invention generally relates to the use of devices to measure and assess the level of biomarkers that are indicative of the general wellness of an individual and methods of correlating such information into a wellness index.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: John T McDevitt, Pierre N. Floriano, Nicolaos Christodoullides, Glennon Simmons
  • Patent number: 8440467
    Abstract: Electronic devices comprising a dielectric material, at least one carbon sheet, and two electrode terminals are described herein. The devices exhibit non-linear current-versus-voltage response over a voltage sweep range in various embodiments. Uses of the electronic devices as two-terminal memory devices, logic units, and sensors are disclosed. Processes for making the electronic devices are disclosed. Methods for using the electronic devices in analytical methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Yubao Li, Alexander Sinitskiy
  • Publication number: 20130108826
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention provides method of forming composites. Such methods generally comprise: (1) applying carbon nanotubes onto a system, wherein the system comprises at least one of an electric field or a magnetic field, and wherein the at least one electric field or magnetic field unidirectionally aligns the carbon nanotubes; and (2) applying a polymer onto the carbon nanotubes while the carbon nanotubes are unidirectionally aligned by the at least one electric field or magnetic field. The application of the polymer onto the carbon nanotubes forms composites that comprise unidirectionally aligned carbon nanotubes embedded in the polymer. In further embodiments, the present invention provides polymer composites formed by the methods of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Divya Kannan Chakravarthi, Ahmad Salman, Enrique V. Barrera, Michael T. Searfass, Kyle Kissell
  • Publication number: 20130095314
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of immobilizing carbon nanotubes on a surface, wherein the method comprises: (1) mixing carbon nanotubes with a superacid to form a carbon nanotube solution; and (2) exposing the carbon nanotube solution to the surface. The exposing results in the immobilization of the carbon nanotubes on the surface. In some embodiments, the method occurs without the utilization of carbon nanotube wrapping molecules. Other embodiments of the present invention pertain to systems that comprise immobilized carbon nanotubes on a surface, as developed by the aforementioned methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Angel A. Marti-Arbona, Avishek Saha, Matteo Pasquali
  • Patent number: 8420717
    Abstract: A method of making a water soluble carbon nanostructure includes treating a fluorinated carbon nanostructure material with a polyol in the presence of a base. A water soluble carbon nanostructure comprises a fluorinated carbon nanostructure covalently bound to a polyol. Exemplary uses of water soluble carbon nanostructures include use in polymer composites, biosensors and drug delivery vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Valery N. Khabashesku, Oleksandr Kuznetsov, Rui Lobo
  • Publication number: 20130090511
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to the ultrasmall MOx nanoparticles that are made in a solvothermal method using water soluble inorganic ammonium salt precursors of the MOx and organic amines, and slow heating to generate uniform ultrasmall MOx nanoparticles of 5 nm or less, as well as methods to make and use same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Nikolaos Soultanidis, Michael S. Wong