Patents Assigned to Sandia Corporation
-
Patent number: 9548411Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to assembling electronic devices into a microsystem. The electronic devices are disposed in a solution. Light can be applied to the electronic devices in the solution. The electronic devices can generate currents responsive to the light applied to the electronic devices in the solution, and the currents can cause electrochemical reactions that functionalize regions on surfaces of the electronic devices. Additionally or alternatively, the light applied to the electronic devices in the solution can cause the electronic devices to generate electric fields, which can orient the electronic devices and/or induce movement of the electronic devices with respect to a receiving substrate. Further, electrodes on a receiving substrate can be biased to attract and form connections with the electronic devices having the functionalized regions on the surfaces. The microsystem can include the receiving substrate and the electronic devices connected to the receiving substrate.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2013Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Gregory N. Nielson, Murat Okandan
-
Patent number: 9548509Abstract: Redox flow batteries including a half-cell electrode chamber coupled to a current collecting electrode are disclosed herein. In a general embodiment, a separator is coupled to the half-cell electrode chamber. The half-cell electrode chamber comprises a first redox-active mediator and a second redox-active mediator. The first redox-active mediator and the second redox-active mediator are circulated through the half-cell electrode chamber into an external container. The container includes an active charge-transfer material. The active charge-transfer material has a redox potential between a redox potential of the first redox-active mediator and a redox potential of the second redox-active mediator. The active charge-transfer material is a polyoxometalate or derivative thereof. The redox flow battery may be particularly useful in energy storage solutions for renewable energy sources and for providing sustained power to an electrical grid.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Travis Mark Anderson, Nicholas Hudak, Chad Staiger, Harry Pratt
-
Patent number: 9546887Abstract: A sensor device including a sensor substrate; and a thin film comprising a porous metal organic framework (MOF) on the substrate that presents more than one transduction mechanism when exposed to an analyte. A method including exposing a porous metal organic framework (MOF) on a substrate to an analyte; and identifying more than one transduction mechanism in response to the exposure to the analyte.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Albert Alec Talin, Mark D. Allendorf, Francois Leonard, Vitalie Stavila
-
Patent number: 9536947Abstract: There is provided an electronic device and a method for its manufacture. The device comprises an elongate silicon nanowire less than 0.5 ?m in cross-sectional dimensions and having a hexagonal cross-sectional shape due to annealing-induced energy relaxation.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2013Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Murat Okandan, Bruce L. Draper, Paul J. Resnick
-
Patent number: 9534097Abstract: A composition and method of forming a composition including a compound including a poly(phenylene) backbone represented by the following formula: wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 may be the same or different and is H or an unsubstituted or inertly-substituted aromatic moiety; wherein Ar1 is an unsubstituted or inertly-substituted aromatic moiety; wherein R4 is an alkylene, perfluoroalkyl, polyethylene glycol, or polypropylene glycol moiety; wherein each of R6, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 is H or a monovalent hydrocarbon group including two to 18 carbon atoms, with the proviso that each R6, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 cannot be H; and wherein each of Y6, Y7, Y8, Y9, Y10 and Y11 may be the same or different and is H or a functional group are disclosed. The composition can be used as anion-exchange membranes and as an electrode binder material in anion exchange membrane fuel cells.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: Michael R. Hibbs
-
Patent number: 9534879Abstract: A gas powered fluid gun for propelling a stream or slug of a fluid at high velocity toward a target. Recoil mitigation is provided by a cavitating venturi that reduces or eliminates the associated recoil forces, with minimal or no backwash. By launching a quantity of water in the opposite direction, net momentum forces are reduced or eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2016Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Mark C. Grubelich, Gerold Yonas
-
Patent number: 9533887Abstract: A patterned graphene or graphitic body is produced by providing a three-dimensionally patterned carbonaceous body; coating the body with a catalytic metal whereby is formed a coating having an inner surface proximal the body and an outer surface distal the body; and annealing the coated body under time and temperature conditions effective to form a graphene or graphitic layer on the outer surface of the catalytic metal coating.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Ronen Polsky, Xiaoyin Xiao, David Bruce Burckel, David R. Wheeler, Susan M. Brozik, Thomas Edwin Beechem
-
Patent number: 9530873Abstract: A quantum computing device that includes a plurality of semiconductor adiabatic qubits is described herein. The qubits are programmed with local biases and coupling terms between qubits that represent a problem of interest. The qubits are initialized by way of a tuneable parameter, a local tunnel coupling within each qubit, such that the qubits remain in a ground energy state, and that initial state is represented by the qubits being in a superposition of |0> and |1> states. The parameter is altered over time adiabatically or such that relaxation mechanisms maintain a large fraction of ground state occupation through decreasing the tunnel coupling barrier within each qubit with the appropriate schedule. The final state when tunnel coupling is effectively zero represents the solution state to the problem represented in the |0> and |1> basis, which can be accurately read at each qubit location.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Malcolm S. Carroll, Wayne Witzel, Noah Tobias Jacobson, Anand Ganti, Andrew J. Landahl, Michael Lilly, Khoi Thi Nguyen, Nathaniel Bishop, Stephen M. Carr, Ezra Bussmann, Erik Nielsen, James Ewers Levy, Robin J. Blume-Kohout, Rajib Rahman
-
Patent number: 9531322Abstract: A PV system composed of sub-arrays, each having a group of PV cells that are electrically connected to each other. A power management circuit for each sub-array has a communications interface and serves to connect or disconnect the sub-array to a programmable power grid. The power grid has bus rows and bus columns. A bus management circuit is positioned at a respective junction of a bus column and a bus row and is programmable through its communication interface to connect or disconnect a power path in the grid. As a result, selected sub-arrays are connected by selected power paths to be in parallel so as to produce a low system voltage, and, alternately in series so as to produce a high system voltage that is greater than the low voltage by at least a factor of ten.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2016Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Murat Okandan, Gregory N. Nielson
-
Patent number: 9525398Abstract: The present invention relates to a single crystal micromechanical resonator. In particular, the resonator includes a lithium niobate or lithium tantalate suspended plate. Also provided are improved microfabrication methods of making resonators, which does not rely on complicated wafer bonding, layer fracturing, and mechanical polishing steps. Rather, the methods allow the resonator and its components to be formed from a single crystal.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2014Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Roy H. Olsson, Thomas A. Friedmann, Sara Jensen Homeijer, Michael Wiwi, Khalid Mikhiel Hattar, Blythe Clark, Todd Bauer, Stuart B. Van Deusen
-
Patent number: 9518219Abstract: A method for the hydrothermal synthesis of bismuth germanium oxide comprises dissolving a bismuth precursor (e.g., bismuth nitrate pentahydrate) and a germanium precursor (e.g., germanium dioxide) in water and heating the aqueous solution to an elevated reaction temperature for a length of time sufficient to produce the eulytite phase of bismuth germanium oxide (E-BGO) with high yield. The E-BGO produced can be used as a scintillator material. For example, the air stability and radioluminescence response suggest that the E-BGO can be employed for medical applications.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2014Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: Timothy J. Boyle
-
Patent number: 9518449Abstract: A method of recovering a liquid hydrocarbon using an injectate includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon through primary extraction. Physico-chemical data representative of electrostatic interactions between the liquid hydrocarbon and the reservoir rock are measured. At least one additive of the injectate is selected based on the physico-chemical data. The method includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon from the reservoir rock through secondary extraction using the injectate.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2013Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Patrick V. Brady, James L. Krumhansl
-
Patent number: 9518406Abstract: An electromechanical latch is described herein. The electromechanical latch is a dual-actuator latch, wherein a first actuator and a second actuator are driven with precise timing to move a first latch part relative to a second latch part, and vice versa. When the electromechanical latch is in a closed position, the first rotary latch part is positioned to prevent rotation of the second rotary latch part in a first direction. To transition the electromechanical latch from the closed position to an open position, the first actuator drives the first rotary latch part such that the second rotary latch part is able to rotate in the first direction. Thereafter, the second actuator drives the second rotary latch part in the first direction until the electromechanical latch is in the open position.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2014Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Stephen Buerger, Lisa C. Marron, Michael A. Martinez, Barry Louis Spletzer
-
Patent number: 9517937Abstract: Metal chalcogenide monolayer nanomaterials can be synthesized from metal alkoxide precursors by solution precipitation or solvothermal processing. The synthesis routes are more scalable, less complex and easier to implement than other synthesis routes.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Bernadette A. Hernandez-Sanchez, Timothy J. Boyle
-
Patent number: 9512421Abstract: The present invention relates to an acoustic lysis system including a disposable cartridge that can be reversibly coupled to a platform having a small, high-frequency piezoelectric transducer array. In particular, the system releases viable DNA, RNA, and proteins from human or bacterial cells, without chemicals or additional processing, to enable high-speed sample preparation for clinical point-of-care medical diagnostics and use with nano/microfluidic cartridges. Also described herein are methods of making and using the system of the invention.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Darren W. Branch, Erika Cooley Vreeland, Gennifer Tanabe Smith
-
Patent number: 9515340Abstract: An apparatus of an aspect includes a fuel cell catalyst layer. The fuel cell catalyst layer is operable to catalyze a reaction involving a fuel reactant. A fuel cell gas diffusion layer is coupled with the fuel cell catalyst layer. The fuel cell gas diffusion layer includes a porous electrically conductive material. The porous electrically conductive material is operable to allow the fuel reactant to transfer through the fuel cell gas diffusion layer to reach the fuel cell catalyst layer. The porous electrically conductive material is also operable to conduct electrons associated with the reaction through the fuel cell gas diffusion layer. An electrically conductive polymer material is coupled with the fuel cell gas diffusion layer. The electrically conductive polymer material is operable to limit transfer of the fuel reactant to the fuel cell catalyst layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2011Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Ronald J. Stanis, Timothy N. Lambert
-
Patent number: 9514326Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to analyzing a plurality of shares stored at a plurality of repositories to determine whether a secret from which the shares were formed matches a term in a query. A threshold number of shares are formed with a generating polynomial operating on the secret. A process of serially interpolating the threshold number of shares can be conducted whereby a contribution of a first share is determined, a contribution of a second share is determined while seeded with the contribution of the first share, etc. A value of a final share in the threshold number of shares can be determined and compared with the search term. In the event of the value of the final share and the search term matching, the search term matches the secret in the file from which the shares are formed.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Thomas M. Kroeger, Thomas R. Benson
-
Patent number: 9514864Abstract: A flexible solid-state resistor comprises a string of ceramic resistors that can be used to charge the capacitors of a linear transformer driver (LTD) used in a pulsed power machine. The solid-state resistor is able to absorb the energy of a switch prefire, thereby limiting LTD cavity damage, yet has a sufficiently low RC charge time to allow the capacitor to be recharged without disrupting the operation of the pulsed power machine.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2015Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Brian Stoltzfus, Mark E. Savage, Brian Thomas Hutsel, William E. Fowler, Keven Alan MacRunnels, David Justus, William A. Stygar
-
Patent number: 9513554Abstract: A microporous carbon scaffold is produced by lithographically patterning a carbon-containing photoresist, followed by pyrolysis of the developed resist structure. Prior to exposure, the photoresist is loaded with a nanoparticulate material. After pyrolysis, the nanonparticulate material is dispersed in, and intimately mixed with, the carbonaceous material of the scaffold, thereby yielding a carbon composite structure.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2015Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: David Bruce Burckel, Cody M. Washburn, Timothy N. Lambert, Patrick Sean Finnegan, David R. Wheeler
-
Patent number: 9508881Abstract: A microsystems-enabled multi-junction photovoltaic (MEM-PV) cell includes a first photovoltaic cell having a first junction, the first photovoltaic cell including a first semiconductor material employed to form the first junction, the first semiconductor material having a first bandgap. The MEM-PV cell also includes a second photovoltaic cell comprising a second junction. The second photovoltaic cell comprises a second semiconductor material employed to form the second junction, the second semiconductor material having a second bandgap that is less than the first bandgap, the second photovoltaic cell further comprising a first contact layer disposed between the first junction of the first photovoltaic cell and the second junction of the second photovoltaic cell, the first contact layer composed of a third semiconductor material having a third bandgap, the third bandgap being greater than or equal to the first bandgap.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2012Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Anna Tauke-Pedretti, Jeffrey Cederberg, Gregory N. Nielson, Murat Okandan, Jose Luis Cruz-Campa