Patents by Inventor Alain Langlais

Alain Langlais 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).

  • GeCland/or SiClrecovery process from optical fibers or glassy residues and process for producing SiClfrom SiOrich materials
    Patent number: 8486360
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing GeCl4 with or without SiCl4 from optical fibers, the method comprises the steps of: reacting comminuted optical fibers including germanium and optionally silicon oxides with a reagent including a solid carbonaceous reducing agent, chlorine and a boron compound to obtain a gaseous product including gaseous GeCl4, gaseous SiCl4, and gaseous BCl3 in accordance with the reactions: 2BCl3(g)+1.5GeO2=1.5GeCl4(g)+B2O3; 2BCl3(g)+1.5SiO2=1.5SiCl4(g)+B2O; B2O3+1.5C+3Cl2=2BCl3(g)+1.5CO2; and then condensing the gaseous GeCl4, BCl3 and optionally SiCl4 into liquid GeCl4, BCl3 and optionally SiCl4. The invention further provides a method for producing SiCl4 (and optionally GeCl4) from glassy residues obtained from optical fiber manufacturing and wasted optical cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Mario Bergeron, Alain Langlais
  • GECL4 AND/OR SICL4 RECOVERY PROCESS FROM OPTICAL FIBERS OR GLASSY RESIDUES AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SICL4 FROM SIO2 RICH MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20100272625
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing GeCl4 with or without SiCl4 from optical fibers, the method comprises the steps of: reacting comminuted optical fibers including germanium and optionally silicon oxides with a reagent including a solid carbonaceous reducing agent, chlorine and a boron compound to obtain a gaseous product including gaseous GeCl4, gaseous SiCl4, and gaseous BCl3 in accordance with the reactions: 2BCl3(g)+1.5GeO2=1.5GeCl4(g)+B2O3; 2BCl3(g)+1.5 SiO2=1.5 SiCl4(g)+B2O; B2O3+1.5C+3Cl2=2BCl3(g)+1.5CO2; and then condensing the gaseous GeCl4, BCl3 and optionally SiCl4 into liquid GeCl4, BCl3 and optionally SiCl4. The invention further provides a method for producing SiCl4 (and optionally GeCl4) from glass residues obtained from optical fiber manufacturing and wasted optical cables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Mario Bergeron, Alain Langlais