Patents by Inventor Alenka Vesel
Alenka Vesel 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).
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Publication number: 20240207569Abstract: The aspects of the disclosed embodiments relates to methods for optimization of the sliding properties of urinary catheters. The urinary catheters are first treated with a non-equilibrium gaseous plasma sustained in reactive gases or a mixture of a reactive gas with a noble gas. The first treatment enables a hydrophilic surface finish when oxygen is a reactive gas and an almost super-hydrophilic finish when the catheter is treated with hydrogen plasma followed by oxygen plasma. The hydrophilicity of the surface finish obtained upon the first plasma treatment is beneficial for adhering a layer of water solution of chitosan, which spreads uniformly on the entire outer surface of the catheter. The catheter with a layer of water solution of chitosan is dried and then treated with plasma containing an oxidative gas for better absorption of water by the dried chitosan film.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2023Publication date: June 27, 2024Applicant: Jozef Stefan InstituteInventors: Alenka VESEL, Miran MOZETIC, Gregor PRIMC, Rok ZAPLOTNIK, Albert KURINCIC
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Publication number: 20240000169Abstract: Methods for the treatment of textiles used for facial masks assure for the inactivation of viruses captured by the textile. The aerosol droplets are absorbed by the textile, and any viruses in the water droplets react with a virucidal substance. The surface of textile fibers is first exposed to gaseous plasma to assure appropriate wettability. The textile is then soaked in a diluted water solution of a virucidal substance. The excessive water solution is optionally removed by draining, and the drained textile is then dried. The methods enable uniform coating of the textile fibers with an extremely thin film of virucidal substance. A typical concentration of the virucidal substance in the textiles treated according to the methods of the aspects of disclosed embodiments is about 10 g/kg. Such a small concentration is benign to humans but effectively inactivates the viruses that might be captured by the textile.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Applicants: Jo{hacek over (z)}ef Stefan Institute, National Institute of BiologyInventors: Gregor PRIMC, Miran MOZETIC, Mark Zver, Rok ZAPLOTNIK, Alenka VESEL, Arijana FILIPIC, David DOBNIK, Polona Kogovesk, Maja Ravnikar
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Patent number: 11673807Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for depositing vertically oriented carbon nanowalls (CNWs) using non-equilibrium gases such as gaseous plasma. Methods are disclosed for rapid deposition of uniformly distributed nanowalls on large surfaces of substrates using ablation of bulk carbon materials by reactive gaseous species, formation of oxidized carbon-containing gaseous molecules, ionization of said molecules and interacting said molecules, neutral or positively charged, with a substrate. The CNWs prepared are useful in different applications such as fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, photovoltaic devices and sensors of specific gaseous molecules.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2018Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: National University Corporation Tokai National Higher Education and Research SystemInventors: Rok Zaplotnik, Miran Mozetic, Gregor Primc, Alenka Vesel, Masaru Hori
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Publication number: 20230033329Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing carbon nanostructures such as three-dimensional graphene mesh using non-equilibrium gaseous plasma of high power density. Methods are disclosed for rapid deposition of randomly distributed graphene sheets on surfaces of substrates using decomposition of CO molecules of a high potential energy, and said excited CO molecules interacting with a substrate. The three-dimensional graphene mesh prepared according to the methods are useful in different applications such as light absorbents, fuel cells, super-capacitors, batteries, photovoltaic devices and sensors of specific gaseous molecules.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2019Publication date: February 2, 2023Applicants: Jozef Stefan Institute, National University Corporation Tokai National Higher Education and Research SystemInventors: Rok ZAPLOTNIK, Miran MOZETIC, Gregor PRIMC, Alenka VESEL, Masaru HORI, Osamu ODA
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Patent number: 11384213Abstract: Methods for modification of surface wettability of fluorine-containing polymers by sequential treatments first with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation, and then oxidation using neutral reactive oxidative species. The methods are rapid and permit treatment of fluorine-containing polymers of any shape and size including ‘infinite’ materials such as foils. A surface layer of an object made from a fluorine-containing polymer is depleted of fluorine upon interaction with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation. The depleted surface layer is then exposed to reactive oxygen species such as neutral oxygen atoms in the ground state. The wettability of objects made from or containing fluorine-containing polymers treated according to the methods of the present disclosure is close to the theoretical limit for smooth polymers well functionalized with polar functional groups.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2020Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Jozef Stefan InstituteInventors: Alenka Vesel, Miran Mozetic, Rok Zaplotnik, Gregor Primc, Nina Recek
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Publication number: 20220195593Abstract: A method for deposition of nitrogen-doped nanocarbon comprises disposing molten polymer and a heated substrate in a plasma reactor; providing dense nitrogen-containing plasma in the plasma reactor in a space between the molten polymer and the heated substrate; and allowing the dense nitrogen-containing plasma to interact with both the molten polymer and the heated substrate to form a film of nitrogen-containing nanocarbon on the heated substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Miran MOZETIC, Alenka VESEL, Gregor PRIMC, Rok ZAPLOTNIK
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Publication number: 20210253430Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for depositing vertically oriented carbon nanowalls (CNWs) using non-equilibrium gases such as gaseous plasma. Methods are disclosed for rapid deposition of uniformly distributed nanowalls on large surfaces of substrates using ablation of bulk carbon materials by reactive gaseous species, formation of oxidized carbon-containing gaseous molecules, ionization of said molecules and interacting said molecules, neutral or positively charged, with a substrate. The CNWs prepared are useful in different applications such as fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, photovoltaic devices and sensors of specific gaseous molecules.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2018Publication date: August 19, 2021Applicants: Jozef Stefan Institute, NATIONAL UNIVERSTIY CORPORATION TOKAI NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH SYSTEMInventors: Rok ZAPLOTNIK, Miran Mozetic, Gregor PRIMC, Alenka VESEL, Masaru HORI
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Publication number: 20210009777Abstract: Methods for modification of surface wettability of fluorine-containing polymers by sequential treatments first with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation, and then oxidation using neutral reactive oxidative species. The methods are rapid and permit treatment of fluorine-containing polymers of any shape and size including ‘infinite’ materials such as foils. A surface layer of an object made from a fluorine-containing polymer is depleted of fluorine upon interaction with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation. The depleted surface layer is then exposed to reactive oxygen species such as neutral oxygen atoms in the ground state. The wettability of objects made from or containing fluorine-containing polymers treated according to the methods of the present disclosure is close to the theoretical limit for smooth polymers well functionalized with polar functional groups.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2020Publication date: January 14, 2021Applicant: Jozef Stefan InstituteInventors: Alenka VESEL, Miran MOZETIC, Rok ZAPLOTNIK, Gregor PRIMC, Nina RECEK
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Patent number: 8247039Abstract: A method for the partial or total modification of functional groups on the surface of polymeric materials or polymer-containing materials, by means of combined plasma functionalization and localized thermal defunctionalization, is disclosed. At first, a surface of a polymer material is exposed to a cold plasma, whereby a desired polymer functionalization is achieved. After the plasma treatment, the surface is locally heated in an optional manner, primarily by means of an electron beam, resulting in local defunctionalization of the heated surface area. The directing of the electron beam across the surface of the material results in any desired distribution of functional groups on the surface. Also disclosed is a device for performing such a treatment.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2006Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Institut “Jo{hacek over (z)}ef Stefan”Inventors: Miran Mozetic, Alenka Vesel, Uros Cvelbar
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Patent number: 7800376Abstract: A method and a device for measuring ultrahigh vacuum are disclosed. The method includes providing a vacuum cold cathode pressure gauge and varying a voltage on an anode of the pressure cell with pressure in such a way that an ion current flow is maintained substantially at its maximum value at all times. A voltage-controlled source either (1) preliminarily scans a whole voltage range, for example, between 1 kV and 12 kV, in a relatively short time, and subsequently sets the source to the voltage, at which the current is substantially at its maximum value or (2) based on a calibration of the gauge, sets the voltage, for a given pressure, to the value that has been previously stored as substantially optimal. The device operates at a voltage that varies with pressure in such a way that the ion current is maintained substantially at its maximum value at all times.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2005Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Institut “Jozef Stefan”Inventors: Alenka Vesel, Miran Mozetic
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Publication number: 20100047532Abstract: A method for the partial or total modification of functional groups on the surface of polymeric materials or polymer-containing materials, by means of combined plasma functionalization and localized thermal defunctionalization, is disclosed. At first, a surface of a polymer material is exposed to a cold plasma, whereby a desired polymer functionalization is achieved. After the plasma treatment, the surface is locally heated in an optional manner, primarily by means of an electron beam, resulting in local defunctionalization of the heated surface area. The directing of the electron beam across the surface of the material results in any desired distribution of functional groups on the surface. Also disclosed is a device for performing such a treatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2006Publication date: February 25, 2010Inventors: Miran Mozetic, Alenka Vesel, Uros Cvelbar
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Publication number: 20070170926Abstract: A method and a device for measuring ultrahigh vacuum are disclosed. The method includes providing a vacuum cold cathode pressure gauge and varying a voltage on an anode of the pressure cell with pressure in such a way that an ion current flow is maintained substantially at its maximum value at all times. A voltage-controlled source either (1) preliminarily scans a whole voltage range, for example, between 1 kV and 12 kV, in a relatively short time, and subsequently sets the source to the voltage, at which the current is substantially at its maximum value or (2) based on a calibration of the gauge, sets the voltage, for a given pressure, to the value that has been previously stored as substantially optimal. The device operates at a voltage that varies with pressure in such a way that the ion current is maintained substantially at its maximum value at all times.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2005Publication date: July 26, 2007Inventors: Alenka Vesel, Miran Mozetic