Patents by Inventor Andreas Thess
Andreas Thess 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).
-
Patent number: 7087207Abstract: This invention relates generally to a forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in an electric field and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, a purified bucky paper of single-wall carbon nanotubes is used as the starting material. Upon oxidative treatment of the bucky paper surface, many tube and/or rope ends protrude up from the surface of the paper. Disposing the resulting bucky paper in an electric field results in the protruding tubes and or ropes of single-wall carbon nanotubes aligning in a direction substantially perpendicular to the paper surface. These tubes tend to coalesce to form a molecular array. In another embodiment, a molecular array of SWNTs can be made by “combing” the purified bucky paper starting material with a sharp microscopic tip to align the nanotubes.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2003Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 7070754Abstract: This invention provides a method of making single-wall carbon nanotubes by laser vaporizing a mixture of carbon and one or more Group VIII transition metals. Single-wall carbon nanotubes preferentially form in the vapor and the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyzed growth of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more single-wall carbon nanotubes are fixed in a high temperature zone so that the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyze further growth of the single-wall carbon nanotube that is maintained in the high temperature zone. In another embodiment, two separate laser pulses are utilized with the second pulse timed to be absorbed by the vapor created by the first pulse.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2003Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew G. Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 7071406Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, a macroscopic molecular array is provided comprising at least about 106 single-wall carbon nanotubes in generally parallel orientation and having substantially similar lengths in the range of from about 5 to about 500 nanometers.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 7052666Abstract: This invention relates generally to cutting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, the present invention provides for preparations of homogemeous populations of short carbon nanotube molecules by cutting and annealing (reclosing) the nanotube pieces followed by fractionation. The cutting and annealing processes may be carried out on a purified nanotube bucky paper, on felts prior to purification of nanotubes or on any material that contains single-wall nanotubes. In one embodiment, oxidative etching with concentrated nitric acid is employed to cut SWNTs into shorter lengths. The annealed nanotubes may be disbursed in an aqueous detergent solution or an organic solvent for the fractionation. Closed tubes can also be derivatized to facilitate fractionation, for example, by adding solubilizing moieties to the end caps.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley, Jie Liu, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 7048999Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for producing self-assembled objects comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a three-dimensional structure of derivatized single-wall nanotube molecules that spontaneously form. It includes several component molecule having multiple derivatives brought together to assemble into the three-dimensional structure. In another embodiment, objects may be obtained by bonding functionally-specific agents (FSAs) groups of nanotubes into geometric structures. The bond selectivity of FSAs allow selected nanotubes of a particular size or kind to assemble together and inhibit the assembling of unselected nanotubes that may also be present.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: Wiiliam Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 7048903Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2001Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley, Jie Liu, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 7041620Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for producing single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) catalyst supports and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, SWNTs or SWNT structures can be employed as the support material. A transition metal catalyst is added to the SWNT. In a preferred embodiment, the catalyst metal cluster is deposited on the open nanotube end by a docking process that insures optimum location for the subsequent growth reaction. The metal atoms may be subjected to reductive conditions.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 7008604Abstract: This invention relates generally to cutting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, the present invention provides for preparation of homogeneous populations of short carbon nanotube molecules by cutting and annealing (reclosing) the nanotube pieces followed by fractionation. The cutting and annealing processes may be carried out on a purified nanotube bucky paper, on felts prior to purification of nanotubes or on any material that contains single-wall nanotubes. In one embodiment, oxidative etching with concentrated nitric acid is employed to cut SWNTs into shorter lengths. The annealed nanotubes may be disbursed in an aqueous detergent solution or an organic solvent for the fractionation. Closed tubes can also be derivatized to facilitate fractionation, for example, by adding solubilizing moieties to the end caps.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: March 7, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 6986876Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming arrays of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, the present invention involves forming a macroscopic molecular array of tubular carbon molecules, said method comprising the step of assembling subarrays of up to 106 single-wall carbon nanotubes into a composite array.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Publication number: 20060008407Abstract: This invention provides a method of making single-wall carbon nanotubes by laser vaporizing a mixture of carbon and one or more Group VIII transition metals. Single-wall carbon nanotubes preferentially form in the vapor and the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyzed growth of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more single-wall carbon nanotubes are fixed in a high temperature zone so that the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyze further growth of the single-wall carbon nanotube that is maintained in the high temperature zone. In another embodiment, two separate laser pulses are utilized with the second pulse timed to be absorbed by the vapor created by the first pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2003Publication date: January 12, 2006Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 6979709Abstract: This invention relates generally to carbon fiber produced from single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) molecular arrays. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a macroscopic carbon fiber comprising at least 106 signal-wall carbon nanotubes in generally parallel orientation.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 6969504Abstract: The present invention concerns electrical conductors comprising armchair single-wall carbon nanotubes. Such electrical conductors made by the invention are metallic, i.e., they will conduct electrical charges with a relatively low resistance. The amount of armchair single-wall carbon nanotubes in the electrical conductor can be greater than 10%, greater than 30%, greater than 50%, greater than 75%, and greater than 90%, of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the electrical conductor.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2003Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew G. Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Publication number: 20050260120Abstract: This invention relates generally to a forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in an electric field and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, a purified bucky paper of single-wall carbon nanotubes is used as the starting material. Upon oxidative treatment of the bucky paper surface, many tube and/or rope ends protrude up from the surface of the paper. Disposing the resulting bucky paper in an electric field results in the protruding tubes and or ropes of single-wall carbon nanotubes aligning in a direction substantially perpendicular to the paper surface. These tubes tend to coalesce to form a molecular array. In another embodiment, a molecular array of SWNTs can be made by “combing” the purified bucky paper starting material with a sharp microscopic tip to align the nanotubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2003Publication date: November 24, 2005Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew Rinzler, Jason Hafner, Kenneth Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Publication number: 20050249656Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming a patterned array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, a nanoscale array of microwells is provided on a substrate; a metal catalyst is deposited in each microwells; and a stream of hydrocarbon or CO feedstock gas is directed at the substrate under conditions that effect growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes from each microwell.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: November 10, 2005Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew Rinzler, Jason Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Publication number: 20050244326Abstract: The invention relates generally to dispersing and fractionating single-wall carbon nanotubes, which can be derivatized to facilitate fractionation, for example, by adding solubilizing moieties to the nanotubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2004Publication date: November 3, 2005Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason Hafner, Andrew Rinzler, Richard Smalley, Jie Liu, Kenneth Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 6949237Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for growing single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) from seed molecules. The supported or unsupported SWNT seed materials can be combined with a suitable growth catalyst by opening SWNT molecule ends and depositing a metal atom cluster. In one embodiment, a suspension of seed particles containing attached catalysts is injected into an evaporation zone to provide an entrained reactive nanoparticle. A carbonaceous feedstock gas is then introduced into the nanoparticle stream under conditions to grow single-wall carbon nanotubes. Recovery of the product produced can be done by filtration, centrifugation and the like.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 6939525Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming arrays of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention involves forming an array from more than one separately prepared molecular arrays or templates to prepare a composite structure. The multiple arrays can be the same or different with respect to the SWNT type or geometric arrangement in the array.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: September 6, 2005Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley, Jie Liu, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Patent number: 6936233Abstract: This invention relates generally to a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) purification process and more particularly to a purification process that comprises heating the SWNT-containing felt under oxidizing conditions to remove the amorphous carbon deposits and other contaminating materials. In a preferred mode of this purification procedure, the felt is heated in an aqueous solution of an inorganic oxidant, such as nitric acid, a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid, or a potassium permanganate. Preferably, SWNT-containing felts are refluxed in an aqueous solution of an oxidizing acid at a concentration high enough to etch away amorphous carbon deposits within a practical time frame, but not so high that the single-wall carbon nanotube material will be etched to a significant degree. When material having a high proportion of SWNT is purified, the preparation produced will be enriched in single-wall nanotubes, so that the SWNT are substantially free of other material.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
-
Publication number: 20050130260Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a solution of a refolded, recombinantly expressed or chemically synthesized eukaryotic membrane protein in monodisperse form, to methods for preparing a crystalline form of a recombinantly expressed or chemically synthesized membrane protein, to a crystalline form of a recombinantly expressed, or chemically synthesized eukaryotic membrane protein, and to a crystalline form of a complex of a recombinantly expressed or chemically synthesized eukaryotic membrane protein and of an accessory agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2003Publication date: June 16, 2005Inventors: Lars Linden, Stefan Prytulla, Thomas Ostermann, Monika Baehner, Tilmann Roos, Andreas Thess, Hans Kiefer, Wolfgang Vogt
-
Publication number: 20050100497Abstract: This invention provides a method of making single-wall carbon nanotubes by laser vaporizing a mixture of carbon and one or more Group VIII transition metals. Single-wall carbon nanotubes preferentially form in the vapor and the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyzed growth of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more single-wall carbon nanotubes are fixed in a high temperature zone so that the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyze further growth of the single-wall carbon nanotube that is maintained in the high temperature zone. In another embodiment, two separate laser pulses are utilized with the second pulse timed to be absorbed by the vapor created by the first pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2003Publication date: May 12, 2005Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess