Patents by Inventor Benny Freeman

Benny Freeman 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).

  • Publication number: 20250332572
    Abstract: A modified textile sorbent (MTS) material for direct capture of atmospheric CO2, and method for producing the same is disclosed. The MTS material includes a woven material and a sorbent polymer immobilized within the woven material, with the sorbent polymer having a plurality of swing-responsive moieties that respond to at least one of a temperature swing, a pressure swing, and a moisture swing. The method for producing a MTS material includes mixing a monomer of a sorbent polymer, in solution, with a woven material such that the monomer is impregnated into the woven material. The method also includes immobilizing the sorbent polymer within the woven material by polymerizing the monomer that is impregnated into the woven material. and substituting a counterion of the sorbent polymer with a swing-responsive moiety. The monomer is one of styrene-based, acrylate-based, methacrylate-based, silicone-based, or polysulfone-based.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2025
    Publication date: October 30, 2025
    Inventors: Marlene Velazco Medel, Kacie Niimoto, Matthew Green, Benny Freeman, Deepak Narayana Murthy Akundi
  • Publication number: 20250019482
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tetrablock polymer including the formula ABAC, wherein A, B and C are each blocks of the polymer, where A is a glassy block; B is a rubbery block; and C is a hydrophilic block. Also, a membrane including any of the disclosed polymers organized to define pores with an average pore diameter of about 15 nm to about 50 nm is disclosed. A supported ionic liquid membrane including any of the disclosed membranes and an ionic liquid within the pores are also disclosed. Methods of forming a membrane and methods of purifying a liquid or gas are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Benny Freeman, Noah Wamble, Joan F. Brennecke, Ben Pedretti, Nate Lynd, Adam Mann, Gabriel Sanoja
  • Patent number: 11471874
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ion selective separation membrane including: a metal organic framework layer formed on, in, and/or around a substrate, the metal organic framework having a crystal structure that includes a first surface and a second surface and includes ion transport channels formed between respective pore windows in the first surface and the second surface; first and second electrodes to apply a potential difference across the membrane; wherein the respective pore windows have a pore size that is less than the hydrated diameter of the ion for which the ion selective separation membrane is selective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: Monash University, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Oganisation, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Huanting Wang, Huacheng Zhang, Xingya Li, Jun Lu, Benny Freeman, Anita Joyce Hill
  • Publication number: 20220280900
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are mixed matrix membranes, the mixed matrix membranes comprising a metal organic framework CA dispersed in a continuous polymer phase and methods of making and use thereof. The mixed matrix membranes can comprise a plurality of metal organic framework particles comprising UiO-66-(COOH)2 dispersed in a continuous polymer phase. The mixed matrix membranes can comprise a plurality of metal organic framework particles dispersed in a continuous polymer phase comprising polyethersulfone, polyphenylsulfone, Matrimid, Torlon, cellulose acetate, or combinations thereof. Also disclosed herein are mixed matrix membranes for separating a target ion from a non-target ion in a liquid medium. Also described herein methods of separating a target ion from a non-target ion in a liquid medium using a mixed matrix membrane, wherein the mixed matrix membrane comprises a plurality of metal organic framework particles dispersed in a continuous polymer phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Benny FREEMAN, Theodore J. DILENSCHNEIDER, Kevin REIMUND
  • Publication number: 20200384454
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ion selective separation membrane including: a metal organic framework layer formed on, in, and/or around a substrate, the metal organic framework having a crystal structure that includes a first surface and a second surface and includes ion transport channels formed between respective pore windows in the first surface and the second surface; first and second electrodes to apply a potential difference across the membrane; wherein the respective pore windows have a pore size that is less than the hydrated diameter of the ion for which the ion selective separation membrane is selective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Huanting WANG, Huacheng ZHANG, Xingya LI, Jun LU, Benny FREEMAN, Anita Joyce HILL
  • Patent number: 9533254
    Abstract: Gas separation membrane compositions including at least one crosslinked polymer, gas separation membranes made of such compositions, methods for making such gas separation membranes, and methods of using such membranes to separate gases are described. In one embodiment, the crosslinked polymer includes polyarylene ethers (PAE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: James McGrath, Yu Chen, Rulian Guo, Benny Freeman
  • Publication number: 20150122121
    Abstract: Gas separation membrane compositions including at least one crosslinked polymer, gas separation membranes made of such compositions, methods for making such gas separation membranes, and methods of using such membranes to separate gases are described. In one embodiment, the crosslinked polymer includes polyarylene ethers (PAE).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: James McGrath, Yu Chen, Rulian Guo, Benny Freeman
  • Publication number: 20120048805
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method of modifying thin film composite membrane support structures. In particular, the disclosure provides method of modifying thin film composite membrane support structures with poly(dopamine) for use with engineered osmosis applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicants: University of Texas at Austin, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
    Inventors: Jeffrey McCutcheon, Jason Arena, Benny Freeman, Bryan McCloskey
  • Publication number: 20070137477
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method, composition and apparatus for forming a nanoparticle filled polymer having similar gas selectivity and greater gas permeability than the native polymer. The nanoparticle filled polymer includes one or more polymeric materials and one or more nanoparticles dispersed within the one or more polymeric materials that increasing the permeability of the nanoparticle filled polymers relative to the permeability of the native polymer membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Board of Regents, The University Of Texas System
    Inventors: Benny Freeman, Scott Matteucci, Haiqing Lin