Patents by Inventor Brendon MCNICHOLAS

Brendon MCNICHOLAS 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: 10840504
    Abstract: In an aspect, a redox flow battery comprises a catholyte and an anolyte; wherein at least one of said catholyte and said anolyte is a metal-coordination complex, said metal-coordination complex comprising: (i) a metal; (ii) one or more first ligands coordinated with said metal atom, wherein each of said first ligands is independently a Lewis basic ligand; and one or more second ligands associated with said one or more first ligands, wherein each of said second ligands is independently a Lewis acid ligand; and a nonaqueous solvent, wherein said catholyte, said anolyte or both are dissolved in said nonaqueous solvent. One or more first ligands may be provided in a primary coordination sphere of said metal-coordination complex and one or more second ligands may be provided in a secondary coordination sphere of said metal-coordination complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Simon C. Jones, Emmanuelle Despagnet-Ayoub, Brendon McNicholas, Harry B. Gray, Robert H. Grubbs, Danh Ngo
  • Patent number: 10608280
    Abstract: Provided herein are copolymer electrolytes and electrocatalyst platforms, including brush block copolymers, triblock brush copolymers and pentablock brush copolymers. The copolymers described have beneficial chemical, physical and electrical properties including high ionic conductivity and mechanical strength. In embodiments, for example, the provided copolymer electrolytes and electrocatalyst platforms are doped with lithium salts or mixed with ionic liquids to form ion gels. In some embodiments, the copolymers provided herein self-assemble into physically cross-linked polymer networks with additional useful properties. The provided copolymers have low dispersity in the polymer side chains and do not require post-polymerization modifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Robert H. Grubbs, Christopher M. Bates, Alice Chang, Brendon McNicholas, Simon C. Jones
  • Patent number: 10153513
    Abstract: Provided herein is a class of copolymers, including triblock brush copolymers having specific block configurations, for example, ABC triblock brush copolymers and ABA triblock brush copolymers. In an embodiment, for example, copolymers of the invention incorporate various polymer side chain groups which contribute beneficial physical, chemical, or electronic properties such as increased mechanical or elastic strength, improved ionic or electric conductivity. In some embodiments, the provided copolymers exhibit advantageous steric properties allowing for rapid self-assembly into a variety of morphologies that are substantially different than non-brush, block copolymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Robert H. Grubbs, Christopher M. Bates, Alice Chang, Brendon McNicholas, Simon C. Jones
  • Publication number: 20180254478
    Abstract: In an aspect, a redox flow battery comprises a catholyte and an anolyte; wherein at least one of said catholyte and said anolyte is a metal-coordination complex, said metal-coordination complex comprising: (i) a metal; (ii) one or more first ligands coordinated with said metal atom, wherein each of said first ligands is independently a Lewis basic ligand; and one or more second ligands associated with said one or more first ligands, wherein each of said second ligands is independently a Lewis acid ligand; and a nonaqueous solvent, wherein said catholyte, said anolyte or both are dissolved in said nonaqueous solvent. One or more first ligands may be provided in a primary coordination sphere of said metal-coordination complex and one or more second ligands may be provided in a secondary coordination sphere of said metal-coordination complex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Simon C. Jones, Emmanuelle Despagnet-Ayoub, Brendon McNicholas, Harry B. Gray, Robert H. Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20170018801
    Abstract: Provided herein are copolymer electrolytes and electrocatalyst platforms, including brush block copolymers, triblock brush copolymers and pentablock brush copolymers. The copolymers described have beneficial chemical, physical and electrical properties including high ionic conductivity and mechanical strength. In embodiments, for example, the provided copolymer electrolytes and electrocatalyst platforms are doped with lithium salts or mixed with ionic liquids to form ion gels. In some embodiments, the copolymers provided herein self-assemble into physically cross-linked polymer networks with additional useful properties. The provided copolymers have low dispersity in the polymer side chains and do not require post-polymerization modifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Robert H. GRUBBS, Christopher M. BATES, Alice CHANG, Brendon MCNICHOLAS, Simon C. JONES
  • Publication number: 20160289392
    Abstract: Provided herein is a class of copolymers, including triblock brush copolymers having specific block configurations, for example, ABC triblock brush copolymers and ABA triblock brush copolymers. In an embodiment, for example, copolymers of the invention incorporate various polymer side chain groups which contribute beneficial physical, chemical, or electronic properties such as increased mechanical or elastic strength, improved ionic or electric conductivity. In some embodiments, the provided copolymers exhibit advantageous steric properties allowing for rapid self-assembly into a variety of morphologies that are substantially different than non-brush, block copolymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Robert H. GRUBBS, Christopher M. BATES, Alice CHANG, Brendon MCNICHOLAS, Simon C. JONES