Patents by Inventor Chengxiang Xiang

Chengxiang Xiang 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: 12286711
    Abstract: A solar fuels generation system includes a first reactor that contains a first solution in which a charge carrier is reduced to a reduced charge carrier. The system also includes a second reactor that contains a second solution in which the reduced charge carrier reduces protons so as to generate hydrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Christoph D. Karp, Alec S. Ho, Xinghao Zhou, Chengxiang Xiang, Nathan S Lewis
  • Patent number: 12202743
    Abstract: In a general aspect, a composite contact composite membrane for direct removal of carbon dioxide from oceanwater is presented. In some cases, a composite membrane includes a supporting layer having a first surface and a second, opposite surface; and a carbon dioxide selective layer disposed on the first surface. The carbon dioxide selective layer is configured to contact an aqueous solution including dissolved carbon dioxide and to selectively transport the dissolved carbon dioxide from the aqueous solution through the supporting layer to the second opposite surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Captura Corp.
    Inventors: Soomin Kim, Ibadillah Ardhi Digdaya, Sreevalli Bokka, Chengxiang Xiang
  • Publication number: 20240317610
    Abstract: In a general aspect, a composite contact composite membrane for direct removal of carbon dioxide from oceanwater is presented. In some cases, a composite membrane includes a supporting layer having a first surface and a second, opposite surface; and a carbon dioxide selective layer disposed on the first surface. The carbon dioxide selective layer is configured to contact an aqueous solution including dissolved carbon dioxide and to selectively transport the dissolved carbon dioxide from the aqueous solution through the supporting layer to the second opposite surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: Capture Corp.
    Inventors: Soomin Kim, Ibadilah Ardhi Digdaya, Sreevalli Bokka, Chengxiang Xiang
  • Publication number: 20240218526
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating high-pressure hydrogen are described. The hydrogen generation systems include hybrid electrolyzer systems and catalytic compression systems. The systems can directly generate gaseous hydrogen at a pressure of at least 700 bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Applicants: California Institute of Technology, Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Chengxiang Xiang, Zhiyuan Qi, Monica Hwang, Richard F. Zheng, Wei Wang, Soowhan Kim, Ryan Benavides, Daniel R. Bottenus
  • Publication number: 20240182340
    Abstract: A dual-pathway system for CO2 capture in both acidified and basified streams is provided. The system may be embodied in an off-shore stand-alone facility to allow for the operation of oceanic CO2 capture to be more efficient and cost effective. Systems maintain high environmental standards by containing all intermediate acidic and alkaline solutions in a closed system so that the effluent discharged back into the ocean is at the similar pH and salinity as the feed oceanwater, with only CO2 removed. Acid and base produced by an electrodialyzer unit is used to achieve oceanwater decarbonization via gaseous CO2 removal and solid CaCO3 precipitates removal. The system is configured to require the processing of a very small fraction of the total oceanwater intake for the acid-base generation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Chengxiang Xiang, Ibadillah A. Digdaya
  • Publication number: 20240133051
    Abstract: Systems and methods for electrochemical hydrogen looping cells are described. Generating a pH swing can expedite carbon dioxide capture from oceanwater. Many embodiments implement electrochemical hydrogen looping cells that simultaneously produce acid via anodic hydrogen oxidation and base via cathodic hydrogen evolution to generate a pH change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicants: California Institute of Technology, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Zachary Schiffer, Chengxiang Xiang, Shane Ardo
  • Publication number: 20240024823
    Abstract: Systems and methods for catalyzed asymmetric bipolar membranes are described. Catalyzed asymmetric bipolar membranes can sustain desired current densities under low operational voltage for prolonged time periods. Catalyzed asymmetric bipolar membranes can be implemented in electrodialysis cells for various applications such as carbon capture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Eowyn Lucas, Harry A. Atwater, Chengxiang Xiang
  • Publication number: 20230107163
    Abstract: Systems and methods of gas-liquid contactors for direct ocean capture and/or direct air capture are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicants: California Institute of Technology, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Chengxiang Xiang, Shane Ardo, Leanna Schulte, Harry A. Atwater, Zejie Chen, Anastasiya Bender, Ibadillah A. Digdaya
  • Patent number: 11377747
    Abstract: A solar fuels generator includes an anolyte and a catholyte in contact with a separator. The separator is configured such that the pH of the anolyte and the pH of the catholyte are each held at a steady state pH level during operation of the solar fuels generator. The steady state pH level of the anolyte is different from the steady state pH level of the catholyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Chengxiang Xiang, Xinghao Zhou, Ke Sun, Ryan J. Jones, Nathan S. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20220144673
    Abstract: Disclosed are electrochemical systems that include an electrodialyzer and a vapor-fed CO2 reduction (CO2R) cell to capture and convert CO2 from ocean water. The electrodialyzer includes a stack of bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPMED) cells between end electrodes. The electrodialzyer incorporates monovalent cation exchange membranes (M-CEMs) that prevent the transfer of multivalent cations between adjacent cell compartments, allowing continuous recirculation of electrolytes and solutions, and thus providing a safer and more scaling-free electrodialysis system. In some embodiments, the electrodialyzer may be configured to replace the water-splitting reaction at end electrodes with one-electron, reversible redox couples in solution at the electrodes. As a result, in the entire electrodialyzer stack, there is no bond-making, bond-breaking reactions and there is no gas generation, which significantly simplifies the cell design and improves operational safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Chengxiang Xiang, Harry A. Atwater, Ibadillah A. Digdaya
  • Publication number: 20200378016
    Abstract: A solar fuels generator includes an anolyte and a catholyte in contact with a separator. The separator is configured such that the pH of the anolyte and the pH of the catholyte are each held at a steady state pH level during operation of the solar fuels generator. The steady state pH level of the anolyte is different from the steady state pH level of the catholyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Chengxiang Xiang, Xinghao Zhou, Ke Sun, Ryan J. Jones, Nathan S. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10787749
    Abstract: A solar fuels generator includes an anolyte and a catholyte in contact with a separator. The separator is configured such that the pH of the anolyte and the pH of the catholyte are each held at a steady state pH level during operation of the solar fuels generator. The steady state pH level of the anolyte is different from the steady state pH level of the catholyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Chengxiang Xiang, Xinghao Zhou, Ke Sun, Ryan J. Jones, Nathan S. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10598644
    Abstract: Various samples are generated on a substrate. The samples each includes or consists of one or more analytes. In some instances, the samples are generated through the use of gels or through vapor deposition techniques. The samples are used in an instrument for screening large numbers of analytes by locating the samples between a working electrode and a counter electrode assembly. The instrument also includes one or more light sources for illuminating each of the samples. The instrument is configured to measure the photocurrent formed through a sample as a result of the illumination of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John M. Gregoire, Jian Jin, Kevin S. Kan, Martin R. Marcin, Slobodan Mitrovic, Paul F. Newhouse, Santosh K. Suram, Chengxiang Xiang, Lan Zhou
  • Publication number: 20190264338
    Abstract: A solar fuels generation system includes a first reactor that contains a first solution in which a charge carrier is reduced to a reduced charge carrier. The system also includes a second reactor that contains a second solution in which the reduced charge carrier reduces protons so as to generate hydrogen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Christoph D. Karp, Alec S. Ho, Xinghao Zhou, Chengxiang Xiang, Nathan S. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10242806
    Abstract: The solar fuels generator includes an ionically conductive separator between a gaseous first phase and a second phase. A photoanode uses one or more components of the first phase to generate cations during operation of the solar fuels generator. A cation conduit is positioned provides a pathway along which the cations travel from the photoanode to the separator. The separator conducts the cations. A second solid cation conduit conducts the cations from the separator to a photocathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Nathan S. Lewis, Joshua M. Spurgeon, William C. West, Chengxiang Xiang
  • Publication number: 20180269003
    Abstract: The solar fuels generator includes an ionically conductive separator between a gaseous first phase and a second phase. A photoanode uses one or more components of the first phase to generate cations during operation of the solar fuels generator. A cation conduit is positioned provides a pathway along which the cations travel from the photoanode to the separator. The separator conducts the cations. A second solid cation conduit conducts the cations from the separator to a photocathode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Nathan S. Lewis, Joshua M. Spurgeon, William C. West, Chengxiang Xiang
  • Publication number: 20180251903
    Abstract: A solar fuels generator includes an anolyte and a catholyte in contact with a separator. The separator is configured such that the pH of the anolyte and the pH of the catholyte are each held at a steady state pH level during operation of the solar fuels generator. The steady state pH level of the anolyte is different from the steady state pH level of the catholyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Chengxiang Xiang, Xinghao Zhou, Ke Sun, Ryan J. Jones, Nathan S. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10026560
    Abstract: The solar fuels generator includes an ionically conductive separator between a gaseous first phase and a second phase. A photoanode uses one or more components of the first phase to generate cations during operation of the solar fuels generator. A cation conduit is positioned provides a pathway along which the cations travel from the photoanode to the separator. The separator conducts the cations. A second solid cation conduit conducts the cations from the separator to a photocathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Nathan S. Lewis, Joshua M. Sprugeon, William C. West, Chengxiang Xiang
  • Publication number: 20180059078
    Abstract: Various samples are generated on a substrate. The samples each includes or consists of one or more analytes. In some instances, the samples are generated through the use of gels or through vapor deposition techniques. The samples are used in an instrument for screening large numbers of analytes by locating the samples between a working electrode and a counter electrode assembly. The instrument also includes one or more light sources for illuminating each of the samples. The instrument is configured to measure the photocurrent formed through a sample as a result of the illumination of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: John M. Gregoire, Jian Jin, Kevin S. Kan, Martin R. Marcin, Slobodan Mitrovic, Paul F. Newhouse, Santosh K. Suram, Chengxiang Xiang, Lan Zhou
  • Patent number: 9778234
    Abstract: Various samples are generated on a substrate. The samples each includes or consists of one or more analytes. In some instances, the samples are generated through the use of gels or through vapor deposition techniques. The samples are used in an instrument for screening large numbers of analytes by locating the samples between a working electrode and a counter electrode assembly. The instrument also includes one or more light sources for illuminating each of the samples. The instrument is configured to measure the photocurrent formed through a sample as a result of the illumination of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: California Institute Of Technology, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John M. Gregoire, Jian Jin, Kevin S. Kan, Martin R. Marcin, Slobodan Mitrovic, Paul F. Newhouse, Santosh K. Suram, Chengxiang Xiang, Lan Zhou