Patents by Inventor Chi Cheng Ma

Chi Cheng Ma 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: 20180016214
    Abstract: A process is described for directly converting a high fructose feedstock to a product mixture including one or more lower polyols in which 1,2-propanediol is produced in preference to any other lower polyols, wherein a high fructose feed and a source of hydrogen are supplied to a reaction vessel and reacted in the presence of a copper-containing, supported ruthenium catalyst to provide the product mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventor: Chi Cheng Ma
  • Publication number: 20170355658
    Abstract: A method of etherifying glycols or other diols by employing renewable reagents is disclosed. In particular, the method involves contacting a diol with an alkylating agent in an alcoholic solvent, catalyzed with a catalyst (carbonic acid) generated in situ (from CO2). The mono- and di-ether products can serve as valued precursors to an array of renewable surfactants, dispersants, and lubricants, among others.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Chi Cheng Ma, Kenneth Stensrud, Padmesh Venkitasubramanian
  • Publication number: 20170305821
    Abstract: A process is described for making a biobased propylene glycol product at least in part from a carbohydrate-derived feed, wherein a feed comprised of a lactic acid ester is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, in a nonaqueous solvent in which lactide may be essentially wholly solubilized at the conditions under which the reaction is carried out, so that lactide does not precipitate out to an extent whereby plugging of the reactor or fouling of the hydrogenation catalyst is observed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: Archer Daniels Midland Company
    Inventor: Chi Cheng Ma
  • Publication number: 20170044123
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for synthesizing 1,2,5,6-hexanetetrol (HTO), 1,6 hexanediol (HDO) and other reduced polyols from C5 and C6 sugar alcohols or R glycosides. The methods include contacting the sugar alcohol or R-glycoside with a copper catalyst, most desirably a Raney copper catalyst with hydrogen for a time, temperature and pressure sufficient to form reduced polyols having 2 to 3 fewer hydoxy groups than the starting material. When the starting compound is a C6 sugar alcohol such as sorbitol or R-glycoside of a C6 sugar such as methyl glucoside, the predominant product is HTO. The same catalyst can be used to further reduce the HTO to HDO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth Stensrud, Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Publication number: 20170036975
    Abstract: An improved process for making bioderived propylene glycol from a feed composition including at least one of lactic acid, glycerol, a five carbon sugar, a five carbon sugar alcohol, a six carbon sugar and a six carbon sugar alcohol, wherein production of four carbon and higher diols is reduced by adding base after the initiation of the reaction. In preferred embodiments, the process pH and other process conditions are initially established at targeted values for obtaining the highest conversion for a given catalyst consistent with the production of substantially no pentanediol byproducts in the product mixture, and base is added thereafter to control the process pH proximate to the initially targeted value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Chi-Cheng Ma, Todd Werpy
  • Publication number: 20170029393
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for synthesizing 1,2,5,6-hexanetetrol (HTO), 1,6 hexanediol (HDO) and other reduced polyols from C5 and C6 sugar alcohols or R glycosides. The methods include contacting the sugar alcohol or R-glycoside with a copper catalyst, most desirably a Raney copper catalyst with hydrogen for a time, temperature and pressure sufficient to form reduced polyols having 2 to 3 fewer hydoxy groups than the starting material. When the starting compound is a C6 sugar alcohol such as sorbitol or R-glycoside of a C6 sugar such as methyl glucoside, the predominant product is HTO. The same catalyst can be used to further reduce the HTO to HDO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth Stensrud, Chi-Cheng Ma, Kevin Martin
  • Publication number: 20170029350
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of synthesizing shorter chain polyols. Methods of hydrolyzing polysaccharides are further disclosed. The present invention is also directed towards methods of selectively synthesizing sorbitol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Chi-Cheng Ma, Kevin Martin, Brennan Smith, Josh Terrain
  • Patent number: 9174902
    Abstract: A method for reducing contaminants in the production of a bio-derived glycol product of polyol hydrogenolysis is described. The method involves subjecting an aqueous, polyol product mixture (from the hydrogenolysis conversion of biologically-derived carbohydrate feedstock) to ion-exclusion chromatography to separate and reduce impurities from an eluant fraction containing a desired product, and distilling the eluant fraction to yield the desired product (e.g., propylene glycol or ethylene glycol). The reaction product mixture can be introduced into a continuous ion-exclusion chromatography system to reduce the impurities and produce in a high-throughput manner a finished otherwise commercially acceptable glycol product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Archer Daniels Midland Co.
    Inventors: John G. Soper, William Christopher Hoffman, Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Patent number: 9144797
    Abstract: A process for regenerating catalysts that have been deactivated or poisoned during hydrogenation of biomass, sugars and polysaccharides is described, in which polymerized species that have agglomerated to catalyst surfaces can be removed by means of washing the catalyst with hot water at subcritical temperatures. A feature of the process regenerates the catalysts in situ, which allows the process to be adapted for used in continuous throughput reactor systems. Also described is a continuous hydrogenation process that incorporated the present regeneration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Archer Daniels Midland Co.
    Inventor: Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Publication number: 20150251980
    Abstract: A process is described for improving the performance of certain multiphase reaction systems including a solid catalyst, one or more reactants in the gas phase and one or more reactants in the liquid phase, wherein a targeted maximum concentration of a reactant in the liquid phase is identified for providing improved value in terms of byproduct formation, catalyst deactivation and yields of desired products, and this targeted concentration is closely approached and preferably achieved, but not substantially exceeded, downstream in a continuous process or later in time from the initiation of a batch in a semibatch mode of operation of such processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Carlos Gustavo Dassori, Chi-Cheng Ma, Todd Werpy
  • Publication number: 20150218069
    Abstract: A method for reducing contaminants in the production of a bio-derived glycol product of polyol hydro-genolysis is described. The method involves subjecting an aqueous, polyol product mixture (from the hydrogenolysis conversion of biologically-derived carbohydrate feedstock) to ion-exclusion chromatography to separate and reduce impurities from an eluant fraction containing a desired product, and distilling the eluant fraction to yield the desired product (e.g., propylene glycol or ethylene glycol). The reaction product mixture can be introduced into a continuous ion-exclusion chromatography system to reduce the impurities and produce in a high-throughput manner a finished otherwise commercially acceptable glycol product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: John G. Soper, William Christopher Hoffman, Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Publication number: 20150126784
    Abstract: A process for regenerating catalysts that have been deactivated or poisoned during hydrogenation of biomass, sugars and polysaccharides is described, in which polymerized species that have agglomerated to catalyst surfaces can be removed by means of washing the catalyst with hot water at subcritical temperatures. A feature of the process regenerates the catalysts in situ which allows the process to be adapted for used in continuous throughput reactor systems. Also described is a continuous hydrogenation process that incorporated the present regeneration process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Patent number: 8637282
    Abstract: Methods are provided for the efficient fractionation of lignocellulosic biomasses into cellulosic, hemicellulosic and lignin fractions, wherein concentrated organic acid vapors are applied to the biomass at elevated temperatures at the location(s) or near the location(s) where the biomass has been harvested and gathered, to at least partly depolymerize or substantially solubilize the hemicelluloses and lignins in the biomass. The organic acid-treated biomass is in either case then dried and pelletized for extended bulk storage and/or for shipment to a second facility some distance away. The organic acid-treated biomass may be processed into desired chemicals, fuels and/or fuel additives at the local processing site or at a second facility away from the local processing site, or the pelletized material may be used as a ruminant feed locally or at a feedlot some distance removed from the local processing site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Archer Daniels Midland Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Binder, Paul D. Bloom, Perry H. Doane, Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Publication number: 20130130331
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing sugars using a combination of acids to hydrolyze hemicellulosic and cellulosic materials in biomass, said combination of acids namely comprising a first, weak organic acid (such as acetic acid or formic acid) for providing a pentose product or stream from hydrolyzing hemicellulosic materials in the biomass on a batchwise, semi-continuous or continuous basis, and a second, strong mineral acid (such as sulfuric acid) for providing a hexose product or stream from hydrolyzing cellulosic materials in the biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas P. Binder, Paul D. Bloom, Perry H. Doane, Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Publication number: 20130011885
    Abstract: Methods are provided for the efficient fractionation of lignocellulosic biomasses into cellulosic, hemicellulosic and lignin fractions, wherein concentrated organic acid vapors are applied to the biomass at elevated temperatures at the location(s) or near the location(s) where the biomass has been harvested and gathered, to at least partly depolymerize or substantially solubilize the hemicelluloses and lignins in the biomass. The organic acid-treated biomass is in either case then dried and pelletized for extended bulk storage and/or for shipment to a second facility some distance away. The organic acid-treated biomass may be processed into desired chemicals, fuels and/or fuel additives at the local processing site or at a second facility away from the local processing site, or the pelletized material may be used as a ruminant feed locally or at a feedlot some distance removed from the local processing site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas P. Binder, Paul D. Bloom, Perry H. Doane, Chi-Cheng Ma
  • Patent number: 8115029
    Abstract: Oxidations of hydrocarbons, cycloalkanes and alkenes, arylalkanes, and a variety of other organic substrates are accomplished by cobalt-N-hydroxysuccinimide co-catalyzed reactions with dioxygen under unusually mild, near ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. The improved safety of the oxidation method and the high yields of product obtained make use of a unique combination of cobalt (II) complexes with N-hydroxysuccinimide. These autoxidation reactions do not have prolonged initiation times. Many of these reactions can be safely performed under normal chemical laboratory conditions and do not require specialized equipment or reagents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: University of Kansas
    Inventors: Richard S. Givens, Chi Cheng Ma, Daryle H. Busch, Bala Subramaniam, Bhuma Rajagopalan
  • Publication number: 20080139841
    Abstract: Oxidations of hydrocarbons, cycloalkanes and alkenes, arylalkanes, and a variety of other organic substrates are accomplished by cobalt-N-hydroxysuccinimide co-catalyzed reactions with dioxygen under unusually mild, near ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. The improved safety of the oxidation method and the high yields of product obtained make use of a unique combination of cobalt (II) complexes with N-hydroxysuccinimide. These autoxidation reactions do not have prolonged initiation times. Many of these reactions can be safely performed under normal chemical laboratory conditions and do not require specialized equipment or reagents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: University of Kansas
    Inventors: Richard S. Givens, Chi Cheng Ma, Daryle H. Busch, Bala Subramaniam, Bhuma Rajagopalan