Patents by Inventor Christopher F. Blanford

Christopher F. Blanford 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: 6680013
    Abstract: The present application discloses a method of forming an inorganic macroporous material. In some embodiments, the method includes: providing a sample of organic polymer particles having a particle size distribution of no greater than about 10%; forming a colloidal crystal template of the sample of organic polymer particles, the colloidal crystal template including a plurality of organic polymer particles and interstitial spaces therebetween; adding an inorganic precursor composition including a noncolloidal inorganic precursor to the colloidal crystal template such that the precursor composition permeates the interstitial spaces between the organic polymer particles; converting the noncolloidal inorganic precursor to a hardened inorganic framework; and removing the colloidal crystal template from the hardened inorganic framework to form a macroporous material. Inorganic macroporous materials are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Andreas Stein, Brian T. Holland, Christopher F. Blanford, Hongwei Yan