Patents by Inventor Christopher M. Wolverton

Christopher M. Wolverton 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: 11901550
    Abstract: Calcium ion batteries are provided. The calcium ion batteries include a cathode, an alloying anode composed of one or more intermetallic calcium compounds in electrical communication with the cathode; and an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. The intermetallic calcium compounds are intermetallic compounds of calcium and transition metals and metalloids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Zhenpeng Yao, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Patent number: 11664526
    Abstract: Cathode materials for lithium ion batteries, lithium ion batteries incorporating the cathode materials, and methods of operating the lithium ion batteries are provided. The materials, which are composed of lithium iron oxides, are able to undergo reversible anionic and cationic redox reactions with no O2(g) generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: Northwestern University, UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher M. Wolverton, Zhenpeng Yao, Chun Zhan, Jun Lu, Khalil Amine
  • Patent number: 11404719
    Abstract: Materials for coating a metal anode in a high energy battery, anodes coated with the materials, and batteries incorporating the coated anodes are provided. Also provided are batteries that utilize the materials as electrolytes. The coatings, which are composed of binary, ternary, and higher order metal and/or metalloid oxides, nitrides, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, sulfides, and carbides limit the reactions between the electrolyte and the metal anode in a battery, thereby improving the performance of the battery, relative to a battery that employs a bare anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Vinay Ishwar Hegde, David H. Snydacker, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Patent number: 11302855
    Abstract: A thermoelectric material may be composed of an isostructural pair of Heusler compounds, either a pair of full Heusler (FH) X2YZ compounds or a pair of half Heusler (HH) XYZ compounds. In the FH pair, a first compound of the pair may the formula (X1)2Y1Z1, wherein X1 is selected from Fe and Co; Y1 is selected from Ti, V, Nb, Hf, and Ta; and Z1 is selected from Al, Ga, Si, and Sn and a second compound of the pair has the formula (X2)2Y2Z2, wherein X2 is selected from Mn, Fe, Co, Ru, and Rh; Y2 is selected from Ti, V, Mn, Zr, Nb, Hf, and Ta; and Z2 is selected from Be, Al, Ga, Si, Ge and Sn. The first and second compounds of the pair may share two elements in common and have third elements which are different and are either isovalent or have a valency which differs by ±1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Vancho Kocevski, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Publication number: 20210384494
    Abstract: Calcium ion batteries are provided. The calcium ion batteries include a cathode, an alloying anode composed of one or more intermetallic calcium compounds in electrical communication with the cathode; and an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. The intermetallic calcium compounds are intermetallic compounds of calcium and transition metals and metalloids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Zhenpeng Yao, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Publication number: 20210194042
    Abstract: Cathode materials for lithium ion batteries, lithium ion batteries incorporating the cathode materials, and methods of operating the lithium ionbatteries are provided. The materials, which are composed of lithium iron oxides, are able to undergo reversible anionic and cationic redox reactions with no O2(g) generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher M. Wolverton, Zhenpeng Yao, Chun Zhan, Jun Lu, Khalil Amine
  • Publication number: 20210098822
    Abstract: Materials for coating a metal anode in a high energy battery, anodes coated with the materials, and batteries incorporating the coated anodes are provided. Also provided are batteries that utilize the materials as electrolytes. The coatings, which are composed of binary, ternary, and higher order metal and/or metalloid oxides, nitrides, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, sulfides, and carbides limit the reactions between the electrolyte and the metal anode in a battery, thereby improving the performance of the battery, relative to a battery that employs a bare anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Vinay Ishwar Hegde, David H. Snydacker, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Publication number: 20210091382
    Abstract: Cathode materials for lithium ion batteries, lithium ion batteries incorporating the cathode materials, and methods of operating the lithium ion batteries are provided. The materials are composed of lithium metal oxides that include two different metals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher M. Wolverton, Zhenpeng Yao, Soo Kim, Jiangang He, Vinay Ishwar Hegde
  • Patent number: 10833360
    Abstract: Materials for coating a metal anode in a high energy battery, anodes coated with the materials, and batteries incorporating the coated anodes are provided. Also provided are batteries that utilize the materials as electrolytes. The coatings, which are composed of binary, ternary, and higher order metal and/or metalloid oxides, nitrides, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, sulfides, and carbides limit the reactions between the electrolyte and the metal anode in a battery, thereby improving the performance of the battery, relative to a battery that employs a bare anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Vinay Ishwar Hegde, David H. Snydacker, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Patent number: 10745782
    Abstract: Magnesium alloys comprising a long period stacking order (LPSO) phase having an 14H-i or an 18R-i structure are provided. The alloys comprise magnesium as a majority element, a first alloying element that is larger than magnesium and a second alloying element that is smaller than magnesium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Christopher M. Wolverton, James E. Saal
  • Publication number: 20190288173
    Abstract: A thermoelectric material may be composed of an isostructural pair of Heusler compounds, either a pair of full Heusler (FH) X2YZ compounds or a pair of half Heusler (HH) XYZ compounds. In the FH pair, a first compound of the pair may the formula (X1)2Y1Z1, wherein X1 is selected from Fe and Co; Y1 is selected from Ti, V, Nb, Hf, and Ta; and Z1 is selected from Al, Ga, Si, and Sn and a second compound of the pair has the formula (X2)2Y2Z2, wherein X2 is selected from Mn, Fe, Co, Ru, and Rh; Y2 is selected from Ti, V, Mn, Zr, Nb, Hf, and Ta; and Z2 is selected from Be, Al, Ga, Si, Ge and Sn. The first and second compounds of the pair may share two elements in common and have third elements which are different and are either isovalent or have a valency which differs by ±1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Vancho Kocevski, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Patent number: 10374262
    Abstract: Cathode coatings for lithium ion batteries, cathodes coated with the coatings, and lithium ion batteries incorporating the coated cathodes are provided. The coatings, which are composed of binary, ternary, and higher order metal oxides and/or metalloid oxides, can reduce the hydrofluoric acid (HF)-induced degradation of the electrolyte and/or cathodes, thereby improving the performance of lithium ion batteries, relative to lithium ion batteries that employ bare cathodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Muratahan Aykol, Soo Kim, Shiqiang Hao, Zhi Lu, Vinay Ishwar Hegde, David H. Snydacker, Scott J. Kirklin, Dane Morgan, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Patent number: 10322950
    Abstract: Methods for extracting lithium from solutions containing lithium ions via reversible cation exchange with H+ are provided. The methods utilize metal oxide or metalloid oxide cation exchange materials having an active sublattice that preferentially bind Li+ cations, relative to both H+ and Na+, in a sample solution and preferentially bind H+, relative to Li+, in an acidic solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: David H. Snydacker, Vinay Ishwar Hegde, Muratahan Aykol, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Publication number: 20190088991
    Abstract: Materials for coating a metal anode in a high energy battery, anodes coated with the materials, and batteries incorporating the coated anodes are provided. Also provided are batteries that utilize the materials as electrolytes. The coatings, which are composed of binary, ternary, and higher order metal and/or metalloid oxides, nitrides, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, sulfides, and carbides limit the reactions between the electrolyte and the metal anode in a battery, thereby improving the performance of the battery, relative to a battery that employs a bare anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Vinay Ishwar Hegde, David H. Snydacker, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Publication number: 20180265949
    Abstract: Magnesium alloys comprising a long period stacking order (LPSO) phase having an 14H-i or an 18R-i structure are provided. The alloys comprise magnesium as a majority element, a first alloying element that is larger than magnesium and a second alloying element that is smaller than magnesium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher M. Wolverton, James E. Saal
  • Patent number: 9994935
    Abstract: Magnesium alloys comprising a long period stacking order (LPSO) phase having an 14H-i or an 18R-i structure are provided. The alloys comprise magnesium as a majority element, a first alloying element that is larger than magnesium and a second alloying element that is smaller than magnesium. The first alloying elements include non-rare earth elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Christopher M. Wolverton, James E. Saal
  • Publication number: 20170229742
    Abstract: Cathode coatings for lithium ion batteries, cathodes coated with the coatings, and lithium ion batteries incorporating the coated cathodes are provided. The coatings, which are composed of binary, ternary, and higher order metal oxides and/or metalloid oxides, can reduce the hydrofluoric acid (HF)-induced degradation of the electrolyte and/or cathodes, thereby improving the performance of lithium ion batteries, relative to lithium ion batteries that employ bare cathodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Muratahan Aykol, Soo Kim, Shiqiang Hao, Zhi Lu, Vinay Ishwar Hegde, David H. Snydacker, Scott J. Kirklin, Dane Morgan, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Publication number: 20170217796
    Abstract: Methods for extracting lithium from solutions containing lithium ions via reversible cation exchange with H+ are provided. The methods utilize metal oxide or metalloid oxide cation exchange materials having an active sublattice that preferentially bind Li+ cations, relative to both H+ and Na+, in a sample solution and preferentially bind H+, relative to Li+, in an acidic solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: David H. Snydacker, Vinay Ishwar Hegde, Muratahan Aykol, Christopher M. Wolverton
  • Publication number: 20150086413
    Abstract: Magnesium alloys comprising a long period stacking order (LPSO) phase having an 14H-i or an 18R-i structure are provided. The alloys comprise magnesium as a majority element, a first alloying element that is larger than magnesium and a second alloying element that is smaller than magnesium. The first alloying elements include non-rare earth elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher M. Wolverton, James E. Saal
  • Patent number: 7790133
    Abstract: A reversible hydrogen storage composition having an empirical formula of: Li(x+z)NxMgyBzHw where 0.4?x?0.8; 0.2?y?0.6; 0<z?0.4, x+y+z=1 and “w” varies from 0 to 2x+2y+4z. This composition shows greater low temperature reversible hydrogen storage compared to binary systems such as MgH2—LiNH2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignees: UOP LLC, Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Syed A. Faheem, Gregory J. Lewis, J.W. Adriaan Sachtler, John J. Low, David A. Lesch, Paul M. Dosek, Christopher M. Wolverton, Donald J. Siegel, Andrea C. Sudik, Jun Yang