Patents by Inventor Derek R. Vardon

Derek R. Vardon 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: 11326190
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a microbial cell that includes a genetic modification resulting in the expression of a deficient form of an endogenous dioxygenase, and a gene encoding an exogenous dioxygenase and a promoter sequence, where the endogenous dioxygenase includes PcaH and PcaG, the exogenous dioxygenase includes LigA and LigB, the microbial cell is capable of growth utilizing at least one of a cellulose decomposition molecule or a lignin decomposition molecule, and the microbial cell is capable of producing 2-hydroxy-2H-pyran-4,6-dicarboxylic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Gregg Tyler Beckham, Christopher W. Johnson, Derek R. Vardon
  • Patent number: 10486141
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a catalyst that includes a solid support, a first metal that includes at least one of ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) deposited on the solid support, and a second metal comprising at least one of tin (Sn), rhenium (Re), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), or tungsten (W) deposited on the solid support, where the first metal and the second metal are present at a first metal to second metal mass ratio between about 1.0:2.0 and about 1.0:0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Derek R. Vardon, Todd R. Eaton, Amy Settle
  • Publication number: 20190168190
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a catalyst that includes a solid support, a first metal that includes at least one of ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) deposited on the solid support, and a second metal comprising at least one of tin (Sn), rhenium (Re), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), or tungsten (W) deposited on the solid support, where the first metal and the second metal are present at a first metal to second metal mass ratio between about 1.0:2.0 and about 1.0:0.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Derek R. VARDON, Todd R. EATON, Amy SETTLE
  • Publication number: 20190153485
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a microbial cell that includes a genetic modification resulting in the expression of a deficient form of an endogenous dioxygenase, and a gene encoding an exogenous dioxygenase and a promoter sequence, where the endogenous dioxygenase includes PcaH and PcaG, the exogenous dioxygenase includes LigA and LigB, the microbial cell is capable of growth utilizing at least one of a cellulose decomposition molecule or a lignin decomposition molecule, and the microbial cell is capable of producing 2-hydroxy-2H-pyran-4,6-dicarboxylic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Gregg Tyler BECKHAM, Christopher W. JOHNSON, Derek R. VARDON
  • Patent number: 10280255
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a bioderived polymer that includes a first repeat unit that includes where n is an integer between 1 and 1000, and R1 is a first hydrocarbon group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Gregg Tyler Beckham, Derek R. Vardon, Nicholas Rorrer, John R. Dorgan
  • Patent number: 10266852
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for the production of fuels, chemicals, or materials from biomass-derived lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Also provided are methods for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from lignocellulosic biomass and the subsequent thermal and catalytic conversion of polyhydroxyalkanoates to hydrocarbons. In addition, methods for the production of ethanol from the fermentation of polysaccharides are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignees: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Gregg T. Beckham, Jeffrey G. Linger, Derek R. Vardon, Michael T. Guarnieri, Eric M. Karp, Mary Ann Franden, Christopher W. Johnson, Timothy J. Strathmann, Philip T. Pienkos
  • Patent number: 10253338
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a microbial cell that includes a genetic modification resulting in the expression of a deficient form of an endogenous dioxygenase, and a gene encoding an exogenous dioxygenase and a promoter sequence, where the endogenous dioxygenase includes PcaH and PcaG, the exogenous dioxygenase includes LigA and LigB, the microbial cell is capable of growth utilizing at least one of a cellulose decomposition molecule or a lignin decomposition molecule, and the microbial cell is capable of producing 2-hydroxy-2H-pyran-4,6-dicarboxylic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Gregg Tyler Beckham, Christopher W. Johnson, Derek R. Vardon
  • Publication number: 20180371502
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for the production of fuels, chemicals, or materials from biomass-derived lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Also provided are methods for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from lignocellulosic biomass and the subsequent thermal and catalytic conversion of polyhydroxyalkanoates to hydrocarbons. In addition, methods for the production of ethanol from the fermentation of polysaccharides are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Gregg T. BECKHAM, Jeffrey G. LINGER, Derek R. VARDON, Michael T. GUARNIERI, Eric M. KARP, Mary Ann FRANDEN, Christopher W. JOHNSON, Timothy J. STRATHMANN, Philip T. PIENKOS
  • Patent number: 10017792
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to compositions and methods for converting biomass to various chemical intermediates and final products including fuels. Aspects include the depolymerization of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose to a wide slate of depolymerization compounds that can be subsequently metabolized by genetically modified bacterium, and converted to cis,cis-muconic acid. Other aspects include the use of monometallic catalysts for converting the cis,cis-muconic acid to commodity chemicals and fuels, for example adipic acid and/or nylon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Gregg T. Beckham, Christopher W. Johnson, Derek R. Vardon, Mary Ann Franden
  • Publication number: 20170306085
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a bioderived polymer that includes a first repeat unit that includes where n is an integer between 1 and 1000, and R1 is a first hydrocarbon group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Gregg Tyler BECKHAM, Derek R. VARDON, Nicholas RORRER, John R. DORGAN
  • Publication number: 20170275655
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a microbial cell that includes a genetic modification resulting in the expression of a deficient form of an endogenous dioxygenase, and a gene encoding an exogenous dioxygenase and a promoter sequence, where the endogenous dioxygenase includes PcaH and PcaG, the exogenous dioxygenase includes LigA and LigB, the microbial cell is capable of growth utilizing at least one of a cellulose decomposition molecule or a lignin decomposition molecule, and the microbial cell is capable of producing 2-hydroxy-2H-pyran-4,6-dicarboxylic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Gregg Tyler BECKHAM, Christopher W. JOHNSON, Derek R. VARDON
  • Publication number: 20160017381
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to compositions and methods for converting biomass to various chemical intermediates and final products including fuels. Aspects include the depolymerization of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose to a wide slate of depolymerization compounds that can be subsequently metabolized by genetically modified bacterium, and converted to cis,cis-muconic acid. Other aspects include the use of monometallic catalysts for converting the cis,cis-muconic acid to commodity chemicals and fuels, for example adipic acid and/or nylon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Gregg T. Beckham, Christopher W. Johnson, Derek R. Vardon, Mary Ann FRANDEN