Patents by Inventor Donald C. Lorents

Donald C. Lorents 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: 5547748
    Abstract: Encapsulation of metals inside multilayered polyhedral shells of carbon (nanoencapsulates) is described. Many materials, such as metals and metal-carbides, can be encapsulated by the method of present invention, including metals such as lanthanides, transition metals, actinides and alloys. Some of these nanoencapsulate materials exhibit ferromagnetic and paramagnetic properties and have uses in the biomedical field as well as in recording media and composite materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Rodney S. Ruoff, Donald C. Lorents, Ripudaman Malhotra, Mark J. Dyer
  • Patent number: 5304366
    Abstract: A process and apparatus is described for the production of purified fullerenes using a non-reactive gas to collect and transport impure fullerenes from an evaporation zone to a heated filter zone in which solid impurities may be filtered out of the mixture. If one or more condensed fullerenes are present in the gas stream entering the filter zone, such condensed fullerenes may be vaporized in the filter zone and carried to a condensation zone in which one or more vaporized fullerenes may be recovered. When more than one vaporized fullerene is present in the gas entering either the filter zone or the condensation zone, a temperature gradient may be used to permit separation and recovery of purified portions of different fullerenes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Donald C. Lorents, Ripudaman Malhotra
  • Patent number: 5234475
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon fuel is provided with one or more fullerene additives such as, for example, C60, C70, C74, C76, C78, C82, and C84 fullerenes, to serve as an identifying means for the fuel. The particular fullerene additive or additives may varying from the fullerene additive or additives in other fuels both by type as well as by amount or concentration present in the fuel. Thus, for example, if 7 different fullerenes are used in combinations of 1, 2, or 3 fullerenes, and in 5 different concentration amounts, there exists a possibility of as many as 4,935 different combinations of fuels which may all be separately identified by the presence of such combinations of fullerenes therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Ripudaman Malhotra, Donald C. Lorents, Young K. Bae
  • Patent number: 4258334
    Abstract: Halogen transfer laser method and means are disclosed employing a dilute mixture of molecular halogen vapor in high pressure noble gas. Noble gas atoms and molecules are excited by use of electrons to high energy metastable and/or excimer states. Collisional and/or radiative transfer of electronic excitation from the excited noble gas atoms and molecules to the lasing halogen molecules takes place for excitation of halogen molecules to upper ionic states in sufficient number to establish a population inversion in the electronic energy levels thereof for lasing. In addition to halogens, halogen-bearing compounds which dissociate and appropriately recombine to provide diatomic halogen for lasing also may be used. The laser is tunable over an electromagnetic energy range which includes ultraviolet radiation. Operation at high peak power levels with high efficiency is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1981
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Michael V. McCusker, Donald C. Lorents, Robert M. Hill, Davis L. Huestis
  • Patent number: 4087765
    Abstract: Organic transfer laser method and means are disclosed employing a gas mixture which includes an acceptor gas comprising an organic molecular vapor, and a donor gas comprising a noble gas or a group II B transition metal, such as mercury, in the vapor state. The donor gas atoms are excited to high energy metastable and/or excimer states by electron beam excitation or electron beam initiated-sustainer discharge type exciting means. Collisional transfer of electronic excitation from the excited donor gas to the lasing organic molecules takes place for excitation of organic molecules to excited singlet states in sufficient number to establish a population inversion in the electronic energy levels thereof for lasing. Depending upon the mixture employed, the laser is tunable over the visible and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Operation at high peak power levels with high efficiency is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1978
    Assignee: Stanford Research Institute
    Inventors: Stephen A. Edelstein, Donald C. Lorents, Michael V. McCusker, Thomas F. Gallagher