Patents by Inventor Grant M. Thoma

Grant M. Thoma 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: 11973232
    Abstract: Nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material comprising at least 90 collectively Pt, Ni, and Ta. The nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material is useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Andrew T. Haug, Amy Hester, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Sean M. Luopa, Grant M. Thoma, Jonah D. Erlebacher
  • Patent number: 11955645
    Abstract: Catalysts comprising a Ta layer having an outer layer with a layer comprising Pt directly thereon, wherein the Ta layer has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 30 nanometers, wherein the layer comprising Pt has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 50 nanometers, and wherein the Pt and Ta are present in an atomic ratio in a range from 0.01:1 to 10:1. Catalyst described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Amy E. Hester, Grant M. Thoma, Cedric Bedoya, Zhenhua Zeng, Jeffrey P. Greeley
  • Patent number: 11476470
    Abstract: Catalyst comprising a first layer having an outer layer with a layer comprising Pt directly thereon, wherein the first layer has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 30 nanometers, and wherein the layer. Catalysts described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Amy E. Hester, Grant M. Thoma, Cedric Bedoya, James A. Phipps, David J. Rowe, Cemal S. Duru
  • Patent number: 11404702
    Abstract: Catalysts comprising nanostructured elements comprising microstructured whiskers having an outer surface at least partially covered by a catalyst material comprising at least 90 atomic percent collectively Pt, Ni, and Cr, wherein the Pt is present in a range from 32.4 to 35.8 atomic percent, the Ni is present in a range from 57.7 to 63.7 atomic percent, and the Cr is present in a range from 0.5 to 10.0 atomic percent, and wherein the total atomic percent of Pt, Ni, and Cr equals 100. Catalyst described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Amy E. Hester, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Sean M. Luopa, Grant M. Thoma
  • Publication number: 20220059849
    Abstract: Catalyst material comprising nanoparticles dispersed within a metal oxide layer, the metal oxide layer comprises metal oxide comprising at least one metal cation, wherein the nanoparticles comprise Pt, wherein the nanoparticles comprise less than 10 atom % of oxygen, and wherein the metal oxide layer has an average thickness not greater than 50 nanometers. The catalyst material comprising nanoparticles dispersed within a metal oxide layer can be converted, for example, to nanoporous catalyst layer comprising nanoparticles fused together, wherein the nanoparticles comprise Pt, wherein the nanoparticles comprise less than 10 atom % of oxygen, and wherein the layer has an average thickness not greater than 50 nanometers. The nanoporous catalyst layer is useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Amy E. Hester, Sean M. Luopa, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Grant M. Thoma
  • Publication number: 20210408555
    Abstract: Catalyst comprising an Ir layer having an outer layer with a layer comprising Pt directly thereon, wherein the Ir layer has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 30 nanometers, wherein the layer comprising Pt has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 50 nanometers, and wherein the Pt and Ir are present in an atomic ratio in a range from 0.01:1 to 10:1. Catalysts described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew J.L. Steinbach, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Amy E. Hester, Grant M. Thoma, Cedric Bedoya
  • Publication number: 20210151776
    Abstract: Nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material comprising at least 90 collectively Pt, Ni, and Ta. The nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material is useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew J.L. Steinbach, Andrew T. Haug, Amy Hester, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Sean M. Luopa, Grant M. Thoma, Jonah D. Erlebacher
  • Publication number: 20210075026
    Abstract: Catalysts comprising a Ta layer having an outer layer with a layer comprising Pt directly thereon, wherein the Ta layer has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 30 nanometers, wherein the layer comprising Pt has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 50 nanometers, and wherein the Pt and Ta are present in an atomic ratio in a range from 0.01:1 to 10:1. Catalyst described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Amy E. Hester, Grant M. Thoma, Cedric Bedoya, Zhenhua Zeng, Jeffrey P. Greeley
  • Publication number: 20210066724
    Abstract: Catalyst comprising a first layer having an outer layer with a layer comprising Pt directly thereon, wherein the first layer has an average thickness in a range from 0.04 to 30 nanometers, and wherein the layer. Catalysts described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Amy E. Hester, Grant M. Thoma, Cedric Bedoya, James A. Phipps, David J. Rowe, Cemal S. Duru
  • Publication number: 20210008528
    Abstract: Catalysts comprising nanostmctured elements comprising microstructured whiskers having an outer surface at least partially covered by a catalyst material comprising at least 90 atomic percent collectively Pt, Ni, and Ru, wherein the Pt is present in a range from 33.9 to 35.9 atomic percent, the Ni is present in a range from 60.3 to 63.9 atomic percent, and the Ru is present in a range from 0.5 to 9.9 atomic percent and wherein the total atomic percent of Pt, Ni, and Ru equals 100. Catalyst described herein are useful, 0 for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Sean M. Luopa, Andrew T. Haug, Amy E. Hester, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Grant M. Thoma
  • Publication number: 20210013522
    Abstract: Catalysts comprising nanostructured elements comprising microstructured whiskers having an outer surface at least partially covered by a catalyst material comprising at least 90 atomic percent collectively Pt, Ni, and Cr, wherein the Pt is present in a range from 32.4 to 35.8 atomic percent, the Ni is present in a range from 57.7 to 63.7 atomic percent, and the Cr is present in a range from 0.5 to 10.0 atomic percent, and wherein the total atomic percent of Pt, Ni, and Cr equals 100. Catalyst described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew J.L. Steinbach, Amy E. Hester, Andrew T. Haug, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Sean M. Luopa, Grant M. Thoma
  • Publication number: 20210013521
    Abstract: Catalysts comprising nanostructured elements comprising microstructured whiskers having an outer surface at least partially covered by a catalyst material comprising at least 90 atomic percent collectively Pt, Ni, and Ta, wherein the Pt is present in a range from 32.0 to 35.7 atomic percent, the Ni is present in a range from 57.2 to 64.0 atomic percent, and the Ta is present in a range from 0.26 to 10.8 atomic percent, and wherein the total atomic percent of Pt, Ni, and Ta equals 100. Catalyst described herein are useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Krzysztof A. Lewinski, Andrew T. Haug, Amy E. Hester, Sean M. Luopa, Grant M. Thoma
  • Patent number: 9444394
    Abstract: A modular deployable structure that includes at least two panels, one of which is configured to be pivotably attached to a further structure for deployment therefrom and return thereto. Interfaces pivotably interconnect each two panels, and are in the form of a pin clevis joint arrangement. Dogbone links are pivotably attached to the interfaces to effect pivoting of the panels. Linkage members extend adjacent to the panels and are pivotable relative to the dogbone links. The linkage members pivotably interengage one another, for example via gears. A drive mechanism effects pivoting of one of the linkage members to in turn effect synchronized pivoting of all of the linkage members and the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
    Inventors: Grant M. Thomas, Thomas W. Murphey