Patents by Inventor Gregory M. Bianchini

Gregory M. Bianchini 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).

  • Process for producing wurtzitic or cubic boron nitride
    Patent number: 5108966
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing wurtzitic or cubic boron nitride comprising the steps of:[A] preparing an intimate mixture of powdered boron oxide, a powdered metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium or aluminum, and a powdered metal azide;[B] igniting the mixture and bringing it to a temperature at which self-sustaining combustion occurs;[C] shocking the mixture at the end of the combustion thereof with a high pressure wave, thereby forming as a reaction product, wurtzitic or cubic boron nitride and occluded metal oxide; and, optionally[D] removing the occluded metal oxide from the reaction product.Also disclosed are reaction products made by the process described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: J. Birch Holt, Donald D. Kingman, deceased, Gregory M. Bianchini
  • Synthesis of fine-grained .alpha.-silicon nitride by a combustion process
    Patent number: 4944930
    Abstract: A combustion synthesis process for the preparation of .alpha.-silicon nitride and composites thereof is disclosed. Preparation of the .alpha.-silicon nitride comprises the steps of dry mixing silicon powder with an alkali metal azide, such as sodium azide, cold-pressing the mixture into any desired shape, or loading the mixture into a fused, quartz crucible, loading the crucible into a combustion chamber, pressurizing the chamber with nitrogen and igniting the mixture using an igniter pellet. The method for the preparation of the composites comprises dry mixing silicon powder (Si) or SiO.sub.2, with a metal or metal oxide, adding a small amount of an alkali metal azide such as sodium azide, introducing the mixture into a suitable combustion chamber, pressurizing the combustion chamber with nitrogen, igniting the mixture within the combustion chamber, and isolating the .alpha.-silicon nitride formed as a reaction product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: J. Birch Holt, Donald D. Kingman, Gregory M. Bianchini
  • One step process for producing dense aluminum nitride and composites thereof
    Patent number: 4877759
    Abstract: A one step combustion process for the synthesis of dense aluminum nitride compositions is disclosed. The process comprises igniting pure aluminum powder in a nitrogen atmosphere at a pressure of about 1000 atmospheres or higher. The process enables the production of aluminum nitride bodies to be formed directly in a mold of any desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: J. Birch Holt, Donald D. Kingman, Gregory M. Bianchini
  • Vapor spill monitoring method
    Patent number: 4535639
    Abstract: Method for continuous sampling of liquified natural gas effluent from a spill pipe, vaporizing the cold liquified natural gas, and feeding the vaporized gas into an infrared detector to measure the gas composition. The apparatus utilizes a probe having an inner channel for receiving samples of liquified natural gas and a surrounding water jacket through which warm water is flowed to flash vaporize the liquified natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1985
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Gregory M. Bianchini, Thomas G. McRae