Patents by Inventor Héctor D. Abruña

Héctor D. Abruña 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: 11692065
    Abstract: Provided are phenazine copolymers and methods of making and using phenazine copolymers. The phenazine copolymers may be made from one or more phenazine precursors and one or more co-monomer precursors, one or more phenazine precursors and one or more cross-linking precursors, or one or more phenazine precursors and both one or more cross-linking precursors and one or more co-monomer precursors. The phenazine copolymers may be used in/on cathodes. The cathodes may be used in a variety of devices, such as, for example, batteries or supercapacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Brett P. Fors, Héctor D. Abruña, Cara Gannett, Brian Peterson, Luxi Shen
  • Patent number: 11437615
    Abstract: A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yingchao Yu, Weidong Zhou, Hao Chen, Hector D. Abruna
  • Patent number: 11417884
    Abstract: A titanium disulfide-sulfur (TiS2—S) composite particle contains a titanium disulfide (TiS2) substrate having solid elemental sulfur (S) disposed directly on a surface of the TiS2. The TiS2 substrate has a layered crystalline hexagonal structure of space group P-3 ml and includes at least 100 distinct layers. The TiS2 and S are present in the composite in a weight ratio (TiS2:S) of 20:80 to 50:50. Cathodes and batteries containing the composite particle, as well as related methods, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignees: CORNELL UNIVERSITY, WUHAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Héctor D. Abruña, Yao Yang, Fu-Sheng Ke, Xiao-Chen Liu
  • Patent number: 11394033
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus containing, as a cathode catalyst, a metal oxide/carbon catalyst composition. The metal oxide/carbon catalyst composition includes 40 to 95 wt % porous Mn—Co spinel oxide nanoparticles of the formula MnxCo3-xO4. The nanoparticles have an octahedral morphology, an average particle size of 5-100 nm, and average pore sizes of 1-5 nm (where x is the atomic fraction of manganese and 3-x is the atomic fraction of cobalt). The metal oxide nanoparticles are supported on a carbon substrate that contains at least 96 atomic % carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: CORNELL UNIVERSITY, WUHAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yao Yang, Héctor D. Abruña, Lin Zhuang, Hanging Peng, Li Xiao
  • Publication number: 20220153931
    Abstract: Provided are phenazine copolymers and methods of making and using phenazine copolymers. The phenazine copolymers may be made from one or more phenazine precursors and one or more co-monomer precursors, one or more phenazine precursors and one or more cross-linking precursors, or one or more phenazine precursors and both one or more cross-linking precursors and one or more co-monomer precursors. The phenazine copolymers may be used in/on cathodes. The cathodes may be used in a variety of devices, such as, for example, batteries or supercapacitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Brett P. Fors, Héctor D. Abruña, Cara Gannett, Brian Peterson, Luxi Shen
  • Publication number: 20220158173
    Abstract: MOFs including sulfur nanoparticles. The sulfur nanoparticles may be encapsulated in the MOFs. The MOFs may be made by methods where MOFs are formed in situ or are preformed prior to the incorporation of sulfur. The MOFs may be used to make composite materials. The composite materials may be used in cathodes. Cathodes may be used in devices. A device may be a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Héctor D. Abruña, Na Zhang
  • Publication number: 20220105498
    Abstract: Provided is a catalytically active particle comprising an alloy, said alloy comprising: greater than or equal to 50 atomic % ruthenium (Ru); and 1 to 50 atomic % of one or more transition metals (M) selected from cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and iron (Fe), wherein the sum of the atomic percentages of Ru and M is greater than 65 atomic % of the alloy, and wherein, in the particle, the alloy is not fully or partially encapsulated by a layer of platinum atoms. Devices and processes employing the catalytically active particle are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hongsen WANG, Héctor D. ABRUÑA
  • Patent number: 11183688
    Abstract: Provided are porous Fe3O4/sulfur composites. The composites are composed of porous Fe3O4 nanoparticles and sulfur, where the sulfur loading is 70-85% by weight based on the total weight of the composite. Also provided are batteries having cathodes containing porous FE3O4 composites of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Héctor D. Abruña, Na Zhang
  • Publication number: 20210288315
    Abstract: A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yingchao Yu, Weidong Zhou, Hao Chen, Hector D. Abruna
  • Publication number: 20210194004
    Abstract: A titanium disulfide-sulfur (TiS2—S) composite particle contains a titanium disulfide (TiS2) substrate having solid elemental sulfur (S) disposed directly on a surface of the TiS2. The TiS2 substrate has a layered crystalline hexagonal structure of space group P-3 ml and includes at least 100 distinct layers. The TiS2 and S are present in the composite in a weight ratio (TiS2:S) of 20:80 to 50:50. Cathodes and batteries containing the composite particle, as well as related methods, are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicants: CORNELL UNIVERSITY, WUHAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Héctor D. ABRUÑA, Yao YANG, Fu-Sheng KE, Xiao-Chen LIU
  • Patent number: 11034796
    Abstract: Provided are poly(arylamine)s. The polymers can be redox active. The polymers can be used as electrode materials in, for example, electrochemical energy storage systems. The polymers can be made by electropolymerization on a conducting substrate (e.g., a current collector).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Thanh-Tam Truong, Hector D. Abruna, Geoffrey W. Coates, Brett P. Fors
  • Patent number: 10991950
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a nanoparticle and a method for preparing the nanoparticle, as well as a membrane that includes the nanoparticle and a fuel cell that includes the membrane. The method comprises a thermal treatment method that provides from a nanoparticle comprising a structurally disordered material the nanoparticle comprising: (1) a structurally ordered core comprising a first material; and (2) a shell surrounding and further structurally aligned with the structurally ordered core and comprising a second material different from the first material. Particularly desirable is a nanoparticle comprising a Pt3Co@Pt/C structurally ordered core-shell composition supported upon a carbon support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Héctor D. Abruña, Francis J. DiSalvo, David Muller, Deli Wang, Huolin Xin
  • Patent number: 10978700
    Abstract: A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yingchao Yu, Weidong Zhou, Hao Chen, Hector D. Abruna
  • Patent number: 10883955
    Abstract: A method for preparing a material composition comprising a hollow transition metal oxide nanoparticle supported upon a carbon material support includes a solution impregnation process step, followed by a thermal reduction process step and finally a thermal oxidation process step. The material composition, an electrode and an electrical component such as but not limited to a battery are all predicated at least in-part upon the material composition prepared in accord with the foregoing method. The foregoing material composition, electrode, battery and method may ultimately provide a LIB with enhanced performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignees: Cornell University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yingchao Yu, Héctor D. Abruña, Deli Wang, Weidong Zhou, Hongfang Liu, Shuang Qin
  • Patent number: 10879539
    Abstract: A metal oxide compound of formula (I): MnxMyRu1-(x+y)O2??(I) is a single phase rutile-type structure, where M is Co, Ni, or Fe, or a combination thereof, x>0, y?0, and 0.02?(x+y)?0.30. Related electro-catalysts, devices, and processes are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Marc Murphy, Ryo H. Wakabayashi, R. Bruce Van Dover, Héctor D. Abruña, Francis J. Disalvo
  • Publication number: 20200343538
    Abstract: A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yingchao Yu, Weidong Zhou, Hao Chen, Hector D. Abruna
  • Publication number: 20200328412
    Abstract: Provided are porous Fe3O4/sulfur composites. The composites are composed of porous Fe3O4 nanoparticles and sulfur, where the sulfur loading is 70-85% by weight based on the total weight of the composite. Also provided are batteries having cathodes containing porous FE3O4 composites of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Héctor D. ABRUÑA, Na ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20200295380
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus containing, as a cathode catalyst, a metal oxide/carbon catalyst composition. The metal oxide/carbon catalyst composition includes 40 to 95 wt % porous Mn—Co spinel oxide nanoparticles of the formula MnxCo3-xO4. The nanoparticles have an octahedral morphology, an average particle size of 5-100 nm, and average pore sizes of 1-5 nm (where x is the atomic fraction of manganese and 3-x is the atomic fraction of cobalt). The metal oxide nanoparticles are supported on a carbon substrate that contains at least 96 atomic % carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicants: Cornell University, Wuhan University
    Inventors: Yao YANG, Héctor D. ABRUÑA, Lin ZHUANG, Hanqing PENG, Li XIAO
  • Patent number: 10591435
    Abstract: Electropolymerized polymer or copolymer films on a conducting substrate (e.g., graphene) and methods of making such films. The films may be part of multilayer structures. The films can be formed by anodic or cathodic electropolymerization of monomers. The films and structures (e.g., multilayer structures) can be used in devices such as, for example, electrochromic devices, electrical-energy storage devices, photo-voltaic devices, field-effect transistor devices, electrical devices, electronic devices, energy-generation devices, and microfluidic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Cornell University
    Inventors: Sean Conte, Gabriel G. Rodriguez-Calero, Cen Tan, Kenneth Hernandez-Burgos, Hector D. Abruna, Nicole Ritzert, Daniel C. Ralph, Wan Li
  • Patent number: 10593938
    Abstract: A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yingchao Yu, Weidong Zhou, Hao Chen, Hector D. Abruna