Patents by Inventor J. Roland Pitts
J. Roland Pitts 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).
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Patent number: 8691447Abstract: Solid state, thin film, electrochemical devices (10) and methods of making the same are disclosed. An exemplary device 10 includes at least one electrode (14) and an electrolyte (16) deposited on the electrode (14). The electrolyte (16) includes at least two homogenous layers of discrete physical properties. The two homogenous layers comprise a first dense layer (15) and a second porous layer (16).Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLCInventors: J. Roland Pitts, Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, Wenming Li
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Patent number: 8084265Abstract: Methods and Pd/V2O5 devices for hydrogen detection are disclosed. An exemplary method of preparing an improved sensor for chemochromic detection of hydrogen gas over a wide response range exhibits stability during repeated coloring/bleaching cycles upon exposure and removal of hydrogen gas. The method may include providing a substrate. The method may also include depositing a V205 layer that functions as a H2 insertion host in a Pd/V205 hydrogen sensor to be formed on said substrate. The method may also include depositing a Pd layer onto said V205 layer; said Pd layer functioning as an optical modulator.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2008Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Alliance for Sustianable Energy, LLCInventors: Ping Liu, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, R. Davis Smith, II, Se-Hee Lee
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Patent number: 7910373Abstract: An ultra-fast response, high sensitivity structure for optical detection of low concentrations of hydrogen gas, comprising: a substrate; a water-doped WO3 layer coated on the substrate; and a palladium layer coated on the water-doped WO3 layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2001Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLCInventors: Ping Liu, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, Se-Hee Lee
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Publication number: 20100261067Abstract: Solid state, thin film, electrochemical devices (10) and methods of making the same are disclosed. An exemplary device 10 includes at least one electrode (14) and an electrolyte (16) deposited on the electrode (14). The electrolyte (16) includes at least two homogenous layers of discrete physical properties. The two homogenous layers comprise a first dense layer (15) and a second porous layer (16).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2008Publication date: October 14, 2010Inventors: J. Roland Pitts, Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, Wenming Li
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Patent number: 7722966Abstract: Nano-composite materials are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a nano-composite material may comprise co-sputtering a transition metal and a refractory metal in a reactive atmosphere. The method may also comprise co-depositing a transition metal and a refractory metal composite structure on a substrate. The method may further comprise thermally annealing the deposited transition metal and refractory metal composite structure in a reactive atmosphere.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2005Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLCInventors: Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts
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Patent number: 7560409Abstract: Photo-oxidation catalysts and methods for cleaning a metal-based catalyst are disclosed. An exemplary catalyst system implementing a photo-oxidation catalyst may comprise a metal-based catalyst, and a photo-oxidation catalyst for cleaning the metal-based catalyst in the presence of light. The exposure to light enables the photo-oxidation catalyst to substantially oxidize absorbed contaminants and reduce accumulation of the contaminants on the metal-based catalyst. Applications are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLCInventors: J. Roland Pitts, Ping Liu, R. Davis Smith
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Publication number: 20090057137Abstract: A method (100) is provided for synthesizing a thin film electrode (350) such as an electrochromic (EC) electrode (426) or counter electrode (434) for an EC device (410), a lithiated film of transition metal oxide (616) for a battery device (600), or the like. The method (100) includes providing (140) a source material (322) within a deposition chamber (310) such as a target for sputtering, and the source material (322) includes a transition metal oxide and ionic lithium. The method (100) continues with positioning (140) an electrically conductive substrate (340) with an exposed surface within the deposition chamber (310). A thin film (350) of the transition metal oxide and the ionic lithium is deposited upon the exposed surface of the substrate (340) using physical vapor deposition with the source material (322) to form in a single deposition step a layer of lithiated transition metal oxide (350).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: J. Roland Pitts, Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, Dane Gillaspie
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Publication number: 20090053822Abstract: Methods and Pd/V2O5 devices for hydrogen detection are disclosed. An exemplary method of preparing an improved sensor for chemochromic detection of hydrogen gas over a wide response range exhibits stability during repeated coloring/bleaching cycles upon exposure and removal of hydrogen gas. The method may include providing a substrate. The method may also include depositing a V205 layer that functions as a H2 insertion host in a Pd/V205 hydrogen sensor to be formed on said substrate. The method may also include depositing a Pd layer onto said V205 layer; said Pd layer functioning as an optical modulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2008Publication date: February 26, 2009Inventors: Ping Liu, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, R. Davis Smith, II, Se-Hee Lee
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Patent number: 7419635Abstract: A sensor structure for chemochromic optical detection of hydrogen gas over a wide response range, that exhibits stability during repeated coloring/bleaching cycles upon exposure and removal of hydrogen gas, comprising: a glass substrate (20); a vanadium oxide layer (21) coated on the glass substrate; and a palladium layer (22) coated on the vanadium oxide layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2001Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: Ping Liu, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, R. Davis Smith, II, Se-Hee Lee
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Patent number: 7233034Abstract: A protective coating for a surface comprising a layer permeable to hydrogen, said coating being deposited on a catalyst layer; wherein the catalytic activity of the catalyst layer is preserved.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2005Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: Ping Liu, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, Se-Hee Lee
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Patent number: 6872378Abstract: The present invention provides an environmentally beneficial process using concentrated sunlight to heat radiation absorbing particles to carry out highly endothermic gas phase chemical reactions ultimately resulting in the production of hydrogen or hydrogen synthesis gases.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2001Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: Alan W. Weimer, Jaimee K. Dahl, J. Roland Pitts, Allan A. Lewandowski, Carl Bingham, Joseph R. Tamburini
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Patent number: 6859297Abstract: The present invention discloses an amorphous material comprising nickel oxide doped with tantalum that is an anodically coloring electrochromic material. The material of the present invention is prepared in the form of an electrode (200) having a thin film (202) of an electrochromic material of the present invention residing on a transparent conductive film (203). The material of the present invention is also incorporated into an electrochromic device (100) as a thin film (102) in conjunction with a cathodically coloring prior art electrochromic material layer (104) such that the devices contain both anodically coloring (102) and cathodically coloring (104) layers. The materials of the electrochromic layers in these devices exhibit broadband optical complimentary behavior, ionic species complimentary behavior, and coloration efficiency complimentary behavior in their operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2001Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, Gary J. Jorgensen
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Publication number: 20040150867Abstract: The present invention discloses an amorphous material comprising nickel oxide doped with tantalum that is an anodically coloring electrochromic material. The material of the present invention is prepared in the form of an electrode (200) having a thin film (202) of an electrochromic material of the present invention residing on a transparent conductive film (203). The material of the present invention is also incorporated into an electrochromic device (100) as a thin film (102) in conjunction with a cathodically coloring prior art electrochromic material layer (104) such that the devices contain both anodically coloring (102) and cathodically coloring (104) layers. The materials of the electrochromic layers in these devices exhibit broadband optical complimentary behavior, ionic species complimentary behavior, and coloration efficiency complimentary behavior in their operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2003Publication date: August 5, 2004Inventors: Se-Hee Lee, C Edwin Tracy, J Roland Pitts, Gary J Jorgensen
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Patent number: 6723566Abstract: An anodic double layer gasochromic sensor structure for optical detection of hydrogen in improved response time and with improved optical absorption real time constants, comprising: a glass substrate; a tungsten-doped nickel oxide layer coated on the glass substrate; and a palladium layer coated on the tungsten-doped nickel oxide layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2003Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, Ping Liu
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Publication number: 20040037740Abstract: A sensor structure for chemochromic optical detection of hydrogen gas over a wide response range, that exhibits stability during repeated coloring/bleaching cycles upon exposure and removal of hydrogen gas, comprising; a glass substrate (20): a vanadium oxide layer (21) coated on the glass substrate; and a palladium layer (22) coated on the vanadium oxide layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2003Publication date: February 26, 2004Inventors: Ping Liu, C Edwin Tracy, J Roland Pitts, Se-Hee Lee
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Publication number: 20040037745Abstract: An anodic double layer gasochromic sensor structure for optical detection of hydrogen in improved response time and with improved optical absorption real time constants, comprising: a glass substrate; a tungsten-doped nickel oxide layer coated on the glass substrate; and a palladium layer coated on the tungsten-doped nickel oxide layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2003Publication date: February 26, 2004Inventors: Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, Ping Liu
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Publication number: 20040023595Abstract: An ultra-fast response, high sensitivity structure for optical detection of low concentrations of hydrogen gas, comprising: a substrate; a water-doped WO3 layer coated on the substrate; and a palladium layer coated on the water-doped WO3 layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Liu Ping, C. Edwin Tracy, J. Roland Pitts, Se-Hee Lee
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Publication number: 20030208959Abstract: The present invention provides an environmentally beneficial process using concentrated sunlight to heat radiation absorbing particles to carry out highly endothermic gas phase chemical reactions ultimately resulting in the production of hydrogen or hydrogen synthesis gases.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2003Publication date: November 13, 2003Inventors: Alan W Weimer, Jaimee K Dahl, J. Roland Pitts, Allan A Lewandowski, Carl Bingham, Joseph R Tamburini
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Patent number: 5346729Abstract: An improved chemical vapor deposition method for depositing transparent continuous coatings of sp.sup.3 -bonded diamond-type carbon films, comprising: a) providing a volatile hydrocarbon gas/H.sub.2 reactant mixture in a cold wall vacuum/chemical vapor deposition chamber containing a suitable substrate for said films, at pressure of about 1 to 50 Torr; and b) directing a concentrated solar flux of from about 40 to about 60 watts/cm.sup.2 through said reactant mixture to produce substrate temperatures of about 750.degree. C. to about 950.degree. C. to activate deposition of the film on said substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 1993Date of Patent: September 13, 1994Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: J. Roland Pitts, C. Edwin Tracy, David E. King, James T. Stanley