Patents by Inventor James Mitchell Tour

James Mitchell Tour 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).

  • Publication number: 20240120506
    Abstract: Method and system for flash recycling of batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, other metal (sodium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and aluminum)-ion batteries, metal batteries, batteries having all metal oxide cathodes, and batteries having graphite-containing anodes. The method and system include a solvent-free and water-free flash Joule heating (FJH) method performed upon a mixture that includes materials from the batteries done in millisecond for recycling the materials. In some embodiments, the FJH method is combined with magnetic separation to recover lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese with high yields up to 98%. In some embodiments, the FJH method is followed by rinsing with dilute acid, such a 0.01 M HCl. In other embodiments, the FJH method is utilized to purify the graphite in the battery, such as for use in the anode of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James Mitchell TOUR, Weiyin CHEN, Duy X. LUONG, Carter KITTRELL
  • Publication number: 20230262845
    Abstract: Systems and methods for flash joule heating carbon with variable frequency drives, for the production of graphene. The system includes a flash joule heating system, and a variable frequency drive system for driving the flash joule heating system, wherein the variable frequency drive system is coupled to the flash joule heating system, and is configured to output a pulse-width modulated current. The system and methods may further include sample temperature feedback, to adjust the output of variable frequency drive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: James Mitchell Tour, Duy X Luong, Carter Kittrell, Tyler Cooksey, Zhiyong Zhang, Vladimir Mancevski
  • Publication number: 20220055904
    Abstract: Resistive memory devices having laser-induced graphene (LIG) composites, and methods of making resistive memory devices having LIG composites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicants: B.G. NEGEV TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS LTD., AT BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY, WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James Mitchell Tour, Duy X. Luong, Kaichun Yang, Christopher John Arnusch, Swatantra Pratap Singh, Amit Kumar Thakur, Michael G. Stanford, John T. Li, Steven E. Presutti
  • Publication number: 20210206642
    Abstract: Methods for the synthesis of graphene, and more particularly the method of synthesizing graphene by flash Joule heating (FJH). Such methods can be used to synthesize turbostratic graphene (including low-defect turbostratic graphene) in bulk quantities. Such methods can further be used to synthesize composite materials and 2D materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James Mitchell Tour, Duy X. Luong, Wilbur Carter Kittrell, Wala A. Algozeeb, Weiyin Chen
  • Patent number: 11027240
    Abstract: Disclosed herein methods for combating biofouling in a liquid, e.g. an aqueous medium by providing a surface coated with at least one laser-induced graphene (LIG) layer in said liquid medium. Particularly disclosed herein method and devices for treating water comprising passing a water stream through a membrane module equipped with at least one spacer coated with at least one layer of LIG, and optionally by applying an electric potential to the at least one LIG layer to achieve a bactericidal effect in the water stream. Specifically, disclosed herein a polymeric mesh suitable for use as a spacer in a membrane module in water treatment application, said mesh being at least partially coated with LIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignees: B.G. Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd., at Ben-Gurion University, William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Christopher John Arnusch, Swatantra Pratap Singh, Franklin Sargunaraj, Yoram Oren, James Mitchell Tour, Yilun Li
  • Publication number: 20190143275
    Abstract: Disclosed herein methods for combating biofouling in a liquid, e.g. an aqueous medium by providing a surface coated with at least one laser-induced graphene (LIG) layer in said liquid medium. Particularly disclosed herein method and devices for treating water comprising passing a water stream through a membrane module equipped with at least one spacer coated with at least one layer of LIG, and optionally by applying an electric potential to the at least one LIG layer to achieve a bactericidal effect in the water stream. Specifically, disclosed herein a polymeric mesh suitable for use as a spacer in a membrane module in water treatment application, said mesh being at least partially coated with LIG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicants: B.G. Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd., at Ben-Gurion University, William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Christopher John Arnusch, Swatantra Pratap Singh, Franklin Sargunaraj, Yoram Oren, James Mitchell Tour, Yilun Li
  • Publication number: 20040180244
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a process and apparatus for subjecting carbon nanotubes containing a species, or elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and argon in air, in an inert gas chamber, in vacuum or under ultrahigh vacuum (“UHV”), to microwave radiation for certain predetermined amounts of time. The result of said process and apparatus is heat release, light emission and gas evolution, accompanied by intense mechanical motion and carbon nanotube reconstruction. An RGA plot (900) illustrates the outgassed materials from carbon nanotubes during microwave application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: James Mitchell Tour, James Andrew Roberts, Timothy James Imholt