Patents by Inventor Jay A. Switzer

Jay A. Switzer 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: 10980130
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal foil comprising depositing metal onto an oxidizable substrate to form a metal film on the substrate; oxidizing the substrate at an interface between the metal film and the substrate; and removing the metal film from the substrate to yield a metal foil. A method for forming a thin metal film comprising pre-polarizing a single-crystal Si substrate by application of a potential which is negative of a potential at which Si oxidizes, which pre-polarization occurs in the presence of metal ions to form metal growth nucleation sites on the substrate, followed by application of a potential at which both oxidation of Si and electrodeposition of the metal occur to grow the metal film and oxidize the Si to SiOx, which potential is more positive than the potential applied in the pre-polarization step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Publication number: 20200347512
    Abstract: A process for forming an epitaxial film comprising spinning a substrate having an ordered crystal structure; heating the substrate during spinning to a temperature between 70° C. and 150° C.; dripping epitaxial film precursor solution onto the spinning substrate, where the precursor solution comprises inorganic film precursor material in a solvent; and continuing the heating and spinning to remove the solvent and epitaxially grow the epitaxial film on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Publication number: 20190132957
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal foil comprising depositing metal onto an oxidizable substrate to form a metal film on the substrate; oxidizing the substrate at an interface between the metal film and the substrate; and removing the metal film from the substrate to yield a metal foil. A method for forming a thin metal film comprising pre-polarizing a single-crystal Si substrate by application of a potential which is negative of a potential at which Si oxidizes, which pre-polarization occurs in the presence of metal ions to form metal growth nucleation sites on the substrate, followed by application of a potential at which both oxidation of Si and electrodeposition of the metal occur to grow the metal film and oxidize the Si to SiOx, which potential is more positive than the potential applied in the pre-polarization step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 7361261
    Abstract: A solid substrate comprising a surface comprising an achiral array of atoms having thereupon a chiral metal oxide surface. The chiral metal oxide surface is prepared by electrodeposition of a chiral metal oxide array from a solution of a chiral salt of the metal. In one embodiment, chiral CuO is grown on achiral Au(001) by epitaxial electrodeposition. The handedness of the film is determined by the specific enantiomer of tartrate ion in the deposition solution. (R,R)-tartrate produces an S—CuO(1 1 1) film, while (S,S)-tartrate produces an R—CuO( 11 1) film. These chiral CuO films are enantiospecific for the electrochemical oxidation of(R,R) and (S,S)-tartrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Jay A. Switzer, Hiten M. Kothari, Shuji Nakanishi, Eric W. Bohannan
  • Publication number: 20050045489
    Abstract: A solid substrate comprising a surface comprising an achiral array of atoms having thereupon a chiral metal oxide surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Inventors: Jay Switzer, Hiten Kothari, Shuji Nakanishi, Eric Bohannan
  • Patent number: 4882014
    Abstract: Ceramic precursor compositions, such as metal hydroxides and oxides, are electrochemically deposited in a biased electrochemical cell. The cell typically generates hydroxide ions that precipitate metallic or semimetallic ions to form insoluble solids that may be separated from the cell, then dried, calcined and sintered to form a ceramic composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventors: R. Tom Coyle, Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4766087
    Abstract: Electronic semiconductor devices are prepared having contacts forming rectifying and non-rectifying junctions between thallium (III) oxide and semincoductors. Such contacts may be formed at relatively low temperatures during preparation of bipolar, unipolar, and microwave semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4706104
    Abstract: Electronic semiconductor devices are prepared having contacts forming rectifying and non-rectifying junctions between thallium (III) oxide and semiconductors. Such contacts may be formed at relatively low temperatures during preparation of bipolar, unipolar and microwave semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4663004
    Abstract: A method for electrochemical converting reactants to products includes cycling alternating electrical current to an electrode containing a non-degenerate semiconductor material in an electrochemical cell. Suitably doped (n-type or p-type) semiconductors rectify the alternating current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4644638
    Abstract: A heterojunction photovoltaic device, containing a highly conductive coating material having a band gap greater than 0 to about 3.0 e.V. on a substrate containing a semiconductor material, is utilized in highly efficient photovoltaic cells and radiometric detection cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4626322
    Abstract: A solid-state semiconductor photonic device is prepared by a photoelectrochemical deposition method. The device contains a highly conductive coating material including one or more metals and/or semiconductors on a substrate containing a semiconductor material. The device is utilized in photodetectors, including radiometric detection cells, in conversions of electrical energy to optical radiation, such as light-emitting-diodes and diodes lasers, and in photovoltaic cells, including Schottky-barrier cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4608750
    Abstract: A heterojunction photovoltaic device, containing a highly conductive coating material having a band gap greater than 0 to about 3.0 e.V. on a substrate containing a semiconductor material, is utilized in highly efficient photovoltaic cells and radiometric detection cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4592807
    Abstract: A photoelectrode, containing a highly conductive coating material having a band gap greater than 0 to about 3.0 e.V. on a substrate containing a semiconductor material, is utilized in photovoltaic cells, photoelectrosynthesis and photoelectrocatalysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1986
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4521499
    Abstract: A photoelectrode, containing a highly conductive coating material having a band gap greater than 0 to about 3.0 e.V. on a substrate containing a semiconductor material, is utilized in photovoltaic cells, photoelectrosynthesis and photoelectrocatalysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4495046
    Abstract: An electrode useful in an electrolytic cell contains thallium (III) oxide. A method for enhancing the electrocatalytic activity and/or stability of an electrode includes compounding an outermost layer containing thallium (III) oxide with a conductive substrate. The electrode is particularly useful in reversible-type reactions such as the conversion of ferrocyanide to ferricyanide as well as in irreversible-type reactions, such as electrolysis of water to obtain hydrogen and oxygen or the electrolysis of chloride-containing solutions to obtain hydrogen and chlorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1985
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4492811
    Abstract: A heterojunction photovoltaic device, containing a highly conductive coating material having a band gap greater than 0 to about 3.0 e.V. on a substrate containing a semiconductor material, is utilized in highly efficient photovoltaic cells and radiometric detection cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1985
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Jay A. Switzer
  • Patent number: 4371431
    Abstract: Thallium(III) is produced in solution using a photoelectrochemical cell which has an externally electrically interconnected semiconductor photoelectrode and counter electrode. A conductive solution containing thallium(I) is placed in the cell and a flow of current generated by exposing the photoelectrode to actinic radiation, thereby oxidizing the thallium.In another embodiment, a thallium(III) solution is produced by mixing a solution containing thallium(I) with a particulate semiconductor, introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the mixture, and exposing the mixture to actinic radiation.The produced thallium(III) can be reacted with organic compounds, for example with compounds containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond to form epoxides, concurrently reducing thallium. Continuous production can be obtained by recycling the reduced thallium by photoelectrochemical oxidation to thallium(III).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventors: Jay A. Switzer, Eric L. Moorehead