Patents by Inventor Kentin L. Alford

Kentin L. Alford 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: 7629028
    Abstract: The invention pertains to methods of forming monolayers on various surfaces. The surfaces can be selected from a wide array of materials, including, for example, aluminum dioxide, silicon dioxide, carbon and SiC. The substrates can be planar or porous. The monolayer is formed under enhanced pressure conditions. The monolayer contains functionalized molecules, and accordingly functionalizes a surface of the substrate. The properties of the functionalized substrate can enhance the substrate's applicability for numerous purposes including, for example, utilization in extracting contaminants, or incorporation into a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Insitute
    Inventors: Kentin L. Alford, Kevin L. Simmons, William D. Samuels, Thomas S. Zemanian, Jun Liu, Yongsoon Shin, Glen E. Fryxell
  • Patent number: 7588798
    Abstract: The invention pertains to methods of forming monolayers on various surfaces. The surfaces can be selected from a wide array of materials, including, for example, aluminum dioxide, silicon dioxide, carbon and SiC. The substrates can be planar or porous. The monolayer is formed under enhanced pressure conditions. The monolayer contains functionalized molecules, and accordingly functionalizes a surface of the substrate. The properties of the functionalized substrate can enhance the substrate's applicability for numerous purposes including, for example, utilization in extracting contaminants, or incorporation into a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Kentin L. Alford, Kevin L. Simmons, William D. Samuels, Thomas S. Zemanian, Jun Liu, Yongsoon Shin, Glen E. Fryxell
  • Publication number: 20040001943
    Abstract: The invention pertains to methods of forming monolayers on various surfaces. The surfaces can be selected from a wide array of materials, including, for example, aluminum dioxide, silicon dioxide, carbon and SiC. The substrates can be planar or porous. The monolayer is formed under enhanced pressure conditions. The monolayer contains functionalized molecules, and accordingly functionalizes a surface of the substrate. The properties of the functionalized substrate can enhance the substrate's applicability for numerous purposes including, for example, utilization in extracting contaminants, or incorporation into a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: Kentin L. Alford, Kevin L. Simmons, William D. Samuels, Thomas S. Zemanian, Jun Liu, Yongsoon Shin, Glen E. Fryxell
  • Patent number: 6447897
    Abstract: Poly-n-isopropylacrylamide surface coatings demonstrate the useful property of being able to switch charateristics depending upon temperature. More specifically, these coatings switch from being hydrophilic at low temperature to hydrophobic at high temperature. Research has been conducted for many years to better characterize and control the properties of temperature sensitive coatings. The present invention provides novel temperature sensitive coatings on articles and novel methods of making temperature sensitive coatings that are disposed on the surfaces of various articles. These novel coatings contain the reaction products of n-isopropylacrylamide and are characterized by their properties such as advancing contact angles. Numerous other characteristics such as coating thickness, surface roughness, and hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition temperatures are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Liang Liang, Peter C. Rieke, Kentin L. Alford