Patents by Inventor Kripa K. Varanasi

Kripa K. Varanasi 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: 20240132381
    Abstract: Electrochemical removal of chemical products in seawater, or other aqueous environments, resulting from increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Trevor Alan Hatton, Kripa K. Varanasi, John Lake, Seoni Kim
  • Patent number: 11933551
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an article with a liquid-impregnated surface, the surface having a matrix of features thereupon, spaced sufficiently close to stably contain a liquid therebetween or therewithin, and preferable also a thin film thereupon. The surface provides the article with advantageous non-wetting properties. Compared to previous non-wetting surfaces, which include a gas (e.g., air) entrained within surface textures, these liquid-impregnated surfaces are resistant to impalement and frost formation, and are therefore more robust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Rajeev Dhiman, J. David Smith, Kripa K. Varanasi, Ernesto Reza-Garduño Cabello
  • Publication number: 20240016985
    Abstract: Described herein are medical devices and medical implements with high lubricity to flesh (or biological fluid) and/or inhibited nucleation on its surface. The device has a surface comprising an impregnating liquid and a plurality of micro-scale and/or nano-scale solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating liquid therebetween. The impregnating liquid fills spaces between said solid features, the surface stably contains the impregnating liquid between the solid features, and the impregnating liquid is substantially held in place between the plurality of solid features regardless of orientation of the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: J. David Smith, Rajeev Dhiman, Adam T. Paxson, Christopher J. Love, Brian R. Solomon, Kripa K. Varanasi
  • Publication number: 20230416303
    Abstract: Crystal nucleation, and associated articles, systems, and methods, are generally described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Henri-Louis Girard, Caroline McCue
  • Patent number: 11850536
    Abstract: Described herein are methods for transporting and/or harvesting gas from bubbles, as well as associated articles and systems. In some embodiments, transporting and/or harvesting the gas from the bubbles can reduce or prevent the amount of foam that is present within a system. According to certain embodiments, a conduit comprising a porous wall portion can be at least partially submerged into a foam and/or a bubble-containing liquid. The porous wall portion of the conduit can be configured and/or arranged, according to certain embodiments, such that the porous wall portion provides a fluidic pathway through which gas from the bubbles within the liquid may be channeled to a gaseous environment in the interior portion of the conduit. The gas may be transported, according to certain embodiments, along the interior portion of the conduit into an external gaseous environment and/or harvested from the interior portion of the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Leonid Rapoport
  • Publication number: 20230290961
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for reducing bubble accumulation on electrodes. Related articles (e.g., electrodes or electrochemical cells) and systems are also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, John Lake
  • Patent number: 11716990
    Abstract: Systems and methods related to the formation of a reaction product on a surface are generally provided. The systems and methods described herein may allow for collection of the retention of a fluid by a surface in a relatively high amount. Such systems and methods may be useful in various applications including, for example, agriculture. In some embodiments, the systems and methods enhance water retention on hydrophobic surfaces of plants. Advantageously, the methods described herein may, in some cases, result in the formation of reaction products on a surface that serve to prevent fluids from being removed from the surface. Advantageously, the systems and methods described herein may suppress the adverse effects of natural conditions such as high surface energies and wind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Maher Damak, Seyed Reza Mahmoudi, Nasim Hyder
  • Patent number: 11697671
    Abstract: Crystal nucleation, and associated articles, systems, and methods, are generally described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Henri-Louis Girard, Caroline McCue
  • Patent number: 11684705
    Abstract: Described herein are medical devices and medical implements with high lubricity to flesh (or biological fluid) and/or inhibited nucleation on its surface. The device has a surface comprising an impregnating liquid and a plurality of micro-scale and/or nano-scale solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating liquid therebetween. The impregnating liquid fills spaces between said solid features, the surface stably contains the impregnating liquid between the solid features, and the impregnating liquid is substantially held in place between the plurality of solid features regardless of orientation of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: J. David Smith, Rajeev Dhiman, Adam T. Paxson, Christopher J. Love, Brian R. Solomon, Kripa K. Varanasi
  • Publication number: 20230149834
    Abstract: Foam mitigation using a variety of articles, systems, and methods is generally described. According to certain embodiments, surfaces with certain wetting properties can be used to reduce or eliminate the formation of foam from bubble-containing liquids. In some embodiments, a surface with certain wetting properties is configured and/or arranged within bubble-containing liquids such that the surface provides a gaseous fluidic pathway through which gas from the bubbles within the liquid may be channeled to a gaseous environment outside the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Leonid Rapoport
  • Patent number: 11642674
    Abstract: Methods related to forming reaction products on surfaces are generally provided. Some methods comprise applying first and second polyelectrolytes in first and second polyelectrolyte carrier fluids to a surface. The first and second polyelectrolytes may be different, and the first and second carrier fluids may be the same or different. Some methods comprise forming a mixture of the first and second polyelectrolytes in a mixture carrier fluid that comprises the first and/or second carrier fluids. The first and second polyelectrolyte may be removed from the mixture carrier fluid to form a reaction product on the surface. In some embodiments, the mixture carrier fluid comprises a salt with a molecular weight of less than or equal to 1 kg/mol at a concentration within the mixture carrier fluid of from 0.01 M to 0.5 M. In some embodiments, the mixture carrier fluid has a turbidity of greater than or equal to 10 NTU and a viscosity of less than or equal to 1 Pa*s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Maher Damak, Nasim Hyder
  • Publication number: 20230135222
    Abstract: Described herein are compositions and articles related to droplets comprising a carrier fluid and a cloaking fluid, and associated methods of and devices for depositing the droplets on surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Vishnu Jayaprakash, Sreedath Panat, Simon B. Rufer
  • Publication number: 20230058381
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for the injection of viscous fluids. For example, inventive systems and methods for injecting viscous fluids, such as concentrated drug formulations, via droplet lubrication are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Vishnu Jayaprakash, Maxime Costalonga
  • Patent number: 11504651
    Abstract: Foam mitigation using a variety of articles, systems, and methods is generally described. According to certain embodiments, surfaces with certain wetting properties can be used to reduce or eliminate the formation of foam from bubble-containing liquids. In some embodiments, a surface with certain wetting properties is configured and/or arranged within bubble-containing liquids such that the surface provides a gaseous fluidic pathway through which gas from the bubbles within the liquid may be channeled to a gaseous environment outside the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Leonid Rapoport
  • Patent number: 11492500
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the invention is directed to apparatus comprising a liquid-impregnated surface, said surface comprising an impregnating liquid and a matrix of solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating liquid therebetween or therewithin, and methods thereof. In some embodiments, one or both of the following holds: (i) 0<??0.25, where ? is a representative fraction of the projected surface area of the liquid-impregnated surface corresponding to non-submerged solid at equilibrium; and (ii) Sow(a)<0, where Sow(a) is spreading coefficient, defined as ?wa??wo??oa, where ? is the interfacial tension between the two phases designated by subscripts w, a, and o, where w is water, a is air, and o is the impregnating liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: J. David Smith, Rajeev Dhiman, Kripa K. Varanasi
  • Publication number: 20220297887
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to articles, devices, and methods for inhibiting or preventing the formation of scale during various industrial processes. In certain embodiments, a vessel is provided for use in an industrial process, the vessel having a textured, liquid-impregnated surface in contact with a mineral solution, wherein the liquid-impregnated surface comprises a matrix of features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain an impregnating liquid lubricant therebetween or therewithin, wherein the impregnating lubricant has a low surface energy density, and wherein the spreading coefficient Sos(w) of the impregnating lubricant (subscript ‘o’) on the substrate (subscript ‘s’) in the presence of the salt solution (subscript ‘w’) is greater than zero, such that the impregnating lubricant fully submerges the textured substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Srinivas Prasad Bengaluru Subramanyam, Gisele Azimi, Jonathan David Smith, Kripa K. Varanasi
  • Patent number: 11441817
    Abstract: Articles, systems, and methods in which electromagnetic energy is converted to heat (e.g., for the purpose of inducing or inhibiting phase change of a material disposed over a surface) are generally described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, Susmita Dash, Jolet De Ruiter
  • Publication number: 20220126001
    Abstract: Described herein are medical devices and medical implements with high lubricity to flesh (or biological fluid) and/or inhibited nucleation on its surface. The device has a surface comprising an impregnating liquid and a plurality of micro-scale and/or nano-scale solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating liquid therebetween. The impregnating liquid fills spaces between said solid features, the surface stably contains the impregnating liquid between the solid features, and the impregnating liquid is substantially held in place between the plurality of solid features regardless of orientation of the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: J. David Smith, Rajeev Dhiman, Adam T. Paxson, Christopher J. Love, Brian R. Solomon, Kripa K. Varanasi
  • Patent number: 11298708
    Abstract: Meshes capable of droplet fragmentation are generally described. Inventive articles, systems, and uses thereof are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kripa K. Varanasi, David Quere, Dan Soto, Thomas Jean-Yves Binder, Antoine Le Helloco, Henri-Louis Girard
  • Publication number: 20220024682
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the invention relates to an article having a liquid-impregnated surface. The surface includes a matrix of solid features (e.g., non-toxic and/or edible features) spaced sufficiently close to stably contain a liquid therebetween or therewithin, wherein the liquid is non-toxic and/or edible. The article may contain, for example, a food or other consumer product, such as ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jonathan David Smith, Rajeev Dhiman, Adam T. Paxson, Christopher J. Love, Brian R. Solomon, Kripa K. Varanasi