Patents by Inventor Leslie W. Bolton

Leslie W. Bolton 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: 11525641
    Abstract: A heat and mass transfer component comprises a lubricant-impregnated surface including hydrophobic surface features, which comprise nanostructured surface protrusions having a hydrophobic species attached thereto. The hydrophobic surface features are impregnated with a fluorinated lubricant having a viscosity in a range from about 400 mPa·s to about 6000 mPa·s. A method of fabricating a lubricant-impregnated surface on a heat and mass transfer component comprises: cleaning a thermally conductive substrate to form a cleaned substrate; exposing the cleaned substrate to a hot water or hot alkaline solution to form a thermally conductive substrate having nanostructured surface protrusions; depositing a hydrophobic species on the nanostructured surface protrusions to form hydrophobic surface features; and coating the hydrophobic surface features with a fluorinated lubricant having a viscosity in a range from 400 mPa·s to 6000 mPa·s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Nenad Miljkovic, Soumyadip Sett, George Barac, Leslie W. Bolton
  • Publication number: 20200333087
    Abstract: A heat and mass transfer component comprises a lubricant-impregnated surface including hydrophobic surface features, which comprise nanostructured surface protrusions having a hydrophobic species attached thereto. The hydrophobic surface features are impregnated with a fluorinated lubricant having a viscosity in a range from about 400 mPa·s to about 6000 mPa·s. A method of fabricating a lubricant-impregnated surface on a heat and mass transfer component comprises: cleaning a thermally conductive substrate to form a cleaned substrate; exposing the cleaned substrate to a hot water or hot alkaline solution to form a thermally conductive substrate having nanostructured surface protrusions; depositing a hydrophobic species on the nanostructured surface protrusions to form hydrophobic surface features; and coating the hydrophobic surface features with a fluorinated lubricant having a viscosity in a range from 400 mPa·s to 6000 mPa·s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Nenad Miljkovic, Soumyadip Sett, George Barac, Leslie W. Bolton
  • Patent number: 8969050
    Abstract: Methods of producing renewable materials may include consuming a fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce a renewable material in fermentation broth; water may then be separated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations, or the renewable material may be concentrated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations. Methods of producing biofuel components may include consuming a lignocellulosic or sugar fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce either ethanol or butanol in fermentation broth; cooling the feedstock or broth to solidify at least some water therein; and separating the solidified water from the feedstock or broth using a solid-liquid phase separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Austin, Binita X. Bhattacharjee, Leslie W. Bolton, Jacob Borden, Martin E. Carrera, Amit A. Gokhale, Chris Horler, Aidan Hurley, Eric T. Mack
  • Publication number: 20130130335
    Abstract: Methods of producing renewable materials may include consuming a fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce a renewable material in fermentation broth; water may then be separated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations, or the renewable material may be concentrated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations. Methods of producing biofuel components may include consuming a lignocellulosic or sugar fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce either ethanol or butanol in fermentation broth; cooling the feedstock or broth to solidify at least some water therein; and separating the solidified water from the feedstock or broth using a solid-liquid phase separation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Austin, Binita X. Bhattacharjee, Leslie W. Bolton, Jacob Borden, Martin E. Carrera, Amit A. Gokhale, Chris Horler, Aidan Hurley, Eric T. Mack
  • Patent number: 8283387
    Abstract: Process for converting carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen containing feedstocks to oxygen containing hydrocarbon compounds, in the presence of a particulate catalyst, by reacting carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen in the presence of a particulate catalyst in a conversion reactor to form products containing oxygen containing hydrocarbon compounds. Ether(s) selected from ethyl, propyl and butyl ether are added and reacted inside the conversion reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: BP Chemicals Limited
    Inventors: Leslie W. Bolton, Benjamin P. Gracey
  • Publication number: 20100016453
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen containing feedstocks to oxygen containing hydrocarbon compounds in the presence of a particulate catalyst. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) (CO and CO2) and hydrogen containing feedstocks, e.g. synthesis gas or syngas, to alcohols in the presence of a particulate modified molybdenum sulphide based catalyst, or a modified methanol based catalyst and/or a modified Fischer-Tropsch catalyst and/or a precious metal (e.g. rhodium) based catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Leslie W. Bolton, Benjamin P. Gracey