Patents by Inventor Mridula Nair

Mridula Nair 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).

  • Article and system with crosslinked organic porous particles
    Patent number: 9050778
    Abstract: Crosslinked polymeric organic porous particles have a crosslinked organic solid phase and discrete pores dispersed within the crosslinked organic solid phase, which discrete pores are isolated from each other. The crosslinked organic porous particles are prepared using one or more water-in-oil emulsions containing a polyfunctional reactive compound and a reagent that causes crosslinking, and can be incorporated into or applied to various articles for many purposes. If marker materials are incorporated into the crosslinked organic porous particles, these marker materials can be detected using appropriate instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones
  • Porous particles and methods of making them
    Patent number: 9029431
    Abstract: Porous particles can be prepared using an evaporative limited coalescence process in which one or more discrete cavities are stabilized within the continuous polymeric solid phase of the porous particles. The one or more discrete cavities have inner walls and are dispersed within the continuous polymeric solid phase. The porous particles further comprise a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the one or more discrete cavities, and an amphiphilic (low HLB) block copolymer that is disposed at the interface of the discrete cavities and the continuous polymeric solid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Mark R. Mis
  • POLYMERIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS, MANUFACTURE, AND USES
    Publication number: 20150111144
    Abstract: Composite materials such as composite particles have a solid non-elastomeric continuous phase made of an organic polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. Dispersed within this solid non-elastomeric continuous phase are many multi-compartment porous chemically crosslinked elastomeric particles that have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m and up to and including 10 ?m. The composite particles can be used as toner particles in electrophotographic imaging methods to provide fused toner images and especially stacked fused toner images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Joseph Salvatore Sedita, Peter David Rollinson
  • PREPARATION OF POROUS ORGANIC POLYMERIC FILMS
    Publication number: 20150064353
    Abstract: Porous organic polymeric films having multiple discrete cavities can be prepared by applying a water-in-oil emulsion that includes a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the multiple discrete cavities to a substrate. The multiple discrete cavities can also include organic catalytic materials for various catalytic reactions, markers materials for security applications, or the multiple discrete cavities can be used to increase opacity, hydrophobicity, or other desirable properties compared to nonporous organic polymeric films composed of the composition and dry thickness. Water and oil from the applied water-in-oil emulsion can be removed by evaporation in a suitable process, and the applied porous organic polymeric film can be provided as a uniform material or in a patternwise fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Joseph Sedita
  • Method for manufacturing porous particles with non-porous shell
    Patent number: 8940362
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing porous core-shell polymer particles having a nonporous shell including: providing a first organic solvent containing a dissolved polymer; dispersing the organic solvent in an aqueous phase containing a stabilizer to form an emulsion; adding the emulsion to a second organic solvent wherein the second organic solvent is miscible with water and the first organic solvent, and a non-solvent for the polymer; and evaporating the first and second organic solvents from the emulsion to form core-shell polymer particles. The method results in core-shell polymer particles comprising a common binder polymer for the core and the shell wherein the core has a porosity and the shell is non-porous. The particles have a porosity from 10 to 70 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis J. Massa, Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Dale E. Hamilton
  • REACTIVE INDICATOR COMPOSITIONS AND ARTICLES CONTAINING SAME
    Publication number: 20150004706
    Abstract: An indicator composition can be used to detect various environmental conditions stimuli such as in sterilization or storage processes. This indicator composition has a) a first polymeric particle comprising a solid continuous polymeric phase and a first reactant, the first polymeric particle having a mode particle size equal to or less than 50 ?m; and b) a second reactant outside of the first polymeric particle, which second reactant is capable of reacting with the first reactant when exposed to a chosen environmental condition stimulus. The indicator composition can be used by exposing it to the environmental condition stimulus for a sufficient time to cause a detectable change in the indicator composition such as a detectable color change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Kevin D. Lofftus, Mary Christine Brick
  • POROUS ORGANIC POLYMERIC FILMS AND PREPARATION
    Publication number: 20150004391
    Abstract: Porous organic polymeric films having multiple discrete cavities can be prepared using a water-in-oil emulsion that includes a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the multiple discrete cavities. The multiple discrete cavities can also include organic catalytic materials for various catalytic reactions, markers materials for security applications, or the multiple discrete cavities can be used to increase opacity, hydrophobicity, or other desirable properties compared to nonporous organic polymeric films composed of the composition and dry thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones
  • METHODS FOR USING INDICATOR COMPOSITIONS
    Publication number: 20150004707
    Abstract: An indicator composition can be exposed to various environmental conditions stimuli such as in sterilization or storage processes. This indicator composition has a) a first polymeric particle comprising a solid continuous polymeric phase and a first reactant, the first polymeric particle having a mode particle size equal to or less than 50 ?m; and b) a second reactant outside of the first polymeric particle, which second reactant is capable of reacting with the first reactant when exposed to a chosen environmental condition stimulus. The indicator composition can be used by exposing it to the environmental condition stimulus for a sufficient time to cause a detectable change in the indicator composition such as a detectable color change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Kevin D. Lofftus, Mary Christine Brick
  • Porous organic polymeric films and preparation
    Patent number: 8916240
    Abstract: Porous organic polymeric films having multiple discrete cavities can be prepared using an water-in-oil emulsion that includes a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the multiple discrete cavities. The multiple discrete cavities can also include organic catalytic materials for various catalytic reactions, markers materials for security applications, or the multiple discrete cavities can be used to increase opacity, hydrophobicity, or other desirable properties compared to nonporous organic polymeric films composed of the composition and dry thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones
  • High density polymer particles and dispersion of same
    Patent number: 8815395
    Abstract: A high density polymer particle includes a cross-linked organic polymer host matrix; and a high density metal provided within the interior of the cross-linked organic polymer host matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David Francis Jennings, James R. Bennett, Mridula Nair, Mary Christine Brick
  • PARTICLES WITH DESIGNED DIFFERENT SIZED DISCRETE PORES
    Publication number: 20140213662
    Abstract: Polymeric porous particles have a continuous solid phase and at least two sets of discrete pores that are isolated from each other within the continuous phase and that have different average sizes. One set of discrete pores has a larger average size than another set of discrete pores by at least 50%. At least one set of discrete pores is free of detectably different marker materials. There porous particles can be prepared using evaporative limited coalescence techniques with especially chosen discrete pore stabilizing hydrocolloids to protect the pores during formation and to provide the different average sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: David Charles Boris, Teresa Joy Hosmer, Mridula Nair
  • POROUS ORGANIC POLYMERIC FILMS AND PREPARATION
    Publication number: 20140147647
    Abstract: Porous organic polymeric films having multiple discrete cavities can be prepared using an water-in-oil emulsion that includes a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the multiple discrete cavities. The multiple discrete cavities can also include organic catalytic materials for various catalytic reactions, markers materials for security applications, or the multiple discrete cavities can be used to increase opacity, hydrophobicity, or other desirable properties compared to nonporous organic polymeric films composed of the composition and dry thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones
  • PARTICLES CONTAINING ORGANIC CATALYTIC MATERIALS AND USES
    Publication number: 20140147885
    Abstract: Semi-permeable particle can be used to facilitate chemical reactions such as catalytic reactions. The semi-permeable particles are permeable to molecules having a molar mass of 1000 Daltons or less and have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m. The semi-permeable particles have multiple discrete cavities containing an aqueous solution or suspension of an organic catalytic material. The semi-permeable particles are also impermeable to the organic catalytic materials so they are retained within the multiple discrete cavities, and the semi-permeable particles can be reused multiple times for the same or different chemical reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Mark R. Mis, Mridula Nair, Douglas R. Robello
  • POROUS PARTICLES AND METHODS OF MAKING THEM
    Publication number: 20140148523
    Abstract: Porous particles can be prepared using an evaporative limited coalescence process in which one or more discrete cavities are stabilized within the continuous polymeric solid phase of the porous particles. The one or more discrete cavities have inner walls and are dispersed within the continuous polymeric solid phase. The porous particles further comprise a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the one or more discrete cavities, and an amphiphilic (low HLB) block copolymer that is disposed at the interface of the discrete cavities and the continuous polymeric solid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Mark R. Mis
  • SEMI-PERMEABLE PARTICLES HAVING METALLIC CATALYSTS AND USES
    Publication number: 20140148330
    Abstract: Semi-permeable particle can be used to facilitate chemical reactions. The semi-permeable particles are permeable to molecules having a molar mass of 1000 Daltons or less, have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m, and comprise nanoparticles of catalytically active metallic materials disposed within at least some of multiple discrete cavities in the continuous polymeric phase. The nanoparticles of catalytically active metallic materials (a) comprise one or more elements selected from Groups 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the Periodic Table, and (b) have an effective diameter of at least 1 nm and up to and including 200 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Douglas R. Robello, Mridula Nair, Mark R. Mis, Matthew Dirmyer
  • Surface decorated particles
    Patent number: 8728692
    Abstract: A surface decorated particle including a core particle phase having an outer surface; and fine inorganic particles on the outer surface of the core particle phase; wherein the fine inorganic particles have hydrophobic groups covalently bonded primarily on portions of surfaces of the fine inorganic particles positioned away from the core particle phase. Such surface decorated particles are obtainable by a method including stabilizing dispersed hydrophobic phase particles in an aqueous phase with fine inorganic particles having a relatively hydrophilic surface; and treating the stabilized dispersed hydrophobic phase particles with a hydrophobic group containing reactant to form hydrophobic groups covalently bonded to surfaces of the fine inorganic particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, David D. Putnam, Shari L. Eiff, Cumar Sreekumar
  • Method for forming surface decorated particles
    Patent number: 8722304
    Abstract: A method for forming surface decorated particles including stabilizing dispersed hydrophobic phase particles in an aqueous phase with fine inorganic particles having a relatively hydrophilic surface; and treating the stabilized dispersed hydrophobic phase particles with a hydrophobic group containing reactant to form hydrophobic groups covalently bonded to surfaces of the fine inorganic particles. In a particular embodiment, the invention provides a limited coalescence process for preparing binder polymer particles using inorganic stabilizer particles that provide a plurality of surface bonding sites and reacting such sites with a plurality of alkoxy silane moieties that contains pendant hydrophobic groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, David D. Putnam, Shari L. Eiff, Cumar Sreekumar
  • Preparation of crosslinked organic porous particlesrelated applications
    Patent number: 8703834
    Abstract: Crosslinked organic polymeric porous particles have a crosslinked organic solid phase and discrete pores dispersed within the crosslinked solid phase which pores are isolated from each other. These porous particles are prepared using one or more water-in-oil emulsions containing a polyfunctional reactive compound, a reagent that causes crosslinking, optionally an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomer, and optionally an organic solvent, and can include various marker materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Mridula Nair
  • CROSSLINKED ORGANIC POROUS PARTICLES
    Publication number: 20140087188
    Abstract: Crosslinked organic porous particles are non-swellable in propyl acetate and have a crosslinked organic solid phase and discrete pores dispersed within the crosslinked organic solid phase, which discrete pores are isolated from each other. The discrete pores have an average size greater than or equal to 0.1 ?m and the crosslinked organic porous particles have a mode particle size of at least 3 ?m and up to and including 100 ?m. The discrete pores can contain a marker material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Inventor: Mridula Nair
  • Porous particles with non-porous shell
    Patent number: 8652637
    Abstract: The present invention is core-shell polymer particles comprising a common binder polymer for the core and the shell wherein the core has a porosity and the shell is non-porous The particles have a porosity from 10 to 70 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis J. Massa, Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Dale E. Hamilton