Patents by Inventor Nacu HERNANDEZ

Nacu HERNANDEZ 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: 20210324124
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a multiblock copolymer. This method comprises i) providing a block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block, where PA represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A and PB represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B, with monomers A and B being the same or different, where the block copolymer contains a chain transfer agent moiety (CTA); ii) providing a radically polymerizable monomer C; and iii) polymerizing the block copolymer with monomer C under conditions effective to achieve a number average degree of polymerization (Nn) for the multiblock copolymer of up to 100,000 without gelation. The present invention relates to a multiblock copolymer comprising at least one PA block, at least one PB block, and at least one PC block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Nacu HERNANDEZ, Eric W. COCHRAN, Ronald Christopher WILLIAMS, Austin HOHMANN
  • Patent number: 11072674
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a multiblock copolymer. This method comprises i) providing a block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block, where PA represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A and PB represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B, with monomers A and B being the same or different, where the block copolymer contains a chain transfer agent moiety (CTA); ii) providing a radically polymerizable monomer C; and iii) polymerizing the block copolymer with monomer C under conditions effective to achieve a number average degree of polymerization (Nn) for the multiblock copolymer of up to 100,000 without gelation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Nacu Hernandez, Eric W. Cochran, Ronald Christopher Williams, Austin Hohmann
  • Publication number: 20210130616
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an asphalt product. The asphalt product includes an asphalt binder and a bio-oil blend comprising a mixture of a non-hydrogenated bio-oil and a partially hydrogenated bio-oil, where the bio-oil blend is mixed with the asphalt binder to form an asphalt product having a shear stiffness of 0.20 kPa to 11,000 kPa at a temperature ranging from 25° C. to 85° C. and/or a viscosity of 0.15 Pa·s to 1.50 Pa·s at a temperature ranging from 120° C. to 165° C. The present invention further relates to methods of producing an asphalt product and methods of applying an asphalt product to a surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Ronald Christopher Williams, Joseph Herbert Podolsky, Nacu Hernandez, Eric W. Cochran
  • Patent number: 10968173
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a compound having the structure of formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 are as described herein. The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) and to a process for the synthesis of a polymer using the compound of formula (I) through controlled free radical polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, Nacu Hernandez, Michael Forrester, Austin Hohmann
  • Patent number: 10961395
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an asphalt product. The asphalt product includes an asphalt binder and a bio-oil blend comprising a mixture of a non-hydrogenated bio-oil and a partially hydrogenated bio-oil, where the bio-oil blend is mixed with the asphalt binder to form an asphalt product having a shear stiffness of 0.20 kPa to 11,000 kPa at a temperature ranging from 25° C. to 85° C. and/or a viscosity of 0.15 Pa·s to 1.50 Pa·s at a temperature ranging from 120° C. to 165° C. The present invention further relates to methods of producing an asphalt product and methods of applying an asphalt product to a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Christopher Williams, Joseph Herbert Podolsky, Nacu Hernandez, Eric W. Cochran
  • Publication number: 20210079224
    Abstract: The present application is directed to an asphalt binder composition comprising: an asphalt binder; a compound of formula (I): wherein R, A, n, and m are as described herein, a compound of formula (II): wherein R?, A?, n?, and m? are as described herein. The present application is also directed to further compositions, methods of producing an asphalt binder composition, and methods of paving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, Nacu Hernandez, Austin Hohmann, Ronald Christopher Williams, Michael Forrester, Joseph H. Podolsky, Paul Ledtje, Conglin Chen
  • Patent number: 10947340
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer comprising plural acrylated polyol monomeric units having different degrees of acrylation of hydroxyl groups. The acrylated polyol monomeric units have an average degree of acrylation greater than 1 and less than the number of the hydroxyl groups of the polyol. The present invention also relates to a method of making the thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer, and using them in various applications, such as asphalt rubber modifiers, adhesives, or an additive in a fracking fluid for oil fracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, R. Christopher Williams, Nacu Hernandez, Elvira Joana Ferreira Peralta, Michael John Forrester
  • Patent number: 10947341
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer comprising plural acrylated polyol monomeric units having different degrees of acrylation of hydroxyl groups. The acrylated polyol monomeric units have an average degree of acrylation greater than 1 and less than the number of the hydroxyl groups of the polyol. The present invention also relates to a method of making the thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer, and using them in various applications, such as asphalt rubber modifiers, adhesives, or an additive in a fracking fluid for oil fracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, R. Christopher Williams, Nacu Hernandez, Elvira Joana Ferreira Peralta, Michael John Forrester
  • Publication number: 20210024696
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer comprising a repeating group having the structure of formula (I) wherein R, R1, R2, R3, R4, X, and s are as described herein and salt thereof. Also disclosed is a process of synthesizing such polymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Nacu Hernandez, Mengguo Yan, Eric William COCHRAN, John Edward Matthiesen, Jean-Philippe Tessonnier
  • Patent number: 10844166
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer comprising plural acrylated polyol monomeric units having different degrees of acrylation of hydroxyl groups. The acrylated polyol monomeric units have an average degree of acrylation greater than 1 and less than the number of the hydroxyl groups of the polyol. The present invention also relates to a method of making the thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer, and using them in various applications, such as asphalt rubber modifiers, adhesives, or an additive in a fracking fluid for oil fracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, R. Christopher Williams, Nacu Hernandez, Elvira Joana Ferreira Peralta, Michael John Forrester
  • Patent number: 10793673
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer comprising a repeating group having the structure of formula (I) wherein R, R1, R2, R3, R4, X, and s are as described herein and salt thereof. Also disclosed is a process of synthesizing such polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Nacu Hernandez, Mengguo Yan, Eric W. Cochran, John Edward Matthiesen, Jean-Philippe Tessonnier
  • Patent number: 10752711
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoplastic block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block. The PA block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A, and the PB block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B. Monomer A is a vinyl, acrylic, diolefin, nitrile, dinitrile, acrylonitrile monomer, a monomer with reactive functionality, or a crosslinking monomer. Monomer B is a radically polymerizable triglyceride or mixtures thereof, typically in the form of a plant or animal oil. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a thermoplastic block copolymer or novel thermoplastic statistical copolymers by polymerizing a radically polymerizable monomer with a radically polymerizable triglyceride or mixtures thereof via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT), in the presence of an free radical initiator and a chain transfer agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, Ronald Christopher Williams, Nacu Hernandez, Andrew Cascione
  • Patent number: 10730975
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoplastic block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block. The PA block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A, and the PB block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B. Monomer A is a vinyl, acrylic, diolefin, nitrile, dinitrile, acrylonitrile monomer, a monomer with reactive functionality, or a crosslinking monomer. Monomer B is a radically polymerizable triglyceride or mixtures thereof, typically in the form of a plant or animal oil. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a thermoplastic block copolymer or novel thermoplastic statistical copolymers by polymerizing a radically polymerizable monomer with a radically polymerizable triglyceride or mixtures thereof via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT), in the presence of an free radical initiator and a chain transfer agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, Ronald Christopher Williams, Nacu Hernandez, Andrew Cascione
  • Publication number: 20200165459
    Abstract: The present invention relates to relates to a method of producing an improved asphalt. This method includes providing an asphalt binder and providing a compound of formula (I): as described herein. The asphalt binder is mixed with the compound of formula (I) under conditions effective to produce an improved asphalt. Also disclosed are an asphalt product and a method of making asphalt material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Ronald Christopher Williams, Joseph H. Podolsky, Nacu Hernandez, Eric W. Cochran, Austin Hohmann, Mohamed Elkashef
  • Patent number: 10633485
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer comprising plural acrylated polyol monomeric units having different degrees of acrylation of hydroxyl groups. The acrylated polyol monomeric units have an average degree of acrylation greater than 1 and less than the number of the hydroxyl groups of the polyol. The present invention also relates to a method of making the thermoplastic copolymer, block copolymer, and statistical copolymer, and using them in various applications, such as asphalt rubber modifiers, adhesives, or an additive in a fracking fluid for oil fracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Cochran, R. Christopher Williams, Nacu Hernandez, Elvira Joana Ferreira Peralta, Michael John Forrester
  • Patent number: 10570238
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block. The PA block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A, and the PB block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B. Monomer A is a vinyl, acrylic, diolefin, nitrile, dinitrile, or acrylonitrile monomer. Monomer B is a radically polymerizable plant oil monomer containing one or more triglycerides. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a thermoplastic block copolymer by radical polymerizing a radically polymerizable monomer with a radically polymerizable plant oil monomer containing one or more triglycerides, in the presence of an initiator and a transition-metal catalyst system to form the thermoplastic block copolymer. The polymerized plant oil-based block copolymers are useful in a variety of applications, such as asphalt modifiers, rubber compositions, adhesives, tires, in the automobile industry, footwear, packaging, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric William Cochran, Ronald Christopher Williams, Nacu Hernandez, Andrew A. Cascione
  • Patent number: 10570286
    Abstract: The present invention relates to relates to a method of producing an improved asphalt. This method includes providing an asphalt binder and providing a compound of formula (I): as described herein. The asphalt binder is mixed with the compound of formula (I) under conditions effective to produce an improved asphalt. Also disclosed are an asphalt product and a method of making asphalt material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Christopher Williams, Joseph H. Podolsky, Nacu Hernandez, Eric W. Cochran, Austin Hohmann, Mohamed Elkashef
  • Publication number: 20200024373
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a compound of Formula (I): where {circle around (P)} R, R1, R2, R3, and Z are as described herein and to a process for preparing a compound of Formula (I). This invention also relates to a process for the synthesis of a polymer which includes providing a monomer composition, providing a compound of Formula (I), and polymerizing monomers within the monomer composition through controlled free radical polymerization with the compound of Formula (I) to form the polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Nacu Hernandez, Eric Cochran, Ronald Christopher Williams, Michael John Forrester, William Bradley, George Kraus
  • Patent number: 10532964
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is an economical standalone system that replaces conventional monomer purification methods needed to perform chemical reactions that require reactants with a high degree of purity. Chemical reactions, such as anionic polymerization, can produce highly monodisperse homopolymers and block copolymers, however to do so they require very high purity reactants along with a moisture and oxygen free atmosphere. The system and method uses traditional column purification methods, but incorporates them into an economical, standalone, compact, and hazard free system. This method is different in view of safety, cost of cleaning procedure, time commitment, space availability, design and operational ease; helping researchers save time by cutting down the operating commitment by 90% and most importantly making it safer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Sri Harsha Kalluru, Nacu Hernandez, Eric W. Cochran
  • Publication number: 20190390059
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an asphalt product that comprises an asphalt component and a plurality of pellets comprising a mixture of a ground tire rubber and an elastomeric polymer, where the density difference between the asphalt component and the plurality of pellets is less than 10%. The present invention further relates to a pellet comprising a ground tire rubber (“GTR”) and an elastomeric polymer mixed with the GTR, where the GTR has a density of less than 1.12 g/cm3. Also disclosed are methods of producing improved asphalt and paving a surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Eric W. COCHRAN, Nacu HERNANDEZ, Ronald Christopher WILLIAMS