Patents by Inventor Nicholas Earl THORNBURG

Nicholas Earl THORNBURG 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).

  • Bioderived heat transfer fluids and methods of making the same
    Patent number: 11725093
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a lignin-derived mixture that includes at least one of a dimer, a trimer, and/or a tetramer, where the composition is characterized by a thermal stability up to a maximum temperature between about 260° C. and about 300° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Earl Thornburg, Jacob S. Kruger
  • CONTINUOUS PROCESSING OF LIGNIN FOR REDUCED SOLVENT USAGE IN REDUCTIVE CATALYTIC FRACTIONATION
    Publication number: 20220411454
    Abstract: Described herein are devices and methods for the efficient and economic generation of lignin monomers from biomass. The provided devices and methods utilize reductive catalytic fractionation with an organic solvent to extract high-quality lignin from biomass and cleave specific lignin bonds to generate valuable lignin monomers with a relatively narrow product slate. Advantageously, the devices and methods described herein utilize solvent recycling, multiple solvolysis chambers with multiple biomass beds and/or physical agitation (e.g., use of a screw extruder) to reduce the amount of solvent required and increase economic efficiency and monomer yield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Jacob S. KRUGER, Gregg Tyler BECKHAM, David Gregory BRANDNER, Andrew Wolf BARTLING, Yuriy ROMÁN, Jun Hee JANG, Nicholas Earl Thornburg, Gregory George Facas
  • BIODERIVED HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20210261749
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a lignin-derived mixture that includes at least one of a dimer, a trimer, and/or a tetramer, where the composition is characterized by a thermal stability up to a maximum temperature between about 260° C. and about 300° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventor: Nicholas Earl THORNBURG