Patents by Inventor Stephen M. Ritchie

Stephen M. Ritchie 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).

  • Method of preparing a composite polymer and silica-based membrane
    Patent number: 6544419
    Abstract: A method for preparing a chemically activated or polyamino acid functionalized membrane includes the steps of permeating a silica-based membrane with a solution of silane and a solvent so as to react methoxy groups of the silane with silanol groups of the membrane to incorporate epoxide groups and attaching a polyamino acid to the membrane by reacting a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with one of the epoxide groups on the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Stephen M. Ritchie, Leonidas G. Bachas, Jamie A. Hestekin, Subhas K. Sikdar
  • Preparing and regenerating a composite polymer and silica-based membrane
    Patent number: 6544418
    Abstract: A method for preparing and regenerating a chemically activated or polyamino acid functionalized membrane includes the steps of permeating the silica-based membrane with a solution of silane and a solvent so as to react methoxy groups of the silane with silanol groups of the membrane to incorporate epoxide groups and attaching a polyamino acid to the membrane by reacting a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with one of the epoxide groups on the membrane. The membrane is regenerated after metal entrapment by utilizing helix-coil properties of polyamino acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Stephen M. Ritchie, Leonidas G. Bachas, Jamie A. Hestekin, Subhas K. Sikdar
  • Silica-based membrane sorbent for heavy metal sequestration
    Patent number: 6306301
    Abstract: An apparatus providing for metal ion/nitrate entrapment comprises a chemically activated, microfiltration, composite polymer and silica-based membrane including a polyamino acid attached thereto through reaction of a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with the membrane. A method for preparing such a chemically activated or polyamino acid functionalized membrane includes the steps of permeating the silica-based membrane with a solution of silane and a solvent so as to react methoxy groups of the silane with silanol groups of the membrane to incorporate epoxide groups and attaching a polyamino acid to the membrane by reacting a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with one of the epoxide groups on the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Stephen M. Ritchie, Leonidas G. Bachas, Jamie A. Hestekin, Subhas K. Sikdar