Patents by Inventor T. David Westmoreland

T. David Westmoreland 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).

  • Chemically modified electrodes for the catalytic reduction of CO.sub.2
    Patent number: 4756807
    Abstract: An electrode that has a film adsorbed to its surface by reductive electropolymerization of (vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 Cl (4-vinyl-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine tricarbonylchlororhenium(I)) or its acetonitrile analogue, [(vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 (MeCN)].sup.+ (4-vinyl-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine tricarbonylacetonitrile rhenium (I)). The poly(vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 Cl or poly[(vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 (MeCN)].sup.+ adsorbed onto the electrode, acts as a catalyst for CO.sub.2 reduction to CO. Stability and the reactivity of the polymer film may be increased by co-reductive electropolymerization of either of the aforesaid Re complexes with [(bpy).sub.2 Ru(vpy).sub.2.sup.2+ (bis(4-vinyl-pyridine)bis(2,2'-bipyridine) ruthenium (II)) (vpy is 4-vinylpyridine). A bilayer film assembly consisting of poly-[(bpy).sub.2 Ru(vpy).sub.2 ].sup.2+ as an inner film and the aforementioned copolymer of Ru/Re yields even greater reactivity to CO.sub.2.A method of forming a polymeric film on an electrode.A method of reducing CO.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Thomas J. Meyer, Terrence R. O'Toole, Lawrence D. Margerum, T. David Westmoreland, William J. Vining, Royce W. Murray, B. Patrick Sullivan
  • Chemically modified electrodes for the catalytic reduction of CO.sub.2
    Patent number: 4711708
    Abstract: An electrode that has a film adsorbed to its surface by reductive electropolymerization of (vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 Cl (4-vinyl-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine tricarbonylchlororhenium(I)) or its acetonitrile analogue, [(vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 (MeCN)].sup.+ (4-vinyl-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine tricarbonylacetonitrile rhenium (I)). The poly (vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 Cl or poly-[(vbpy)Re(CO).sub.3 (MeCN)].sup.+ adsorbed onto the electrode, acts as a catalyst for CO.sub.2 reduction to CO. Stability and the reactivity of the polymer film may be increased by co-reductive electropolymeriaztion of either of the aforesaid Re complexes with [(bpy).sub.2 Ru(vpy).sub.2.sup.2+ ](bis(4-vinyl-pyridine)bis(2,2'-bipyridine) ruthenium (II)) (vpy is 4-vinylpyridine). A bilayer film assembly consisting of poly-[(bpy).sub.2 Ru(vpy).sub.2 ].sup.2+ as an inner film and the aforementioned copolymer of Ru/Re yields even greater reactivity to CO.sub.2.A method of forming a polymeric film on an electrode.A method of reducing CO.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Thomas J. Meyer, Terrence R. O'Toole, Lawrence D. Margerum, T. David Westmoreland, William J. Vining, Royce W. Murray, B. Patrick Sullivan