Patents by Inventor Thatcher Root

Thatcher Root 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: 20260015743
    Abstract: An electrosynthetic cell and its use are disclosed. The electrosynthetic cell can be used in a reductive electrosynthesis of one or more desired chemical products from one or more chemical reactants. The electrosynthetic cell comprises a hydrogen anode half-cell and a cathode half-cell. The hydrogen anode half-cell comprises hydrogen (H2), a first liquid phase solution that is in contact with an anode and a heterogeneous redox catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation of H2 to H+, and a redox mediator capable of transferring or accepting electrons and/or protons while undergoing reduction or oxidation. The cathode half-cell comprises a second liquid phase solution comprising the one or more chemical reactants that is in contact with a cathode and a reductive synthesis catalyst capable of catalyzing the reductive synthesis of the one or more desired chemical products from the one or more chemical reactants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 15, 2026
    Inventors: Shannon Stahl, James Gerken, Jack Twilton, Mathew Johnson, Thatcher Root
  • Publication number: 20250002520
    Abstract: Alkaline aerobic depolymerization of lignin in a permeable flowthrough reactor. Methods include flowing an aqueous reaction medium that includes lignin and a base through a lumen of an oxygen-permeable channel in the presence of oxygen gas to depolymerize the lignin to aromatic monomers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2022
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Shannon Stahl, Eric Weeda, Christopher Holland, Thatcher Root
  • Publication number: 20200397020
    Abstract: The present invention concerns methods of isolating milk proteins. Methods of the invention include charged ultrafiltration processes that use variations in pH to further separate protein species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Mark R. Etzel, Thatcher Root, Abhiram Arunkumar, Seyhun Gemili
  • Patent number: 10638775
    Abstract: The present invention concerns methods of isolating milk proteins. Methods of the invention include charged ultrafiltration processes that use variations in pH to further separate protein species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark R. Etzel, Thatcher Root, Abhiram Arunkumar, Seyhun Gemili
  • Publication number: 20190131650
    Abstract: Cathodic half-cells for the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen are disclosed. Within the half-cell, a redox catalyst containing one or more non-Pt transition metals attached to a solid support (i.e., a “heterogenized” non-Pt transition metal-containing catalyst) is separate from and not in direct contact with the cathode electrode. In use, both the cathode electrode and the redox catalyst are in contact with an electrolyte solution that also contains a redox mediator. The oxidized form of the redox mediator is reduced at the cathode electrode, and the resulting reduced form migrates to the redox catalyst, where the mediator is oxidized back to its oxidized form, while oxygen is simultaneously reduced. The oxidized form of the redox mediator then migrates back to the cathode electrode, where the process is repeated. The disclosed cathodic half-cells can be used in combination with an anode half-cell in a variety of different electrochemical cells, such as in fuel cells or in electrosynthetic cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Shannon S. Stahl, Sourav Biswas, Colin W. Anson, Yuliya Preger, Thatcher Root
  • Publication number: 20180343890
    Abstract: The present invention concerns methods of isolating milk proteins. Methods of the invention include charged ultrafiltration processes that use variations in pH to further separate protein species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark R. ETZEL, Thatcher ROOT, Abhiram ARUNKUMAR, Seyhun GEMILI
  • Patent number: 8389749
    Abstract: Described is a catalytic process for converting biomass to furan derivatives (e.g., furfural, furfuryl alcohol, etc.) using a biphasic reactor containing a reactive aqueous phase and an organic extracting phase containing an alkylphenol. The process provides a cost-effective route for producing furfural, furfuryl alcohol, levulinic acid hydroxymethylfurfural, ?-valerolactone, and the like. The products formed are useful as value-added intermediates to produce polymers, as precursors to diesel fuel, and as fuel additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: James Dumesic, David Alonso, Jesse Bond, Thatcher Root, Mei Chia
  • Patent number: 8389761
    Abstract: A method to produce levulinic acid (LA) and ?-valerolactone (GVL) from biomass-derived cellulose by selective extraction of LA by alkylphenol (AP) and hydrogenation of LA, in which mineral acid used in the method is recycled and the final concentration of GVL is increased by successive extraction/hydrogenation steps to allow for effective separation by distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: James Dumesic, Jesse Bond, David Alonso, Thatcher Root
  • Publication number: 20120302764
    Abstract: A method to produce levulinic acid (LA) and ?-valerolactone (GVL) from biomass-derived cellulose by selective extraction of LA by alkylphenol (AP) and hydrogenation of LA, in which mineral acid used in the method is recycled and the final concentration of GVL is increased by successive extraction/hydrogenation steps to allow for effective separation by distillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: James Dumesic, Jesse Bond, David Alonso, Thatcher Root
  • Publication number: 20120302765
    Abstract: Described is a catalytic process for converting biomass to furan derivatives (e.g., furfural, furfuryl alcohol, etc.) using a biphasic reactor containing a reactive aqueous phase and an organic extracting phase containing an alkylphenol. The process provides a cost-effective route for producing furfural, furfuryl alcohol, levulinic acid hydroxymethylfurfural, ?-valerolactone, and the like. The products formed are useful as value-added intermediates to produce polymers, as precursors to diesel fuel, and as fuel additives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: James Dumesic, David Alonso, Jesse Bond, Thatcher Root, Mei Chia
  • Publication number: 20120029165
    Abstract: The present invention concerns methods of isolating milk proteins. Methods of the invention include charged ultrafiltration processes that use variations in pH to further separate protein species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Mark R. Etzel, Thatcher Root, Abhiram Arunkumar, Seyhun Gemili