Patents by Inventor Thomas D. Allston

Thomas D. Allston 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).

  • Patent number: 10435639
    Abstract: A process for making cerium dioxide nanoparticles containing at least one transition metal (M) utilizes a suspension of cerium hydroxide nanoparticles prepared by mechanical shearing of an aqueous mixture containing an oxidant in an amount effective to enable oxidation of cerous ion to ceric ion, thereby forming a product stream that contains transition metal-containing cerium dioxide nanoparticles, Ce1-xMxO2, wherein “x” has a value from about 0.3 to about 0.8. The nanoparticles thus obtained have a cubic fluorite structure, a mean hydrodynamic diameter in the range of about 1 nm to about 10 nm, and a geometric diameter of less than about 4 nm. The transition metal-containing crystalline cerium dioxide nanoparticles can be used to prepare a dispersion of the particles in a nonpolar medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Cerion, LLC
    Inventors: Albert Gary Difrancesco, Thomas D. Allston, Richard K. Hailstone, Andreas Langner, Kenneth J. Reed
  • Patent number: 9415373
    Abstract: A method of making a structured, doped, cerium oxide nanoparticle includes (a) forming a first reaction mixture including cerium(III), an optional metal ion other than cerium, a base, a stabilizer, and a solvent, (b) contacting the first reaction mixture with an oxidant, (c) forming a cerium oxide nanoparticle core by heating the product of step (b), (d) forming a second reaction mixture by combining with the first reaction mixture one or more metal ions other than cerium, and an optional additional quantity of cerium(III), and (e) forming a shell surrounding the core of cerium oxide by heating the second reaction mixture to produce a product dispersion of structured cerium oxide nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: CERION, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Reed, Albert Gary DiFrancisco, Richard K. Hailstone, Gary R. Prok, Thomas D. Allston
  • Patent number: 8679344
    Abstract: A process for replacing the continuous phase of a nanoparticle dispersion with a less polar phase, includes filtering the dispersion through a semi-permeable membrane filter to remove the continuous phase, and introducing a less polar phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Cerion Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas D. Allston, Laura M. Herder, Andreas Langner, Kenneth J. Reed
  • Publication number: 20130109600
    Abstract: A method of making a structured, doped, cerium oxide nanoparticle includes (a) forming a first reaction mixture including cerium(III), an optional metal ion other than cerium, a base, a stabilizer, and a solvent, (b) contacting the first reaction mixture with an oxidant, (c) forming a cerium oxide nanoparticle core by heating the product of step (b), (d) forming a second reaction mixture by combining with the first reaction mixture one or more metal ions other than cerium, and an optional additional quantity of cerium(III), and (e) forming a shell surrounding the core of cerium oxide by heating the second reaction mixture to produce a product dispersion of structured cerium oxide nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Cerion Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Reed, Albert Gary Difrancisco, Richard K. Hailstone, Gary R. Prok, Thomas D. Allston
  • Publication number: 20120124899
    Abstract: A process for making cerium dioxide nanoparticles containing at least one transition metal (M) utilizes a suspension of cerium hydroxide nanoparticles prepared by mechanical shearing of an aqueous mixture containing an oxidant in an amount effective to enable oxidation of cerous ion to ceric ion, thereby forming a product stream that contains transition metal-containing cerium dioxide nanoparticles, Ce1-xMxO2, wherein “x” has a value from about 0.3 to about 0.8. The nanoparticles thus obtained have a cubic fluorite structure, a mean hydrodynamic diameter in the range of about 1 nm to about 10 nm, and a geometric diameter of less than about 4 nm. The transition metal-containing crystalline cerium dioxide nanoparticles can be used to prepare a dispersion of the particles in a nonpolar medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Albert Gary Difrancesco, Thomas D. Allston, Richard K. Hailstone, Andreas Langner, Linda Langner, Kenneth J. Reed
  • Publication number: 20100152077
    Abstract: A process for replacing the continuous phase of a nanoparticle dispersion with a less polar phase, includes filtering the dispersion through a semi-permeable membrane filter to remove the continuous phase, and introducing a less polar phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Cerion Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas D. Allston, Laura M. Herder, Andreas Langner, Kenneth J. Reed