Patents by Inventor Timothy M. Swager

Timothy M. Swager 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: 12043619
    Abstract: Near infrared and shortwave infrared dyes can have polymethine structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ellen M. Sletten, Timothy M. Swager, Justin Caram
  • Patent number: 11746191
    Abstract: Disclosed are cross-linked polymers comprising a monomer, a cross-linker, and a sulfur moiety in the polymer backbone. Methods of making cross-linked polymers comprising a monomer, a cross-linker, and a sulfur moieity in the polymer backbone are disclosed. A metal complex, comprising a cross-linked polymer chelated to a toxic heavy metal atom or ion is disclosed. The disclosure provides a method of toxic heavy metal remediation using the cross-linked polymers. Also provided are articles and coatings comprising the disclosed cross-linked polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Wen J. Ong
  • Publication number: 20230192675
    Abstract: Near infrared and shortwave infrared dyes can have polymethine structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Ellen M. Sletten, Timothy M. Swager, Justin Caram
  • Patent number: 11654404
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may be useful for optofluidic devices. For example, optofluidic devices using dynamic fluid lens materials represent an ideal platform to create versatile, reconfigurable, refractive optical components. For example, the articles described herein may be useful as fluidic tunable compound micro-lenses. Such compound micro-lenses may be composed of two or more components (e.g., two or more inner phases) that form stable bi-phase emulsion droplets in outer phases (e.g., aqueous media). In some embodiments, the articles described herein may be useful as light emitting droplets. Advantageously, the plurality of droplets may be configured such that light rays may modified (e.g., via stimulation of the droplets, exposure to an analyte such as a pathogen) to have a detectable emission intensity and/or angle of maximum emission intensity under a particular set of conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Sara N. Nagelberg, Mathias Kolle, Lukas Zeininger, Kent Harvey, Myles Herbert
  • Patent number: 11543358
    Abstract: A detector can detect an analyte including a carbon-carbon multiple bond moiety and capable of undergoing Diels-Alder reaction with a heteroaromatic compound having an extrudable group. The detector can detect, differentiate, and quantify ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Joseph M. Azzarelli, Kathleen R. White
  • Patent number: 11505467
    Abstract: Carbon-based materials, and associated methods and articles, are generally provided. In some embodiments, a carbon-based material comprises a carbon-based portion and a functional group bonded to the carbon-based portion. The functional group may be capable of forming a reversible covalent bond with a species. Carbon may make up greater than or equal to 30 wt % of the carbon-based portion. The carbon-based portion may comprise graphene, and a ratio of a total number of functional groups in a plurality of functional groups bonded to the graphene to a total number of carbon atoms in the plurality of carbon atoms of the graphene may be greater than or equal to 1:50. The carbon-based portion may comprise graphene, and greater than or equal to 70% of the graphene sheets may be spaced apart from their nearest neighbors by a distance of greater than or equal to 10 ?. A method may comprise applying a voltage to a carbon-based material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Intak Jeon, Timothy M. Swager
  • Patent number: 11472915
    Abstract: Porous compositions such as flexible polymers with side chain porosity are generally provided. In some embodiments, the composition comprises a flexible polymer backbone and a plurality of rigid side chains. In some embodiments, the rigid side chains form pores. In some embodiments, the rigid side chains may comprise two or more [2.2.2] bicyclic cores (e.g., formed by a ring opening metathesis polymerization. The compounds and methods described herein may be useful in various applications including, for example, gas separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Yuan He, Zachary Smith, Sharon Lin, Francesco Maria Benedetti
  • Patent number: 11428681
    Abstract: A sensor can include a conductive region in electrical communication with at least two electrodes, the conductive region including a conductive material and an alkene-interacting metal complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Sophie Liu, Graham Sazama, Alexander R. Petty, Jan M. Schnorr
  • Patent number: 11229892
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods for forming droplets and/or emulsions. In some embodiments, the compositions and methods comprise two or more components miscible at a first temperature and immiscible at a second temperature, dispersed in an outer phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Edmundo Daniel Blankschtein, Lauren Dell Zarzar, Vishnu Sresht, Ellen Sletten, Julia Ann Kalow
  • Patent number: 11200474
    Abstract: A wireless sensor platform design and a single walled carbon nanotube/ionic liquid-based chemidosimeter system can incorporated into a highly sensitive and selective chemical hazard badge that can dosimetrically detect an analyte down to a sub parts-per-million concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Joseph Michael Azzarelli, Rong Zhu
  • Patent number: 11119098
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may be useful in the detection of analytes. The systems and methods may allow for a relatively simple and rapid way for detecting analytes such as chemical and/or biological analytes and may be useful in numerous applications including sensing, food manufacturing, medical diagnostics, performance materials, dynamic lenses, water monitoring, environmental monitoring, detection of proteins, detection of DNA, among other applications. For example, the systems and methods described herein may be used for determining the presence of a contaminant such as bacteria (e.g., detecting pathogenic bacteria in food and water samples which helps to prevent widespread infection, illness, and even death). Advantageously, the systems and methods described herein may not have the drawbacks in current detection technologies including, for example, relatively high costs, long enrichment steps and analysis times, and/or the need for extensive user training.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Qifan Zhang
  • Patent number: 11109619
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide materials and methods for the absorption or filtration of various species and analytes. In some cases, the materials may be used to remove or reduce the amount of a substance in vapor sample (e.g., cigarette smoke).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Jisun Im
  • Patent number: 11091369
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to compositions including discrete nanostructures (e.g., nanostructures including a functionalized graphene layer and a core species bound to the functionalized graphene layer), and related articles and methods. A composition may have a coefficient of friction of less than or equal to 0.02. Discrete nanostructures may have a substantially non-planar configuration. A core species may reversibly covalently bind a first portion of a functionalized graphene layer to a second portion of the functionalized graphene layer. Articles, e.g., articles including a plurality of discrete nanostructures and a means for depositing the plurality of discrete nanostructures on a surface, are also provided. Methods (e.g., methods of forming a layer) are also provided, including depositing a composition onto a substrate surface and/or applying a mechanical force to the composition, e.g., such that the composition exhibits a coefficient of friction of less than or equal to 0.02.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian W. Hunter, Timothy M. Swager, Intak Jeon, Gee Hoon Park, Pan Wang
  • Publication number: 20200394485
    Abstract: A wireless sensor platform design and a single walled carbon nanotube/ionic liquid-based chemidosimeter system can incorporated into a highly sensitive and selective chemical hazard badge that can dosimetrically detect an analyte down to a sub parts-per-million concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Joseph Michael Azzarelli, Rong Zhu
  • Publication number: 20200393383
    Abstract: A detector can detect an analyte including a carbon-carbon multiple bond moiety and capable of undergoing Diels-Alder reaction with a heteroaromatic compound having an extrudable group. The detector can detect, differentiate, and quantify ethylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. SWAGER, Joseph M. AZZARELLI, Kathleen R. White
  • Publication number: 20200301027
    Abstract: Compositions, devices, and methods for determining ionizing radiation are generally described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Maggie He, Lukas Zeininger
  • Patent number: 10777368
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to compositions, devices, and methods for storage of energy (e.g., electrical energy). In some cases, devices including polyacetylene-containing polymers are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: PolyJoule, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian W. Hunter, Timothy M. Swager, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 10738157
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to compositions including iptycene-based structures. Some embodiments provide compositions including polymers having a backbone comprising an iptycene-based compound. Some embodiments described herein provide compositions having enhanced properties such as enhanced porosity, increased glass transition temperatures, and/or improved solubility as compared to traditional poly(aryl ether)-based compounds or traditional iptycene-based compounds. In some cases, the compositions may include various aryl ether compounds such as an aryl ether ketone incorporated into the polymer backbone. Non-limiting examples of suitable aryl ether compounds include polyaylethersulfones, polyaryletherketones, polyetherimides, and polyphenylene ethers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, John B. Goods, Chuanhui L. Moh
  • Publication number: 20200225201
    Abstract: A sensor can include a conductive region in electrical communication with at least two electrodes, the conductive region including a conductive material and an alkene-interacting metal complex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Sophie Liu, Graham Sazama, Alexander R. Petty, Jan M. Schnorr
  • Patent number: 10684266
    Abstract: A sensor can include a conductive region in electrical communication with at least two electrodes, the conductive region can include a complex, and the complex can include a carbon nanotube that is functionalized by a porphyrin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Sophie Liu, Graham Thomas Sazama