Patents by Inventor Vaidyanathan Subramanian

Vaidyanathan Subramanian 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: 20240347802
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for recovering metal from electrode active materials. In particular embodiments, the method comprises recovering at least one metal from a lithium-ion battery (LIB), wherein a lixiviant is used without the need for an extraneous reducing agent. In particular aspects of the disclosure, a particular solid-to-liquid ratio of the electrode active material and lixiviant is used to promote selective recovery of lithium. In yet other aspects, reaction temperature and/or stirring speeds can be used to improve selective lithium recovery and efficiency using lixiviants disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Applicant: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of Nevada
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Prichard Tembo
  • Publication number: 20230277716
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for decontaminating surfaces from human coronaviruses, such as SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and structures for decontamination from human coronaviruses. A structure for decontamination includes a first surface and a decontamination layer on the first surface. The decontamination layer comprises a nanostructured photocatalyst. Human coronaviruses on the decontamination layer are exposed to UV radiation and/or visible light. After the exposure, the human coronaviruses on the decontamination layer are inactivated. In some embodiments, the decontamination layer can include additives and/or an electrical bias can be applied to further reduce the exposure time required for viral inactivation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Nevada Research & Innovation Corporation
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Subhash C. Verma
  • Publication number: 20180244534
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of chalcogenide materials and chalcogenide-based materials that exhibit improved light-driven properties and performance in comparison to conventional materials. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of cost- and time-efficient methods of making such materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of Nevada,
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Pawan Pathak, Satyajit Gupta
  • Patent number: 9561493
    Abstract: A template-free reverse micelle (RM) based method is used to synthesize pyrochlore nanostructures having photocatalytic activity. In one embodiment, the method includes separately mixing together a first acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor A and a second acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor B with an organic solution including a surfactant to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Next, equimolar solutions of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsions are mixed together. Then, the mixture of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsion is treated with a base to produce a precipitate including pyrochlore precursors A and B. After which, the precipitate is dried to remove volatiles. The precipitate is then calcined in the presence of oxygen to form a pyrochlore nanostructure, such as a bismuth titanate (Bi2Ti2O7) pyrochlore nanorod. The method of synthesizing the pyrochlore nanorod is template-free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on Behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Sankaran Murugesan
  • Publication number: 20150080213
    Abstract: A template-free reverse micelle (RM) based method is used to synthesize pyrochlore nanostructures having photocatalytic activity. In one embodiment, the method includes separately mixing together a first acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor A and a second acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor B with an organic solution including a surfactant to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Next, equimolar solutions of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsions are mixed together. Then, the mixture of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsion is treated with a base to produce a precipitate including pyrochlore precursors A and B. After which, the precipitate is dried to remove volatiles. The precipitate is then calcined in the presence of oxygen to form a pyrochlore nanostructure, such as a bismuth titanate (Bi2Ti2O7) pyrochlore nanorod. The method of synthesizing the pyrochlore nanorod is template-free.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of Nevada
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Sankaran Murugesan
  • Patent number: 8900537
    Abstract: A template-free reverse micelle (RM) based method is used to synthesize pyrochlore nanostructures having photocatalytic activity. In one embodiment, the method includes separately mixing together a first acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor A and a second acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor B with an organic solution including a surfactant to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Next, equimolar solutions of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsions are mixed together. Then, the mixture of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsion is treated with a base to produce a precipitate including pyrochlore precursors A and B. After which, the precipitate is dried to remove volatiles. The precipitate is then calcined in the presence of oxygen to form a pyrochlore nanostructure, such as a bismuth titanate (Bi2Ti2O7) pyrochlore nanorod. The method of synthesizing the pyrochlore nanorod is template-free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Sankaran Murugesan
  • Patent number: 8709304
    Abstract: The present invention relates to formation of nanocubes of sillenite type compounds, such as bismuth titanate, i.e., Bi12TiO20, nanocubes, via a hydrothermal synthesis process, with the resulting compound(s) having multifunctional properties such as being useful in solar energy conversion, environmental remediation, and/or energy storage, for example. In one embodiment, a hydrothermal method is disclosed that transforms nanoparticles of TiO2 to bismuth titanate, i.e., Bi12TiO20, nanocubes, optionally loaded with palladium nanoparticles. The method includes reacting titanium dioxide nanotubes with a bismuth salt in an acidic bath at a temperature sufficient and for a time sufficient to form bismuth titanate crystals, which are subsequently annealed to form bismuth titanate nanocubes. After annealing, the bismuth titanate nanocubes may be optionally loaded with nano-sized metal particles, e.g., nanosized palladium particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Sankaran Murugesan
  • Publication number: 20110281111
    Abstract: A template-free reverse micelle (RM) based method is used to synthesize pyrochlore nanostructures having photocatalytic activity. In one embodiment, the method includes separately mixing together a first acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor A and a second acid stabilized aqueous solution including pyrochlore precursor B with an organic solution including a surfactant to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Next, equimolar solutions of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsions are mixed together. Then, the mixture of the first and second acid stabilized oil-in-water emulsion is treated with a base to produce a precipitate including pyrochlore precursors A and B. After which, the precipitate is dried to remove volatiles. The precipitate is then calcined in the presence of oxygen to form a pyrochlore nanostructure, such as a bismuth titanate (Bi2Ti2O7) pyrochlore nanorod. The method of synthesizing the pyrochlore nanorod is template-free.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of Nevada,
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Sankaran Murugesan
  • Publication number: 20110155971
    Abstract: The present invention relates to formation of nanocubes of sillenite type compounds, such as bismuth titanate, i.e., Bi12TiO20, nanocubes, via a hydrothermal synthesis process, with the resulting compound(s) having multifunctional properties such as being useful in solar energy conversion, environmental remediation, and/or energy storage, for example. In one embodiment, a hydrothermal method is disclosed that transforms nanoparticles of TiO2 to bismuth titanate, i.e., Bi12TiO20, nanocubes, optionally loaded with palladium nanoparticles. The method includes reacting titanium dioxide nanotubes with a bismuth salt in an acidic bath at a temperature sufficient and for a time sufficient to form bismuth titanate crystals, which are subsequently annealed to form bismuth titanate nanocubes. After annealing, the bismuth titanate nanocubes may be optionally loaded with nano-sized metal particles, e.g., nanosized palladium particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicants: on behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno
    Inventors: Vaidyanathan Subramanian, Sankaran Murugesan