Patents by Inventor Wenyih Frank Lai

Wenyih Frank Lai 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: 5871650
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a new zeolite membrane which exhibits a columnar cross-sectional morphology and preferred crystallographic orientation comprising a porous substrate having coated thereon a mesoporous growth enhancing layer and a layer of columnar zeolite crystals on said mesoporous growth enhancing layer, and wherein said mesoporous growth enhancing layer comprises nanocrystalline or colloidal sized zeolites, nanocrystalline or colloidal zeolite and metal oxide, or nanocrystalline or colloidal zeolite and colloidal metal, or nanocrystalline or colloidal zeolite, colloidal metal and metal oxide, and wherein said mesoporous growth enhancing layer has interstices of about 20 to about 2000 .ANG., and wherein said columnar zeolite layer is a polycrystalline layer wherein 99.9% of said columnar zeolite crystals have at least one point between adjacent crystals that is .ltoreq.20 .ANG..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Wenyih Frank Lai, Harry William Deckman, James Alexander McHenry, Johannes Petrus Verduijn
  • Patent number: 5849980
    Abstract: Applicant has discovered a new zeolite membrane and a process for preparing the same. The membrane is unique in that the zeolite crystals making up the membrane pack in a manner such that the membrane is essentially continuous with no large scale voids even when the membrane is <10 .mu.m thick. Thus, the present invention is directed toward a zeolite membrane wherein said membrane is comprised of a porous substrate and a layer of zeolite crystals wherein said layer of zeolite crystals is a polycrystalline layer with at least 99% of said zeolite crystals having at least one point between adjacent crystals that is .ltoreq.20 .ANG. and wherein at least 90% of said crystals have widths of from about 2 to about 50 microns and wherein at least 75% of said crystals have a thickness of within 20% of the average crystal thickness and wherein said membrane has at most 1 V % voids in said zeolite layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventor: Wenyih Frank Lai
  • Patent number: 5824617
    Abstract: Applicant has discovered a new zeolite membrane and a process for preparing the same. The membrane is unique in that the zeolite crystals making up the membrane pack in a manner such that the membrane is essentially continuous with no large scale voids even when the membrane is <10 .mu.m thick. Thus, the present invention is directed toward a zeolite membrane wherein said membrane is comprised of a porous substrate and a layer of zeolite crystals wherein said layer of zeolite crystals is a polycrystalline layer with at least 99% of said zeolite crystals having at least one point between adjacent crystals that is .ltoreq.20 .ANG. and wherein at least 90% of said crystals have widths of from about 2 to about 50 microns and wherein at least 75% of said crystals have a thickness of within 20% of the average crystal thickness and wherein said membrane has at most 1 V % voids in said zeolite layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventor: Wenyih Frank Lai
  • Patent number: 5763347
    Abstract: Applicant has discovered a new zeolite containing composition and a process for preparing the same. The composition is unique in that the zeolite crystals making up one layer of the composition pack in a manner such that the composition is essentially continuous with no large scale voids even when the zeolite layer is <10 .mu.m thick. Thus, the present invention is directed toward a composition comprised of a porous substrate and a layer of zeolite crystals wherein said layer of zeolite crystals is a polycrystalline layer with at least 99% of said zeolite crystals having at least one point between adjacent crystals that is .ltoreq.20 .ANG. and wherein at least 90% of said crystals have widths of from about 0.2 to about 100 microns (preferably about 2 to about 50 microns) and wherein at least 75% of said crystals have a thickness of within 20% of the average crystal thickness. Preferably the composition has at most 1 Volume % voids in the zeolite layer. Use of the composition is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventor: Wenyih Frank Lai
  • Patent number: 5716527
    Abstract: Membranes useful in separating moleculres or catalytic conversions comprise a substrate, a zeolite or zeolite-like layer, a selectivity enhancing coating in contact with the zeolite layer and optionally a permeable intermediate layer in contact with the substrate the zeolite layer being in contact either with the substrate or the optional intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: Harry William Deckman, Edward William Corcoran, Jr., James Alexander McHenry, Wenyih Frank Lai, Lothar Ruediger Czarnetzki, William Edward Wales
  • Patent number: 5672388
    Abstract: The instant invention is directed toward a process for enhancing the permselective properties, selectively sealing defects and pinholes, controllably altering the pore size and stabilizing the permselective properties of articles having apperatures therein comprising the steps of: simultaneously contacting an article having a first and second surface, said first and second surfaces being capable of passing ozone and silicon compounds therethrough and said first and second surfaces being oriented such that said silicon compounds and ozone can react across said first and second surfaces, with ozone on said first surface and a silicon compound on said second surface and wherein said contacting is conducted for a time and at a temperature and pressure sufficient to allow said ozone and said silicon compound to form a silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: James Alexander McHenry, Harry William Deckman, Edward William Corcoran, Jr., Wenyih Frank Lai, Horst Witzke