Patents by Inventor William C. May

William C. May 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: 20240076201
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming the materials in the presence of a processing additive that includes potassium prior to calcination that produces active materials with increased primary particle grain sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Benjamin Reichman, Martin Lawrence Panchula
  • Patent number: 11905184
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming the materials in the presence of a processing additive that includes potassium prior to calcination that produces active materials with increased primary particle grain sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Benjamin Reichman, Martin Lawrence Panchula
  • Publication number: 20240010525
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for isolating purified water from a waste stream, such as, e.g., a waste stream formed in the manufacture or recycling of batteries, and further e.g., processes for isolating purified water suitable for use in downstream industrial processes from a waste stream generated during delithiation of a lithium metal oxide material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Jack Bender, Tinoush Dinn, William C. Mays, Martin Lawrence Panchula, Dieter G. Von Deak
  • Publication number: 20240011123
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of recycling elements, such as, e.g., lithium and/or nickel, from a solution, such as, e.g., methods of recovering reusable lithium and nickel from a waste stream produced by the delithiation of a lithium nickel oxide material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Tinoush Dinn, William C. Mays, Martin Lawrence Panchula, Dieter G. Von Deak
  • Patent number: 11834341
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming precursor materials into agglomerates prior to calcination. The use of the agglomerates improves gas flow into and out of the materials thereby improving calcination results, electrochemical properties of the resulting materials, and allows for use of high temperature kilns not previously suitable for such materials thereby lowering production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Diana Wong, Xue Liu, Benjamin Reichman, Martin L. Panchula, Gary A. Yacobian
  • Patent number: 11795061
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming precursor materials into agglomerates prior to calcination. The use of the agglomerates improves gas flow into and out of the materials thereby improving calcination results, electrochemical properties of the resulting materials, and allows for use of high temperature kilns not previously suitable for such materials thereby lowering production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Diana Wong, Xue Liu, Benjamin Reichman, Martin L. Panchula, Gary A. Yacobian
  • Patent number: 11713494
    Abstract: Provided are processes for extracting lithium and optionally nickel from a Nickel(II)/Lithium(I) (Ni2+/Li+) solution. The extraction is optionally performed in a series of steps with counterflow of aqueous and organic flows to thereby produce a lithium poor solution. The lithium poor solution may be treated so that remaining Ni in the lithium poor solution may be directly precipitated therefrom in the form of a Ni salt. Once complete, the process provides for recoverable nickel and/or lithium that may be recycled into batteries or sold for other uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Jack Bender, William C. Mays, Tinoush Dinn, Martin L. Panchula, Dieter G. Von Deak
  • Publication number: 20230114285
    Abstract: Provided are processes of removing lithium from an electrochemically active composition. The process of removing lithium from an electrochemically active composition may include providing an electrochemically active composition and combining the electrochemically active composition with a strong oxidizer optionally at a pH of 1.5 or greater for a lithium removal time. The electrochemically active composition may include Li, Ni, and O. The electrochemically active composition may optionally have an initial Li/M at % ratio of 0.8 to 1.3. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lithium removal time may be such that a second Li/M at % ratio following the lithium removal time is 0.6 or less, thereby forming a delithiated electrochemically active composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: William C. MAYS, Martin Lawrence PANCHULA, Dieter G. VON DEAK, Benjamin REICHMAN, Diana F. WONG
  • Publication number: 20210130927
    Abstract: Provided are processes for extracting lithium and optionally nickel from a Nickel(II)/Lithium(I) (Ni2+/Li+) solution. The extraction is optionally performed in a series of steps with counterflow of aqueous and organic flows to thereby produce a lithium poor solution. The lithium poor solution may be treated so that remaining Ni in the lithium poor solution may be directly precipitated therefrom in the form of a Ni salt. Once complete, the process provides for recoverable nickel and/or lithium that may be recycled into batteries or sold for other uses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Jack Bender, William C. Mays, Tinoush Dinn, Martin L. Panchula, Dieter G. Von Deak
  • Publication number: 20200385278
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming precursor materials into agglomerates prior to calcination. The use of the agglomerates improves gas flow into and out of the materials thereby improving calcination results, electrochemical properties of the resulting materials, and allows for use of high temperature kilns not previously suitable for such materials thereby lowering production costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Diana Wong, Xue Liu, Benjamin Reichman, Martin L. Panchula, Gary A. Yacobian
  • Patent number: 10787368
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming precursor materials into agglomerates prior to calcination. The use of the agglomerates improves gas flow into and out of the materials thereby improving calcination results, electrochemical properties of the resulting materials, and allows for use of high temperature kilns not previously suitable for such materials thereby lowering production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Diana F. Wong, Xue Liu, Benjamin Reichman, Martin Panchula, Gary Yacobian
  • Publication number: 20200148549
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming the materials in the presence of a processing additive that includes potassium prior to calcination that produces active materials with increased primary particle grain sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Benjamin Reichman, Martin Lawrence Panchula
  • Patent number: 10651459
    Abstract: Provided are uniquely structured electrochemically active particles characterized by a first electrochemically active material and a second electrochemically active material disposed about the first material whereby at least the second material includes a modifier present as a continuous transition concentration gradient from the first material into the second material whereby the concentration is lower in the first material than the second material. Also provided are processes of producing the particle and electrochemical cells incorporating the particles as a positive electrode material in a cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Kwo Young, William C. Mays, Lixin Wang
  • Publication number: 20200140972
    Abstract: Provided are processes for extracting nickel and lithium from a Ni2+/Li+ solution. The process for extracting nickel and lithium includes providing a Ni2+/Li+ solution comprising an amount of lithium and an amount of nickel, treating the Ni2+/Li+ solution with an alkaline agent to adjust the pH of the Ni2+/Li+ solution to between about 1.0 to about 10.0, and treating the Ni2+/Li+ solution with a nickel selective extractant, the nickel selective extractant suitable to extract nickel from the Ni2+/Li+ solution at said pH to thereby produce a Li+ solution with less than 1000 parts per million Ni2+. Once complete, the process provides for recoverable nickel and/or lithium that may be recycled into batteries or sold for other uses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Jack Bender, Benjamin Reichman, Diana Wong
  • Publication number: 20190375651
    Abstract: Provided are processes for the formation of electrochemically active materials such as lithiated transition metal oxides that solve prior issues with throughput and calcination. The processes include forming precursor materials into agglomerates prior to calcination. The use of the agglomerates improves gas flow into and out of the materials thereby improving calcination results, electrochemical properties of the resulting materials, and allows for use of high temperature kilns not previously suitable for such materials thereby lowering production costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: William C. Mays, Diana F. Wong, Xue Liu, Benjamin Reichman, Martin Panchula, Gary Yacobian
  • Publication number: 20170194634
    Abstract: Provided are uniquely structured electrochemically active particles characterized by a first electrochemically active material and a second electrochemically active material disposed about the first material whereby at least the second material includes a modifier present as a continuous transition concentration gradient from the first material into the second material whereby the concentration is lower in the first material than the second material. Also provided are processes of producing the particle and electrochemical cells incorporating the particles as a positive electrode material in a cathode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Kwo Young, William C. Mays, Lixin Wang
  • Patent number: 9502715
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided that includes a structurally and compositionally disordered electrochemically active alloy material as an anode active material with unexpected capacity against a nickel hydroxide based cathode active material. The disordered metal hydroxide alloy includes three or more transition metal elements and is formed in such a way so as to produce the necessary disorder in the overall system. When an anode active material includes nickel as a predominant, the resulting cells represent the first demonstration of a functional Ni/Ni cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwo-hsiung Young, Lixin Wang, William C. Mays
  • Publication number: 20160218366
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided that includes a structurally and compositionally disordered electrochemically active alloy material as an anode active material with unexpected capacity against a nickel hydroxide based cathode active material. The disordered metal hydroxide alloy includes three or more transition metal elements and is formed in such a way so as to produce the necessary disorder in the overall system. When an anode active material includes nickel as a predominant, the resulting cells represent the first demonstration of a functional Ni/Ni cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Kwo-hsiung Young, Lixin Wang, William C. Mays
  • Patent number: 6447178
    Abstract: Multiple widths of fluid may be extruded onto portions of material without requiring a complex reconfiguration of the system or replacing the extruding device. In at least one embodiment, various extrusion widths are provided by altering the angle at which materials are guided with respect to the extruding device along a lateral plane with the extruder. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for the manipulation of the position of the extruding device with respect to the material, or alternately, by manipulation of the position of the material with respect to the extruding device. Another embodiment provides a single extruder with multiple applicator heads of different sizes. An additional embodiment provides a single coater head with multiple applicator openings of different sizes. Yet another embodiment provides an extruding device capable of moving laterally over the material to achieve the proper angle of approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Science Fiction, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Thering, Joseph B. Gault, John Straigis, Matthew R. Thomas, William C. May
  • Publication number: 20010031146
    Abstract: Multiple widths of fluid may be extruded onto portions of material without requiring a complex reconfiguration of the system or replacing the extruding device. In at least one embodiment, various extrusion widths are provided by altering the angle at which materials are guided with respect to the extruding device along a lateral plane with the extruder. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for the manipulation of the position of the extruding device with respect to the material, or alternately, by manipulation of the position of the material with respect to the extruding device. Another embodiment provides a single extruder with multiple applicator heads of different sizes. An additional embodiment provides a single coater head with multiple applicator openings of different sizes. Yet another embodiment provides an extruding device capable of moving laterally over the material to achieve the proper angle of approach.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Michael R. Thering, Joseph B. Gault, John Straigis, Matthew R. Thomas, William C. May