Patents by Inventor Xinzhang Zhou

Xinzhang Zhou 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: 20250109913
    Abstract: A thermal energy storage composition is provided. The composition includes a phase change material and a plurality of long, anisotropic thermal conductive carbon fibers mixed with the phase change material. The anisotropic thermal conductive carbon fibers enhance heat transfer and accelerate phase change of the phase change material to increase the thermal storage efficiency of the composition. The anisotropic thermal conductive carbon fibers may be present in an amount of up to 5% by weight, and may have a length in the range of 1 to 10 cm. The anisotropic thermal conductive carbon fibers also may have a greater thermal conductivity in an axial direction relative to a thermal conductivity in a radial direction. A thermal energy storage system including the thermal energy storage composition and a method of heat management in a thermal energy storage system are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2024
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Inventors: Xinzhang Zhou, Xiaobing Liu, Amit K. Naskar, Lingshi Wang
  • Publication number: 20240218550
    Abstract: A surface-modified carbon fiber composition comprising: (i) a carbon fiber having an outer surface, a width of at least 1 micron, and a length-to-width aspect ratio of at least 1000; and (ii) an amine-containing polymer coating bonded to the outer surface of the carbon fiber, wherein the amine-containing polymer contains at least one of primary and secondary amino groups. A method for producing the coated carbon fiber comprises: immersing an uncoated carbon fiber in an electrolyte solution containing a dissolved amount of an amine-containing polymer containing at least one of primary and secondary amino groups while the uncoated carbon fiber is connected to a negatively charged electrode and positioned adjacent to a positively charged electrode in the electrolyte solution to result in the electrodeposition of a coating of the amine-containing polymer on the uncoated carbon fiber. Also described herein are carbon fiber-polymer composites and methods of producing them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Amit K. Naskar, Zeyang Yu, Xinzhang Zhou, Christopher C. Bowland