Patents by Inventor Zhengzong Sun

Zhengzong Sun 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: 20190047866
    Abstract: Methods of controllably forming Bernal-stacked graphene layers are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise one or more of the following steps: (1) cleaning a surface of a catalyst; (2) annealing the surface of the catalyst; (3) applying a carbon source onto the cleaned and annealed surface of the catalyst in a reaction chamber; and (4) growing the Bernal-stacked graphene layers on the surface of the catalyst in the reaction chamber, where the number of formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers is controllable as a function of one or more growth parameters, such as a total pressure of the reaction chamber. Further embodiments of the present disclosure also include steps of: (5) terminating the growing step; and (6) transferring the formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers from the surface of the catalyst onto a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Zhengzong Sun, Abdul-Rahman O. Raji
  • Patent number: 10053366
    Abstract: Methods of controllably forming Bernal-stacked graphene layers are disclosed. The methods comprise: (1) cleaning a surface of a catalyst; (2) annealing the surface of the catalyst; (3) applying a carbon source onto the cleaned and annealed surface of the catalyst in a reaction chamber; and (4) growing the Bernal-stacked graphene layers on the surface of the catalyst in the reaction chamber, where the number of formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers is controllable as a function of one or more growth parameters, such as a total pressure of the reaction chamber. Further embodiments of the present disclosure also include steps of: (5) terminating the growing step; and (6) transferring the formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers from the surface of the catalyst onto a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERISITY
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Zhengzong Sun, Abdul-Rahman O. Raji
  • Publication number: 20160031711
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods of forming graphene films by: (1) depositing a non-gaseous carbon source onto a catalyst surface; (2) exposing the non-gaseous carbon source to at least one gas with a flow rate; and (3) initiating the conversion of the non-gaseous carbon source to the graphene film, where the thickness of the graphene film is controllable by the gas flow rate. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to graphene films made in accordance with the methods of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Zhengzong Sun, Zheng Yan, Gedeng Ruan, Zhiwei Peng
  • Patent number: 9096437
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods of forming graphene films by: (1) depositing a non-gaseous carbon source onto a catalyst surface; (2) exposing the non-gaseous carbon source to at least one gas with a flow rate; and (3) initiating the conversion of the non-gaseous carbon source to the graphene film, where the thickness of the graphene film is controllable by the gas flow rate. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to graphene films made in accordance with the methods of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James Tour, Zhengzong Sun, Zheng Yan, Gedeng Ruan, Zhiwei Peng
  • Publication number: 20140234200
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods of forming graphene films by: (1) depositing a non-gaseous carbon source onto a catalyst surface; (2) exposing the non-gaseous carbon source to at least one gas with a flow rate; and (3) initiating the conversion of the non-gaseous carbon source to the graphene film, where the thickness of the graphene film is controllable by the gas flow rate. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to graphene films made in accordance with the methods of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James Tour, Zhengzong Sun, Zheng Yan, Gedeng Ruan, Zhiwei Peng
  • Publication number: 20140178688
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of controllably forming Bernal-stacked graphene layers. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: (1) cleaning a surface of a catalyst; (2) annealing the surface of the catalyst; (3) applying a carbon source onto the cleaned and annealed surface of the catalyst in a reaction chamber; and (4) growing the Bernal-stacked graphene layers on the surface of the catalyst in the reaction chamber, where the number of formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers is controllable as a function of one or more growth parameters. Further embodiments of the present disclosure also include steps of: (5) terminating the growing step; and (6) transferring the formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers from the surface of the catalyst onto a substrate. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to graphene films formed by the methods of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Zhengzong Sun, Abdul-Rahman O. Raji
  • Publication number: 20140120270
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of forming graphene films on various non-catalyst surfaces by applying a carbon source and a catalyst to the surface and initiating graphene film formation. In some embodiments, graphene film formation may be initiated by induction heating. In some embodiments, the carbon source is applied to the non-catalyst surface before the catalyst is applied to the surface. In other embodiments, the catalyst is applied to the non-catalyst surface before the carbon source is applied to the surface. In further embodiments, the catalyst and the carbon source are applied to the non-catalyst surface at the same time. Further embodiments of the present invention may also include a step of separating the catalyst from the formed graphene film, such as by acid etching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Zheng Yan, Zhiwei Peng, Zhengzong Sun