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20170087 – A new technique manufactures conductive polymer composites (CPCs) using co-continuous polymer blends with interfacial graphene as the conductive filler. This technology combines two current CPC manufacturing methods with an innovative approach to create CPCs with superior electrical properties. The approach uses polylactic acid (PLA) and polystyrene (PS) co-continuous polymer blends as... Read More
20160286 – An effective and economical electrochemical oxidation process for aqueous and gaseous sulfide removal can remove hydrogen sulfide (HS) directly from aqueous environments. The technology uses an electrode system where anodic oxidation directly or indirectly oxidizes sulfide or scavenges sulfide by anodically generated ferrous. By removing HS directly from both liquid (aqueous) and gas... Read More
20160377 – Microanalytical calibration materials can be synthesized from doped silica gel (or doped silica glass) with trace-level chemical precision (within 10 ppm of a target concentration) and acceptable homogeneity. The procedure begins by preparing a doping substrate (commercially available nanoporous silica gel) and then immersing it in a nonpolar liquid solvent medium. A dopant source... Read More
20170023 – An environmentally friendly process has been developed for the synthesis of isoprenecarboxylic esters and their corresponding polymers from a fermentation product of glucose: mevalonolactone. In this method, bio-renewable mevalonate is used to synthesize mevalonolactone, which can then be converted to anhydromevalonolactone. An eliminative opening of anhydromevalonolactone using a base... Read More
20160097 – A newly discovered xylose operon converts xylose from lignocellulosic biomass into TCA compounds, which can then be further converted to 1,4-butanediol (BDO). A new synthetic pathway in E. coli produces 1,4-butanediol in only six steps, making it more efficient than previous pathways used in current industrial methods (which require 20 steps). The technology combines previous pathways,... Read More
20170068 – A new process uses a novel catalyst to synthesize butadiene in high yields from biomass-derived tetrahydrofuran (THF). Butadiene is made by contacting THF (or a THF derivative or combination thereof) with a heterogeneous acid catalyst to yield a diene. This new P-based heterogeneous catalyst, which is highly efficient at converting furans to dienes, performs dehydro-decyclization of... Read More
20170038 – A new series of phosphorous-containing solid catalysts produces ultra-high yields of p-xylene by suppressing competing side reactions. Among them, phosphorous-containing BEA zeolite (P-BEA) with 12 membered-ring (12 MR) structures and phosphorous-containing self-pillared pentasil (P-SPP) zeolite nanosheets with 10 MR exhibit exceptional activities up to 97% yield of p-xylene at 99%... Read More
20170037 – A new process uses a novel catalyst to synthesize isoprene in high yields. Isoprene is made by contacting 3-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) with a heterogeneous acid catalyst (other than alumina, or Al2O3). This catalytic process dehydrates MTHF to isoprene via several combinations of temperatures, pressures, and space velocities (reactant volumetric flow rate per volume of catalyst) and... Read More
20160418 – A novel method synthesizes low-cost, polymeric valerolactones with tunable mechanical properties and low glass transition temperatures. Chemically crosslinked poly(β-methyl-δ-valerolactone) (PMVL) elastomers are created from high molar mass PMVL homopolymers that can be chemically converted back to recover the monomer in high purity. In addition, the crosslinked PMVL materials are highly... Read More
20160397 – An innovative gas-phase method uses a modified plasma reactor to generate core/shell nanocrystals in nonthermal plasmas by afterglow PECVD shell growth. The technology uses afterglow to react a secondary shell onto a primary (core) particle to synthesize group IV nanocrystals that could be used in a variety of applications such as biological imaging, photovoltaics, and energy... Read More
20160119 – A method of preparing zeolite nanosheets creates nanosheets with open pores, free from organic surface contaminants. This method has successfully prepared large lateral sized zeolite nanosheets with organic molecules removed from the pores. Organic molecules were removed from the micropores by using a piranha solution (sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide) as a strong oxidizing solution.... Read More
20150274 – Durable, thermoluminescent particles or films can record thermal history of manufacturing processes over the temperature range of 100°C to 500°C. Days or months before they are needed, the materials are irradiated with a deep ultraviolet or ionizing radiation source to fill their charge carrier traps. At any time afterwards, the irradiated particles may be either incorporated directly... Read More
20160100 – A genetically engineered microbe can be used as a process control strain to accurately determine concentrations of common pathogenic microbes in a water sample. This method begins by adding known amount of a process control strain of genetically-modified, non-pathogenic Pseudogulbenkiania bacteria to an environmental (e.g., water) or clinical sample. Primers and probe sequences are also... Read More
20150123 – An easy, scalable method extracts high yields of purified, marketable phytate from ethanol waste streams. Phytate, a coproduct of ethanol production that is not digestible by many livestock, increases phosphate pollution from livestock waste. The efficient phytate extraction process is selective and improves livestock feed properties of dry distillers grains (DDGS) by removing... Read More
20140254-20160024 – A new generation of lignin plastics feature very high lignin content and exhibit comparable—or even superior—properties compared to conventional PMMA and polystyrene. These innovative polymeric materials contain at least 80% lignin and are predominantly comprised of methylated or non-methylated ligninsulfonate. These plastics show promising tensile strength, and plasticizers or other... Read More
20160163 – Glucose, a widely available and inexpensive sugar molecule derived from corn, can be modified to produce a new, sustainable polymer for use in thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs). In a simple two-step synthesis, the glucose-based monomer GATA (glucose-6-acrylate-1,2,3,4-tetraacetate) produces diblock and ABA triblock copolymers via Reversible... Read More
20160238 – Biobased and chemically recyclable polyurethane (PU) offers a greener alternative to petroleum derived polyols used in the synthesis of thermoplastic polyurethanes, flexible foams and elastomers. A new technique uses renewable and degradable β-methyl-δ-valerolactone (MVL), to create a bio-based PMVL (poly β-methyl-δ-valerolactone) polyol with similar mechanical properties and performance... Read More
20160256 – A new reaction path has been discovered to make metastable lactone acid in high yield (94%) by simple mixing of a 1:1 blend of corn-based chemicals - itaconic anhydride and furfuryl alcohol – at room temperature. In addition, multiple reaction pathways have also been demonstrated for conversion of itaconic anhydride and furans into derivatives amenable to novel polymer or chemical... Read More
20160392 – Colloid imprinted mesoporous (CIM) carbon offers many benefits as an interlayer to interface the ion-selective layer to the underlying electron conductor. In this technology, the electrochemical sensor is prepared by interfacing the ion-sensing layer to a CIM carbon modified with a redox buffer, which could also be developed into a printable ink. The explicit use of well-defined redox... Read More
20150168 – Brittle thermoplastics such as polylactide/polylactic acid (PLA) can be significantly toughened with amphiphilic block copolymers. Using the block copolymer (less than 10% by weight) in a blend with PLA improves thermoplastic tensile toughness and maintains PLA transparency (even at higher loadings). The strengthened blend can be prepared by either solvent or melt blending and only... Read More
20160252 – New chemical structures capable of emitting saturated blue light can be easily synthesized. These compounds hold promising emissive properties, especially of blue light, in both a solid state as well as in solution. Potential applications include organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, and/or organic field effect transistors (OFETs). In addition, the... Read More
20160343 – A new process synthesizes multifunctional alcohols from bio-derived carboxylic acids. Starting with itaconic acid or mesoconic acid, this high-yield, two-step process uses heterogeneous catalysts in aqueous media as an efficient method of producing of lactones, diols and triols, where resulting alcohols such as 2-methyl butanediol and 3-methyl-1,5-pentanediol can be used to prepare... Read More
20160139 – An AC-powered liquid-plasma process offers sustainable biodiesel production from a feedstock mixture of oils/fats and alcohol. This continuous process uses recycled waste cooking oils and/or animal fats and is fast, cost effective and does not require catalysts or high temperatures. The high voltage energy associated with electric discharge in the feedstock mixture breaks down chemical... Read More
20150306 – A monomer has been created that can be used to synthesize hydroxy-telechelic poly(ethylene-co-isobutylene) (PEIB) and is an alternative to polyisobutylene (PIB) in thermoplastic polyurethanes. PIB offers advantageous traits such as chemical resistance, low permeability and excellent stability, and is biocompatible and approved for use in biomedical applications. However, PIB has been a... Read More
20120076 – A robust yet flexible nanoporous filtration membrane can be produced from block copolymer. The process begins by synthesizing a nanoporous cross-linked polystyrene-polyisoprene-polystyrene-polylactide tetrablock terpolymer that displays good tensile and elongation properties. Then the polylactide is removed via hydrolysis or reactive ion etching, resulting in a tough, self-assembling ABAC... Read More
20150326-1 – Selenium nanospheres are synthesized quickly and inexpensively by combining aqueous solutions of selenous acid and a reducing agent in the presence of a surface capable of providing nucleation sites under conditions effective to form selenium nanomaterials. The process produces selenium particles that are either bound or unbound, and the properties of the selenium layer can be modified... Read More
20150326 – A regular, store-bought sponge coated with a nanolayer of selenium can remove over 99.9 percent of mercury from lakes, rivers, storm water ponds, wetlands and wastewater. The selenium nanomaterials are permanently bound to the sponge surface via a unique process. Treating mercury-contaminated water with the sponge binds the mercury into permanent biologically inert, non-toxic complexes,... Read More
z07107 – A novel gas phase method and apparatus effectively grafts organic molecules onto silicon nanocrystals to form a passivation layer. The process produces grafted Group IV nanoparticles quickly, at room temperature and with minimal particle aggregation and diffusional losses. The plasma-treated particles are readily soluble in various nonpolar solvents. In the first step of the... Read More
z03212 – A single-step continuous flow non-thermal plasma process produces luminescent silicon nanocrystals. The nanocrystals, which range between 2 and 8 nm, can be produced within milliseconds. The process involves passing an argon-silane (SiH) precursor gas mixture through a quartz reactor tube upon which radio-frequency power is applied through copper ring electrodes, generating a... Read More
20150314 – A series of new, powerful thiourea catalysts show significant improvement in activity over Schreiner’s thiourea, the industry standard, in carrying out organic transformations. Higher activity allows for lower catalyst loadings, lower reaction temperatures, higher selectivities and the ability to induce transformations that less reactive catalysts cannot. These metal-free mono-charged... Read More
20140146 – An innovative, no-solvent plasma-based process can produce semiconducting silicon nanoparticles in high yields. These modified semiconductor nanoparticles resist oxidation, maintain desirable electronic properties and can be dissolved in commonly used solvents. Free from organic ligands, the nanoparticles can be doped with boron and/or phosphorous and processed in a variety of ways,... Read More
20150148 – A new isosorbide derivative has been synthesized which can be polymerized and incorporated into block polymers. The monomer, AMI (acetylated methacrylic isosorbide), can be efficiently synthesized in two steps from commercially available starting materials. It can be polymerized using a variety of methods including traditional free radical and Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain... Read More
20150075 – A newly developed technology for synthesizing polysubstituted pyrroles employs a titanium-catalyzed reaction of alkynes and diazenes to form the substituted pyrrole. The process, which uses an early transition metal catalyst and works through a 3-component formal [2+2+1] oxidative coupling of alkynes and diazenes, can catalyze cyclization with unprecedented atom efficiency and reaction... Read More
20140157 – A new graphite particle reinforced asphalt binder exhibits superior mechanical properties compared to existing binder formulations. Adding graphite particles to binder doubles the asphalt’s tensile strength at low temperatures and significantly reduces the compaction effort required to prepare the mixture. In addition, creep stiffness and strain tolerance showed significant improvement... Read More
20150116 – A catalytic process allows commodity olefins to be synthesized from the carboxylic acids of biomass. This bio-based feedstock approach is a desirable method for generating olefins that can be used to make plastics and other chemicals. The process, which involves the decarbonylation of carboxylic acids from biomass, creates olefins such as styrene, acrylates, acrylonitrile and octene in... Read More
20140173 – Traditional crankshafts are machined from a single casting. They cannot be modified after production and are not easily adapted to new configurations when the application changes. While other split crankshaft designs exist, they require pressfit pins or hard to access hardware. A modular crankshaft design has been created that allows for the use of roller bearings and crank pin for... Read More
20140204 – Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) typically use a cobalt compound as the cathode material. Cobalt oxides are relatively expensive and scarce. An innovative zirconate-based cathode material developed at the University of Minnesota has the potential to have significantly higher charge capacity than cobalt based cathodes. Lithium zirconate (Li8ZrO6) is generally far less expensive than cobalt... Read More
20140196 – A method of creating a scalable block copolymer from a new branched lactone monomer has been developed. The new lactone monomer is generated from direct fermentation of sugar. The biobased monomer, when copolymerized with lactide, has many utilities and its mechanical properties (i.e. stretchiness, strength) can be tuned depending on the application requirements. Sugar (glucose) is one... Read More
20130046 – Hydrogen extraction from wastewater for use as energy is possible with a recent University of Minnesota innovation. The system includes a membrane laden with hydrogen-generating bacteria. The hydrogen is then passed into hollow fibers for removal and can be utilized by fuel cells for energy production. The process does not require costly wastewater aeration at the time of disposal, is... Read More
20140098 – Flexible electronics fabrication technology creates circuits on substrates like plastic. However, most advances in flexible electronics manufacturing have focused on mechanical transfer of conventionally fabricated circuits using lithography from an initial substrate onto a flexible one. Such “pick and place” manufacturing systems may face limitations in scaling. In order to bring more... Read More
20140012 – Recently, silica nanoparticles have been heavily researched for applications such as drug delivery, catalysis and biosensing. The pharmaceutical industry has been particularly interested in these biodegradable structures that are able to transport drugs to target locations in the body. Research is ongoing to maximize the number of pores and minimize particle diameter. Ultra-porous... Read More
z09066 – An ammonia synthesis process has been developed that has conversion rates greater than 90%, as compared to conversion rates of 20% with the standard Haber-Bosch process. This method does not require the downstream separation and recycling that are currently limiting factors in creating plants with small capital investments. The improved process includes the addition of magnesium chloride... Read More
20130324 – A metal corrosion sensor has been developed that is installed as a deactivated water battery. Electrodes positioned on substrate paper activate in the presence of harmful liquid and transmit detailed information about the corrosion wirelessly. The signals are received by a nearby RFID-reader and the information is processed to accurately determine the time to failure. Overall features... Read More
20140072 – A process has been developed for synthesizing two new dimethacrylate monomers from glucose and mannose. The materials produced by the sugar-derived dilactones undergo degradation in basic conditions while remaining stable in neutral and acidic environments. The dimethacrylates are derived from sugars, making them renewable and comparable to petroleum-based sources. The monomers reported... Read More
20110222 – A method has been developed to synthesize zeolites in a lamellar morphology with thinner layers than can be produced using alternative techniques. The zeolites are produced at lower cost than alternative methods and can be used as catalysts, as coatings for molecular sieve membranes and as low-dielectric constant materials in electronic applications. ** View the Term Sheet ** **... Read More
20110221 – A method of zeolite membrane fabrication that gives high aspect ratio nanosheets with high purity and precise pore structure has been developed. When combined with other technologies created by the research group, such as structure preservation, oriented growth and rapid thermal processing, zeolite membranes can be fabricated that have high flux and highly selectivity using a simple and... Read More
20130128 – To reduce the costs of making valuable C4-C5 renewable chemicals, a biosynthetic pathway has been developed to generate C4-C5 chemicals, such as succinate, amino acids and 1,4-butanediol. This new pathway from sugars involves only five fermentation steps, as compared to the current pathway, which requires 23 steps. The new process uses engineered microbes and a simple pathway that... Read More
z05117 – A method using an enzymatic biocatalyst can generate peracids. The process involves adding perhydrolase activity to an esterase enzyme, and optimizing the enzyme activity through targeted mutations. Perhydrolase enzymes form peracetic acid from acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Generation of peracids via enzyme biocatalysis allows producing disinfection agents on demand, limiting the... Read More
99096 – A method for the fabrication of microelectromechanical devices to produce high-performance, high-yield and high-tolerance devices has been developed. The method combines the advantages of conventional surface and bulk micromachining processes using a sacrificial layer to create an integrated microelectromechanical system. ** View the Term Sheet ** ** Contact Larry Micek for specific... Read More
20120201 – A method to deposit colloidal silicon nanocrystal thin films using a liquid-phase process has been developed. The method lowers costs because the films are deposited unfunctionalized (no insulating ligand termination). The process allows for precise control of the size of the crystals; giving rise to control over the size dependent optical properties of the product. This is essential in... Read More
