William Marsh Rice University

The Boeing Company

The Texas A&M University System

C-bond Systems, LLC

Enrique V Barrera

Valery Khabashesku

Jong Dae Kim

Jiang Zhu

Richard T Wilkins

Ranjii Vaidyanathan

Merlyn X Pulikkathara

Meisha Shofner

John L Margrave

Haiqing Peng

Mary Lou Margrave, Legal Representative

Lei Zhang

James Ping Huang

Karen Lozano

Namsoo Paul Kim

Chris A Lundberg

Joseph Cesarano, Iii

David Harris Stewart

Yildiz Bayazitoglu

Satish Nagarajaiah

Bruce E Rich

Bertha Rostro

Paul H Brogan

Liehui Ge

Brian Mitchell Mayeaux

Erica L Corral

Johm L Margrave

Ranji Vaidyanathan

Daneesh McIntosh

Laura Peña-Paras

Constantine D Armeniades

Fernando J Rodriguez-Macias

Luis Paulo Felipe Chibante

Prasad Dharap

Santoshkumar Biradar

Li Zhiling

Leonard Lee Yowell, Jr

Valery N Khabashesku

Fernando J Rodriguez

The present invention relates generally to the reinforcement, repair, and strengthening of materials through the application of innovative, nanoparticle-based compositions to substrate materials, including but not limited to glass and ceramic. In some embodiments, the present invention produces a strengthened laminate. The compositions of this invention accomplish such ends by employing nanoparticles and use other components that work with the nanoparticles to enable advanced multifunctional properties in treated materials. This invention also enhances the initial tack and adhesion properties of materials to polymer coatings, materials to film, materials to other materials, and film to film. At least one embodiment concerns an improved process for making the compositions.

Nano-(multifunctional) solutions for glass and glass products: heterogeneous nano-self-assembly and/or coating

A method for fabricating a conductor includes providing a plurality of conductive nano-scale material elements, dispersing the nano-scale material elements within a resin to provide a resin-nano-scale material mixture, aligning the nano-scale material elements within the resin-nano-scale material mixture, and curing the resin-nano-scale material mixture.

Methods for fabricating a conductor

The present invention involves the interaction of radiation with functionalized carbon nanotubes that have been incorporated into various host materials, particularly polymeric ones. The present invention is directed to chemistries, methods, and apparatuses which exploit this type of radiation interaction, and to the materials which result from such interactions. The present invention is also directed toward the time dependent behavior of functionalized carbon nanotubes in such composite systems.

Functionalized carbon nanotube-polymer composites and interactions with radiation

According to some embodiments, the present provides a heat transfer medium that includes, but is not limited to a base fluid, a plurality of single-walled carbon nanotubes, and a gelling formulation formed of an amine surfactant, an intercalating agent, and an oxygen-bearing solvent. The heat transfer medium is adapted for improved thermal conductivity with respect to the base fluid.

Gelled nanotube-containing heat transfer medium

The present invention is directed to methods of functionalizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs), particularly single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), with organosilane species, wherein such functionalization enables fabrication of advanced polymer composites. The present invention is also directed toward the functionalized CNTs, advanced CNT-polymer composites made with such functionalized CNTs, and methods of making such advanced CNT-polymer composites.

Sidewall functionalization of carbon nanotubes with organosilanes for polymer composites

The present invention is directed to methods of integrating carbon nanotubes into epoxy polymer composites via chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes, and to the carbon nanotube-epoxy polymer composites produced by such methods. Integration is enhanced through improved dispersion and/or covalent bonding with the epoxy matrix during the curing process. In general, such methods involve the attachment of chemical moieties (i.e., functional groups) to the sidewall and/or end-cap of carbon nanotubes such that the chemical moieties react with either the epoxy precursor(s) or the curing agent(s) (or both) during the curing process. Additionally, in some embodiments, these or additional chemical moieties can function to facilitate dispersion of the carbon nanotubes by decreasing the van der Waals attractive forces between the nanotubes.

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites containing functionalized carbon nanotubes

In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of fully integrating CNTs and the surrounding polymer matrix in CNT/polymer composites. In some such embodiments, such integration comprises interfacial covalent bonding between the CNTs and the polymer matrix. In some such embodiments, such interfacial covalent bonding is provided by a free radical reaction initiated during processing. In some such embodiments, such free radical initiation can be provided by benzoyl peroxide. In some or other embodiments, the present invention is directed to CNT/polymer composite systems, wherein the CNTs within such systems are covalently integrated with the polymer. In some or other embodiments, the present invention is directed to articles of manufacture made from such CNT/polymer composite systems.

Methods for preparing carbon nanotube/polymer composites using free radical precursors

The present invention is directed to new methods for combining, processing, and modifying existing materials, resulting in novel products with enhanced mechanical, electrical and electronic properties. The present invention provides for polymer/carbon nanotube composites with increased strength and toughness; beneficial for lighter and/or stronger structural components for terrestrial and aerospace applications, electrically and thermally conductive polymer composites, and electrostatic dissipative materials. Such composites rely on a molecular interpenetration between entangled single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and cross-linked polymers to a degree not possible with previous processes.

Polymer / carbon-nanotube interpenetrating networks and process for making same

A method of forming a composite of embedded nanofibers in a polymer matrix is disclosed. The method includes incorporating nanofibers in a plastic matrix forming agglomerates, and uniformly distributing the nanofibers by exposing the agglomerates to hydrodynamic stresses. The hydrodynamic said stresses force the agglomerates to break apart. In combination or additionally elongational flow is used to achieve small diameters and alignment. A nanofiber reinforced polymer composite system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of nanofibers that are embedded in polymer matrices in micron size fibers. A method for producing nanotube continuous fibers is disclosed. Nanofibers are fibrils with diameters of 100 nm, multiwall nanotubes, single wall nanotubes and their various functionalized and derivatized forms. The method includes mixing a nanofiber in a polymer; and inducing an orientation of the nanofibers that enables the nanofibers to be used to enhance mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. Orientation is induced by high shear mixing and elongational flow, singly or in combination. The polymer may be removed from said nanofibers, leaving micron size fibers of aligned nanofibers.

Oriented nanofibers embedded in a polymer matrix

The present invention is directed toward devices comprising carbon nanotubes that are capable of detecting displacement, impact, stress, and/or strain in materials, methods of making such devices, methods for sensing/detecting/monitoring displacement, impact, stress, and/or strain via carbon nanotubes, and various applications for such methods and devices. The devices and methods of the present invention all rely on mechanically-induced electronic perturbations within the carbon nanotubes to detect and quantify such stress/strain. Such detection and quantification can rely on techniques which include, but are not limited to, electrical conductivity/conductance and/or resistivity/resistance detection/measurements, thermal conductivity detection/measurements, electroluminescence detection/measurements, photoluminescence detection/measurements, and combinations thereof. All such techniques rely on an understanding of how such properties change in response to mechanical stress and/or strain.

Smart materials: strain sensing and stress determination by means of nanotube sensing systems, composites, and devices

Fabrication of carbon nanotube reinforced epoxy polymer composites using functionalized carbon nanotubes

The present invention relates to fullerene, nanotube, or nanofiber filled metals and polymers. This invention stems from a cross-disciplinary combination of electromagnetic and acoustic processing and property enhancement of materials through fullerene or nanofiber additives. Containerless processing (CP) in the form of electromagnetic field enduced and/or acoustic mixing leads to controlled dispersion of fullerenes, nanotubes, or nanofibers in various matrices. The invention provides methods of mixing that highly disperse and align the fullerenes, nanotubes, or nanofibers within the matrices of metals and polymers. The invention provides new compositions of matter and multifunctional materials based on processing, composition, and degree of in situ processing.

Containerless mixing of metals and polymers with fullerenes and nanofibers to produce reinforced advanced materials

The present invention is directed towards a ceramic nanocomposite comprising a nanostructured carbon component inside a ceramic host. The ceramic nanocomposite may further comprise vapor grown carbon fibers. Such nanostructured carbon materials impart both structural and thermal barrier enhancements to the ceramic host. The present invention is also directed towards a method of making these ceramic nanocomposites and for methods of using them in various applications.

Fabrication of reinforced composite material comprising carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, and vapor-grown carbon fibers for thermal barrier materials, structural ceramics, and multifunctional nanocomposite ceramics

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Enrique V Barrera