Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.

The Dow Chemical Company

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Center for Innovative Technology

Other

University of Texas System

Reva Medical, Inc.

Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Essilor International (compagnie Generale D'optique)

Essilor International

Johnson & Johnson Vision Products Inc.

Innotech, Inc., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

James E McGrath

Atul Bhatnagar

Venkat Sekharipuram

Hosadurga K Shobha

Michael Hickner

Attila Gungor

Judy Smith Riffle

Benny D Freeman

Carrington Duane Smith

Feng Wang

Yu-Seung Kim

Eric V Schmid

Joan Zeltinger

Robert K Schultz

Donald K Brandom

Timothy E Long

Venkateshwaran N Sekharipuram

Robert D Lundberg

Joachim B Kohn

Michael J Mullins

Durgadas Bolikal

Duane B Priddy, Sr

Maurice J Marks

Lu H Tung

Stephen E Bales

Robert B Turner

Robert R Phillips

Thomas A Chamberlin

Harry W Gibson

Gia Huynh-Ba

Lioubov Kabalnova

Richey M Davis

Donald G Baird

Yu Chen

Don K Brandom

Yadollah Delaviz

Dillip K Mohanty

Ho Bum Park

Craig D DePorter

Jianhua Huang

Christy S Tyberg

Beverly Sue Mecham

Diane M Lewis

Brian R Einsla

Youngtai Yoo

Niranjan Patel

Allan D Broske

Paul A Wood, Iii

Daniel M Knauss

Atilla Gungor

Ann Texier

Keith R Lyon

Timothy Pickering

Rulian Guo

Sue J Mecham

Gerald W Meyer

Disclosed are polybenzimidazoles containing sulfonyl groups. The polymers can be synthesized in Eaton's reagent from 3,3',4,4&#x2032;-tetraaminodiphenylsulfone, which itself can be synthesized from 4,4&#x2032;-dichlorodiphenylsulfone. Methods of synthesizing the polymers are disclosed. The disclosed polymers can be used for high temperature H/COseparation membranes and other uses.

Polybenzimidazoles and methods of making and using thereof

Side-chain crystallizable (SCC) polymers are useful in various medical applications. In certain applications, heavy atom containing side-chain crystallizable polymers (HACSCCP's) are particularly useful. An example of a HACSCCP is a polymer that comprises a main chain, a plurality of crystallizable side chains, and a plurality of heavy atoms attached to the polymer. In certain configurations, the heavy atoms are present in an amount that is effective to render the polymer radiopaque. A polymeric material that includes an HACSCCP may be fabricated into a medical device useful for at least partially occluding a body cavity. For example, such a medical device may be an embolotherapy product. A polymeric material that includes a SCC polymer may also be fabricated into other medical devices, such as stents.

Side-chain crystallizable polymers for medical applications

Gas separation membrane compositions including at least one crosslinked polymer, gas separation membranes made of such compositions, methods for making such gas separation membranes, and methods of using such membranes to separate gases are described. In one embodiment, the crosslinked polymer includes polyarylene ethers (PAE).

Crosslinked polymer compositions, gas separation membranes of such crosslinked polymer compositions, methods of making such membranes, and methods of separating gases using such membranes

A variety of phase-separated biocompatible polymer compositions are described. In preferred embodiments the polymers are bioresorbable and/or biodegradable, and have desirable mechanical properties, such as fracture and/or fatigue toughness, that have previously not been a primary design criteria for such polymers. The polymer compositions are useful in a variety of medical applications, such as in the fabrication of medical devices.

Phase-separated biocompatible polymer compositions for medical uses

Sulfonated polymers are made by the direct polymerization of a sulfonated monomer to form the sulfonated polymers. The types of sulfonated polymers may include polysulfones or polyimides. The sulfonated polymers can be formed into membranes that may be used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells or as ion exchange membranes. The membranes formed from the sulfonated polymers exhibit improved properties over that of Nafion&#xae;. A heteropoly acid may be added to the sulfonated polymer to form a nanocomposite membrane in which the heteropoly acid is highly dispersed. The addition of a heteropoly acid to the sulfonated polymer increases the thermal stability of the membrane, enhances the conductivity above 100&#xb0; C., and reduces the water uptake of the membrane.

ION-conducting sulfonated polymeric materials

The present invention provides a membrane, kit, and method of making a hydrophilic-hydrophobic random copolymer membrane. The hydrophilic-hydrophobic random copolymer membrane includes a hydrophilic-hydrophobic random copolymer. The hydrophilic-hydrophobic random copolymer includes one or more hydrophilic monomers having a sulfonated polyarylsulfone monomer and a second monomer and one or more hydrophobic monomers having a non-sulfonated third monomer and a fourth monomer. The sulfonated polyarylsulfone monomer introduces a sulfonate into the hydrophilic-hydrophobic random copolymer prior to polymerization.

Chlorine resistant desalination membranes based on directly sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers

Ion-conducting sulfonated polymeric materials

A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell is described. The materials for the membrane electrode assembly are formed from sulfonated polymers. A polymer dispersion ink containing the sulfonated polymer and a mixture of solvents is used to form the electrodes on the exchange membrane. The dispersion ink allows for the electrodes to be formed directly on the exchange membrane without significantly dissolving the exchange membrane.

Sulfonated polymer composition for forming fuel cell electrodes

A family of polymers having pendent sulfonate moieties connected to polymeric main chain phenyl groups are described. These polymers are prepared by the steps of polymerization (using a monomer with a phenyl with an alkoxy substitution), deportation by converting the alkoxy to a hydroxyl, and functionalization of the polymer with a pendant sulfonate group. As an example, sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers with pendent sulfonic acid groups are synthesized by the direct copolymerization of methoxy-containing poly(arylene ether sulfone)s, then converting the methoxy groups to the reactive hydroxyl form, and finally functionalizing the hydroxyl form with proton-conducting sites through nucleophilic substitution. The family of polymers may have application in proton exchange membranes and in other applications.

Materials for use as proton conducting membranes for fuel cells

High refractive index, melt processable polyphosphonates and methods for preparing the same are provided. These polymers are particularly useful for optical and ophthalmic parts, such as lenses. A method of preparing optical and ophthalmic lenses by injection molding the polymers of the present invention into the form of the optical or ophthalmic lenses is also provided.

High refractive index thermoplastic polyphosphonates

A low cost method of fabricating bipolar plates for use in fuel cells utilizes a wet lay process for combining graphite particles, thermoplastic fibers, and reinforcing fibers to produce a plurality of formable sheets. The formable sheets are then molded into a bipolar plates with features impressed therein via the molding process. The bipolar plates formed by the process have conductivity in excess of 150 S/cm and have sufficient mechanical strength to be used in fuel cells. The bipolar plates can be formed as a skin/core laminate where a second polymer material is used on the skin surface which provides for enhanced conductivity, chemical resistance, and resistance to gas permeation.

Highly conductive thermoplastic composites for rapid production of fuel cell bipolar plates

Growing community of inventors

Blacksburg, VA, United States of America

James E McGrath