The Ohio State University

American Superconductor Corporation

Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Corning Incorporated

Inco Alloys International, Inc.

Augusta University Research Institute, Inc.

Kenneth Henry Sandhage

Lawrence J Masur

Alexander Otto

Eric R Podtburg

Christopher A Craven

Alan J Morrow

John W Gilliland

Pragati Kumar

Jeffrey D Schreiber

Pelagia-Irene Gouma

Michael John Mills

Robert L Snyder

Dale Robert Powers

Gaylord Darrell Smith

Barbara Dale Boyan

Jon M Poole

Sheikh A Akbar

Zhihao Bao

Matthew Timberlake

Kamila Guerra

Christopher Cutler

Matthew Dickerson

Raymond Unocic

Rolando A Gittens Ibacache

David W Lipke

Sehoon Yoo

Jonathan Vernon

Marvin G McKimpson

Michael J Stalker

The present invention provides implant devices comprising nanoscale structures on the surface thereof and methods of manufacturing such implant devices. In some embodiments, methods of manufacturing an implant device comprise exposing a surface of the implant device to an oxidative hydrothermal environment for a duration sufficient to generate nanoscale structures on the exposed surface(s) of the implant device.

Surface modification of implant devices

Dental contrast formulations ('fillers') of tailorable X-Ray radiopacity and methods for their use are provided. The disclosed fillers include mixtures of solid particles suspended in a biocompatible fluid. The solid particles contain one or more X-ray radiopaque materials. The biocompatible fluid can also contain one or more soluble X-ray radiopaque components. By controlling the composition of the solid particles, the composition of the biocompatible fluid, and the loading of the solid particles in the biocompatible fluid, the X-ray radiopacity and stability of the filler can be tailored to allow for improved discrimination of the filler within periodontal pockets, relative to adjacent soft tissue and teeth, so that the 3-D shape, volume, and depth of the pocket can be precisely and rapidly determined by X-Ray imaging.

Bio-compatible radiopaque dental fillers for imaging

Methods of converting shaped templates into shaped metal-containing components, allowing for the production of freestanding, porous metal-containing replicas whose shapes and microstructures are derived from a shaped template, and partially or fully converting the shaped templates to produce metal-containing coatings on an underlying shaped template are described herein. Such coatings and replicas can be applied in a variety of fields including, but not limited to, catalysis, energy storage and conversion, and various structural or refractory materials and structural or refractory composite materials.

Shaped metal-containing components and reaction based methods for manufacturing the same

Methods for the production of shaped nanoscale-to-microscale structures, wherein a nanoscale-to-microscale template is provided having an original chemical composition and an original shape, and the nanoscale-to-microscale template subjected to a chemical reaction, so as to partially or completely convert the nanoscale-to-microscale template into the shaped nanoscale-to-microscale structure having a chemical composition different than the original chemical composition and having substantially the same shape as the original shape, being a scaled version of the original shape. The shaped nanoscale-to-microscale structure formed comprises an element (such as silicon), a metallic alloy (such as a silicon alloy), or a non-oxide compound (such as silicon carbide or silicon nitride).

Methods of fabricating nanoscale-to-microscale structures

The purpose of the present invention is to describe a novel approach for converting 3-dimensional, synthetic micro- and nano-templates into different materials with a retention of shape/dimensions and morphological features. The ultimate objective of this approach is to mass-produce micro- and nano-templates of tailored shapes through the use of synthetic or man-made micropreforms, and then chemical conversion of such templates by controlled chemical reactions into near net-shaped, micro- and nano-components of desired compositions. The basic idea of this invention is to obtain a synthetic microtemplate with a desired shape and with desired surface features, and then to convert the microtemplate into a different material through the use of chemical reactions.

Shaped microcomponents via reactive conversion of synthetic microtemplates

A method for manufacturing oriented arrays of ceramic or metal oxide nanostructures, such as titania (TiO) nanofibers. The nanofibers are formed on the surface of a body that is first sintered at a temperature in the range of about 1,100 to about 1,400 degrees Celsius. Subsequently, the surface is exposed to an H-bearing gas, such as Hand Nin a ratio of about 5:95 at about 700 degrees Celsius for about 8 hours. During heat treatment in the gas phase reaction, sintered titania grains transform into arrays of nanofibers oriented in the same crystallographic direction.

Method of forming nanostructures on ceramics

The present invention is focused on a revolutionary, low-cost (highly-scaleable) approach for the mass production of three-dimensional microcomponents: the biological reproduction of naturally-derived, biocatalytically-derived, and/or genetically-tailored three-dimensional microtemplates (e.g., frustules of diatoms, microskeletons of radiolarians, shells of mollusks) with desired dimensional features, followed by reactive conversion of such microtemplates into microcomponents with desired compositions that differ from the starting microtemplate and with dimensional features that are similar to those of the starting microtemplate. Because the shapes of such microcomponents may be tailored through genetic engineering of the shapes of the microtemplates, such microcomposites are considered to be Genetically-Engineered Materials (GEMs).

Shaped microcomponents via reactive conversion of biologically-derived microtemplates

Shaped microcomponent via reactive conversion of biologically-derived microtemplates

The present invention is a method for fabricating shaped monolithic ceramics and ceramic composites, and the ceramics and composites made thereby. The method of the present invention includes three basic steps: (1) Synthesis or other acquisition of a porous preform with an appropriate composition, pore fraction, and overall shape is prepared or obtained. The pore fraction of the preform is tailored so that the reaction-induced increase in solid volume can compensate partially or completely for such porosity. It will be understood that the porous preform need only be sufficiently dimensionally stable to resist the capillary action of the infiltrated liquid reactant; (2) Infiltration: The porous preform is infiltrated with a liquid reactant; and (3) Reaction: The liquid reactant is allowed to react partially or completely with the solid preform to produce a dense, shaped body containing desired ceramic phase(s). The reaction in step (3) above is a displacement reaction of the following general type between a liquid species, M(l), and a solid preform comprising the compound, N X (s): AM(l)&plus;N X (s)&equals;AMX (s)&plus;BN(l/g) where MX (s) is a solid reaction product (X is a metalloid element, such as, for example, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, etc.) and N(l/g) is a fluid (liquid or gas) reaction product. A, B and C are molar coefficients.

Method for fabricating shaped monolithic ceramics and ceramic composites through displacive compensation of porosity, and ceramics and composites made thereby

The present invention includes free-standing, shaped ceramic-bearing bodies useful in fluid sensors, filters, and catalyst devices. The invention also includes methods and processes for using such devices. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, shaped metallic foils are converted into free-standing, porous rutile foils having an open pore structure by oxidation at an elevated temperature. The exposure of such foils to increasing concentrations of reducing gases such as carbon monoxide results in an increase in the steady-state electrical resistance. The resultant ceramic-bearing bodies may be used as effective sensors of reducing gas species in such applications as automobile and industrial emissions. The ceramic-bearing bodies may also be used to filter out a species of a fluid, or solid particulates contained in the fluid, or catalyze reactions of a species in the fluid, such as effectively changing a harmful species like hydrocarbon gases into a relatively harmless species such as carbon dioxide and water vapor before releasing the fluid into the atmosphere, etc.

Free-standing fluid sensors, filters, and catalyst devices, and methods involving same

The present invention includes uranium-bearing ceramic phase electrodes and electrolysis apparatus and electrolysis methods featuring same, including methods of metal production and the like by the electrolytic reduction of oxides or salts of the respective metals. More particularly, the invention relates to an inert type electrode composition, and methods for fabricating electrode compositions, useful in the electrolytic production of such metals. The present invention also includes an inert-type electrode composition, and methods for fabricating electrode compositions, used in processes for generating energy from fossil fuels.

Electrolysis apparatus and methods using urania in electrodes, and methods of producing reduced substances from oxidized substances

This invention relates to methods and apparatus useful in the ceramics industry. More specifically, this invention relates to the fabrication of high melting, wear-resistant ceramics and ceramic composites at low temperatures. The method involves reacting (1) a fluid formed from melting a metal alloy, comprising at least one reactive metal and at least one non-reactive metal, and having a melting temperature substantially below the product material melting point, typically below about 1500 C., with (2) a rigid, porous material. The reaction should occur for a sufficient time to allow the liquid to infiltrate the porous material and allow the active metal(s) to react with the porous material so as to form a ceramic or ceramic composite having a melting temperature substantially higher than 1500 C.

Method for fabricating high-melting, wear-resistant ceramics and ceramic composites at low temperatures

Method for fabricating shaped monolithic ceramics

The present invention includes a method for oxygenating oxide superconductive materials, and superconductive oxide materials made by said method. In broadest terms, the method of the present invention is based on an oxygenation strategy which uses temperatures higher than those typically used in the final stages of the oxygenation processes of the prior art. In the method of the present invention, higher oxygen chemical potentials are used to access higher temperatures to allow for higher oxygen diffusivity without a significant decrease in oxygen solubility. The present invention includes a method of oxygenating a rare earth-bearing oxide superconductive material having an initial oxygen content, the method comprising the steps: (a) obtaining a rare earth-bearing oxide superconductive material, the material having an initial oxygen content; and (b) placing the rare earth-bearing oxide superconductive material in contact an oxygen-containing media having an oxygen chemical potential greater than that of pure diatomic oxygen at 1 atmosphere pressure and at 300&deg; C., and raising the temperature of the rare earth-bearing oxide superconductive material to a temperature above about 400&deg; C., and maintaining the rare earth-bearing oxide superconductive material at the temperature and under the chemical potential of oxygen for sufficient time so as to alter the oxygen content of the rare earth-bearing oxide superconductive material from the initial oxygen content.

Method of oxygenating oxide superconductive materials

Growing community of inventors

Upper Arlington, OH, United States of America

Kenneth Henry Sandhage