William Marsh Rice University

Lockheed Martin Corporation

University of California

Arizona State University

Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

The University of Texas System

Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.

Michael Wong

Vinit S Murthy

Galen D Stucky

Paul K Westerhoff

Steven L Sinsabaugh

Robert J MacDonald

Kenneth W Epstein

Douglas B Pereyda

Daniel H Hada

Allan L Chan

Robert M Heath

David P Kennon

Gautam Chandrakanth Kini

Sibani Lisa Biswal

Madhuri Thakur

James J Connors

Rohit K Rana

Michael J Vogel

Larry Y Hsu

Michael B Prewitt

Edward W Szeto

Gene Spencer Ogden

Scott Lee Wellington

James Mitchell Tour

Wei Lu

Israel E Wachs

Lewis R Norman

Paul K Hansma

Timothy J Deming

Nikolaos Soultanidis

Shahnawaz Sinha

Li Chen

Matteo Pasquali

Houman Michael Shammai

Mark Joseph Isaacson

George J Hirasaki

Gedeng Ruan

Daniel E Morse

Chih-Chau Hwang

Clarence A Miller

Rafael Verduzco

Sivaram Pradhan

Ernest R Bedegrew

John H Harreld

Jennifer Cha

Dino Villagran

Sergio Garcia-Segura

Donald E Damon

Steven D Mettler

Chau N Pham

Howard D Trudeau

David L Sutphin

Jonathan Josue Calvillo Solis

Rishabh Bansal

Ammar S Alkhawaldeh

William V Knowles

Henrik Birkedal

Michael H Bartl

Jan L Sumerel

Mason B Tomson

Amy Kan

Lu Wang

Hitesh Ghanshyam Bagaria

Wen Yin Lynn Ko

Zongchao Zhang

Muhammed K Gheith

Yu-Lun Fang

A method of electrochemical sensing includes providing an electrochemical sensor comprising a glassy carbon substrate and gold nanoparticles located on a surface of the glassy carbon substrate; and sensing electrochemically a compound selected from the group consisting of polyfluoroalkyl compounds or perfluoroalkyl compounds using the electrochemical sensor. PFOA quantification was performed by Square Wave Adsorptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (SW-AdCSV) in test solutions with a 100-5,000 ppt concentration. The concentration has a linear relationship with the stripping current within this range. Analysis of tap and groundwater samples performed by additions method demonstrated precision and accuracy above 95%. These electrodes show stability throughout 200 cycles, and reproducibility across similarly prepared but different electrodes above 97.5%. Providing the electrochemical sensor can include providing at least one member selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-1-octanethiol (PFTO), 2,2,2-trifluoroethanethiol (TFET) or perfluorodecanethiol (PFDT) on the surface of the glassy carbon substrate.

Electrochemical sensing of PFAS using gold nanoparticle functionalized electrodes

An electrode includes an electrically conductive substrate with a coating containing boron-doped diamond (BDD) nanoparticles. Fabricating the electrode can include dispersing BDD nanoparticles in a solvent to yield a suspension, coating a conductive substrate with the suspension, and drying the suspension to yield the electrode. In some cases, fabricating the electrode includes combining BDD nanoparticles with a polymeric resin precursor to yield a mixture including a metal oxide, coating a conductive substrate with the mixture to yield a coated substrate, and calcining the coated substrate to yield a metal oxide coating including BDD nanoparticles. In certain cases, fabricating the electrode includes combining powdered activated carbon with polymeric linkers to yield a polymeric precursor solution, combining BDD nanoparticles with the polymeric precursor solution to yield a mixture, coating a conductive substrate with the mixture to yield a coated substrate, and crosslinking the polymeric linkers to yield the electrode.

Nano-sized boron-doped diamond (BDD) enabled electrodes

Asphaltene produced during the production of hydrocarbons in an underground reservoir may be reduced and decomposed by introducing into the underground reservoir a fluid having a catalyst of from about 3 to about 7% Ni with a magnesium oxide support or a catalyst of from about 15 to about 25% tungsten oxide with a zirconium oxide support or a mixture thereof. The viscosity of heavy oil within the underground reservoir is reduced in the presence of the catalyst.

Method for decomposing asphaltene using a supported catalyst

Improved methods of making anhydrosugars by pyrolysis of a substrate sugar to remove at least one water molecule thereby producing a desired anhydrosugar and side products, the improvement being either 1) protecting one hydroxyl group of the substrate sugar before pyrolysis; or (2) pretreating the substrate sugar with a metal salt and optional acid before pyrolysis, wherein lower amounts of said side products are produced by said improved method.

Anhydrosugar synthesis

Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to porous silicon particulates and anode materials that contain them. In some embodiments, each of the porous silicon particulates include a plurality of macropores, mesopores and micropores such that the micropores and mesopores are within the macropores. The porous silicon particulates also contain: a coating associated with the porous silicon particulates; and a binding material associated with the porous silicon particulates. The binding material can include binders, carbon materials, polymers, metals, additives, carbohydrates, and combinations thereof.

Porous silicon particulates with micropores and mesopores within macropores

Various embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to nanocomposites for detecting hydrocarbons in a geological structure. In some embodiments, the nanocomposites include: a core particle; a polymer associated with the core particle; a sulfur-based moiety associated with the polymer; and a releasable probe molecule associated with the core particle, where the releasable probe molecule is releasable from the core particle upon exposure to hydrocarbons. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of detecting hydrocarbons in a geological structure by utilizing the nanocomposites of the present disclosure.

Nanocomposite oil sensors for downhole hydrocarbon detection

In some embodiments, the present invention provides novel methods of preparing porous silicon films and particles for lithium ion batteries. In some embodiments, such methods generally include: (1) etching a silicon material by exposure of the silicon material to a constant current density in a solution to produce a porous silicon film over a substrate; and (2) separating the porous silicon film from the substrate by gradually increasing the electric current density in sequential increments. In some embodiments, the methods of the present invention may also include a step of associating the porous silicon film with a binding material. In some embodiments, the methods of the present invention may also include a step of splitting the porous silicon film to form porous silicon particles. Additional embodiments of the present invention pertain to anode materials derived from the porous silicon films and porous silicon particles.

Anode battery materials and methods of making the same

An improved process for converting an oil suspension of nanoparticles (NPs) into a water suspension of NPs, wherein water and surfactant and a non-surfactant salt is used instead of merely water and surfactant, leading to greatly improved NP aqueous suspensions.

Converting nanoparticles in oil to aqueous suspensions

A method for the encapsulation and triggered-release of water-soluble or water-dispersible materials. The method comprises a) providing an amount of electrolyte having a charge, b) providing an amount of counterion having a valence of at least 2, c) combining the polyelectrolyte and the counterion in a solution such that the polyelectrolyte self-assembles to form aggregates, d) adding a compound to be encapsulated, and e) adding nanoparticles to the solution such that nanoparticles arrange themselves around the aggregates. Release of the encapsulated species is triggered by disassembly or deformation of the microcapsules though disruption of the charge interactions. This method is specifically useful for the controlled viscosity reduction of the fracturing fluids commonly utilized in the oil field.

Nano-encapsulated triggered-release viscosity breaker

The invention generally relates to the ultrasmall MOnanoparticles that are made in a solvothermal method using water soluble inorganic ammonium salt precursors of the MOand organic amines, and slow heating to generate uniform ultrasmall MOnanoparticles of 5 nm or less, as well as methods to make and use same.

Synthesis of ultrasmall metal oxide nanoparticles

Methods of nanoencapsulation are described herein. Embodiments of the method utilize the coacervation of a cationic polyelectrolyte with an anionic polyelectrolyte to form a novel capsular matrix. In particular, the novel methods may be used to encapsulate a suspension of a hydrophobic material such as a carotenoid. The disclosed methods do not require lengthy pH adjustments nor do they require the use of any toxic crosslinking agents. In one embodiment, a method of encapsulation comprises dispersing a hydrophobic compound in an organic solvent to form a solution. The method also comprises admixing an anionic polyelectrolyte and a cationic polyelectrolyte with the suspension to form a mixture. In addition, the method comprises quiescently cooling the mixture so as to cause self-crosslinking of a capsular matrix encapsulating the hydrophobic particles.

Method for nanoencapsulation

A method for making inhomogeneous microparticles comprises a) providing an amount of each of at least two polyelectrolytes having a charge, b) providing an amount of a counterion having a valence of at least 2, c) combining the polyelectrolytes and the counterion in a solution such that the polyelectrolyte self-assembles to form inhomogeneous aggregates, and d) adding nanoparticles to the solution such that nanoparticles arrange themselves around the inhomogeneous aggregates to form inhomogeneous particles. The polyelectrolyte may have a positive or negative charge. The charge ratio R of total charge of the counterions to the total charge of the polyelectrolyte may be greater than 1.0.

Method to fabricate inhomogeneous particles

New methods for the synthesis of nanocrystals/quantum dots are disclosed. The methods comprise use of reasonably-priced and commercially available heat transfer fluids (such as Dowtherm&#xae; A) as solvents to synthesize CdSe nanocrystals. Separation of nucleation and growth is achieved by quenching the reaction solution with relatively cold (room temperature) solvent to lower the solution temperature. Quenching may be followed by raising the solution temperature, to allow controlled growth to take place.

Solvents and new method for the synthesis of CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals

A method for making hollow nanoparticles, comprises a) providing an amount of a polyelectrolyte having a charge, b) providing an amount of a counterion having a valence of at least 2, c) combining the polyelectrolyte and the counterion in a solution such that the polyelectrolyte self-assembles to form spherical aggregates, and d) adding nanoparticles to the solution such that nanoparticles arrange themselves around the spherical aggregates. The polyelectrolyte may have a positive or negative charge. The charge ratio R of total charge of the counterions to the total charge of the polyelectrolyte is greater than 1.0.

Method to fabricate microcapsules from polymers and charged nanoparticles

A process for making a porous catalyst, comprises a) providing an aqueous solution containing a nanoparticle precursor, b) forming a composition containing nanoparticles, c) adding a first catalytic component or precursor thereof and a pore-forming agent to the composition containing nanoparticles and allowing the first catalytic component, the pore-forming agent, and the nanoparticles form an organic-inorganic structure, d) removing water from the organic-inorganic structure; and e) removing the pore-forming agent from the organic-inorganic structure so as to yield a porous catalyst.

Supported catalysts using nanoparticles as the support material

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Michael Wong