Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Other

Raymond A Young

Ferencz S Denes

Sorin Odisei Manolache

J Leon Shohet

Alvaro De Jesus Martinez-Gomez

Majid Sarmadi

Abdolmajid Sarmadi

Zhihong Zheng

Dorel Feldman

John C Volin

Zhong-Qiang Hua

Zhong-Quiang Hua

Ramaswami Ganapathy

Seeds are treated in a cold plasma in a reaction chamber to etch the surface of the seeds to remove surface materials, such as fungicides and insecticides, or to disinfect the surfaces. The cold plasma process is carried out using etch gases which do not harm the seeds and for selected periods of time sufficient to remove surface materials without necessarily affecting the viability of live seeds after treatment. Tumbling the seeds while exposing the seeds to the plasma allows the surfaces of the seeds to be etched uniformly.

Cold-plasma treatment of seeds to remove surface materials

A wide variety of substrates can be functionalized to attach spacer molecules therein by exposing the substrates to a cold plasma ignited in dichlorosilane, silicon tetrachloride or hexachlorodisilane gas to implant silicon-chlorine functionalities in the substrate surface. The plasma implanted surface functionalities can then be utilized to initiate second stage gas phase derivatization reactions to form linker molecules attached to the substrate. Active biomolecules such as enzymes can then be bound to the exposed linker molecules to bind the bioactive molecules to the substrate while allowing freedom of movement and conformation of the bound molecule comparable to that of the free molecule.

Process for intercalation of spacer molecules between substrates and active biomolecules

A method and apparatus for reacting dense-medium chemicals in an induced plasma state and novel reaction products resulting from the method are described.

Method for reactions in dense-medium plasmas and products formed thereby

Treatment in a plasma of a composite reinforcing agent improves the bonding of the agent to the cement portion of the composite. This method facilitates the use of inexpensive readily available light, high tensile strength fibers as reinforcing agents. The reinforcing agents are activated by providing on the surface thereof charged atoms compatible with the cementitious portion of a composite desired to be strengthened.

Fiber-reinforced cementitious composites

Liquid phase polymers deposited upon a substrate are cross-linked in the presence of a non-polymer-forming gas plasma to produce solid polymer coatings having improved chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties. The properties of the polymer layers formed in the method may be exploited by producing microelectronic circuitry, optical materials, and barrier coatings for a variety of substrate materials.

Polymeric thin layer materials

A method and apparatus for reacting dense-phase chemicals in an induced plasma state, as well as unique reaction products resulting from the method and apparatus, are described. The dense medium plasma reactor generally includes a reaction vessel containing an upper rotatable electrode and a lower static electrode, a device for rotating the upper electrode, a reactant recirculation line, structural elements capable of maintaining the contents of the reaction vessel at atmospheric temperature, and structural elements for cooling the contents of the reaction vessel. Each electrode constitutes a hollow shaft having a first end and a second end which terminates in a disk-shaped planar face. The electrodes are in vertical alignment with one another so that their disc-shaped planar faces are facing one another with a small planar gap located therebetween. The upper rotatable electrode also includes a plurality of ports located circumferentially about its shaft. The method for reacting dense-phase chemicals includes the steps of loading the dense-phase reactant into the reaction vessel, rapidly rotating the upper rotatable electrode, and applying a low voltage direct electric current to the electrode faces. The apparatus and method produce unique reaction products including polyenes, polyynes and fullerene containing materials which exhibit magnetic properties and absorb electromagnetic radiation.

Apparatus for reactions in dense-medium plasmas

Knife sharpener

A knife sharpener includes an abrasive cylinder and a rectangular block for sharpening the opposed portions of a knife edge. The cylinder and block are urged together to form a sharpening notch in which the knife edge is received. The knife sharpener is particularly adapted for food slicing machines. The abrasive cylinder and block are mounted within a housing that is connected to a handle by the neck. The neck may be jointed to enable the housing to be positioned relative to the housing so that a radius of the knife perpendicularly bisects the length of the sharpening notch. The parallel planar surfaces of the handle and housing are aligned for resting against the baseplate of a food slicing machine to align the sharpening notch with the plane of the knife edge. The knife sharpener can thereby be set within the carriage tray, adjusted for proper positioning, and urged forward to receive the knife edge for sharpening.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Raymond A Young