William Marsh Rice University

Nextstream Heavy Oil, LLC

Wilbur Edward Billups

Valery Khabashesku

Haiqing Peng

Mary Lou Margrave, Legal Representative

Yunming Ying

Scott Lee Wellington

John L Margrave

Houman Michael Shammai

Sivaram Pradhan

Pradeep Venkataraman

Manjusha Verma

Asphaltene may be effectively broken into smaller molecules by first elucidating the structure of the asphaltene and then developing a catalyst system based on the elucidated structure. The structure may be determined based on a series of analytical techniques including NMR, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and LDI. The most probable structure is determined using computational methods based on quantum mechanics and classical molecular dynamics and the catalyst system is developed for the most probable structure.

Viscosity reduction of crude oil through structure determination of asphaltene molecule

A method for functionalizing the wall of single-wall or multi-wall carbon nanotubes involves the use of acyl peroxides to generate carbon-centered free radicals. The method allows for the chemical attachment of a variety of functional groups to the wall or end cap of carbon nanotubes through covalent carbon bonds without destroying the wall or endcap structure of the nanotube. Carbon-centered radicals generated from acyl peroxides can have terminal functional groups that provide sites for further reaction with other compounds. Organic groups with terminal carboxylic acid functionality can be converted to an acyl chloride and further reacted with an amine to form an amide or with a diamine to form an amide with terminal amine. The reactive functional groups attached to the nanotubes provide improved solvent dispersibility and provide reaction sites for monomers for incorporation in polymer structures. The nanotubes can also be functionalized by generating free radicals from organic sulfoxides.

Method for functionalizating carbon naontubes utilizing peroxides

Method for functionalizing carbon nanotubes utilizing peroxides

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Wilbur Edward Billups