The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 21, 2014
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2012
Ut-battelle, Llc, Oak Ridge, TN (US);
Nagraj Sheshgiri Kulkarni, Knoxville, TN (US);
Miroslaw Stefan Gruszkiewicz, Knoxville, TN (US);
Boyd Mccutchen Evans, III, Oak Ridge, TN (US);
UT-Battelle, LLC, Oak Ridge, TN (US);
Abstract
A method of controlling stoichiometry in a multicomponent material includes providing a solid sample comprising N elements and having a first composition in a main chamber, which is connected to at most N−1 reservoirs. Each of the reservoirs is configured to contain a vapor comprising one of the N elements, where N≧2. The solid sample is heated to a first temperature in the main chamber, and each of the reservoirs is heated to a first reservoir temperature (T, T. . . T) sufficient to achieve a predetermined vapor pressure of the vapor contained therein. The reservoirs are placed in gaseous communication with the main chamber, and thermodynamic equilibrium is achieved between the vapor from each of the reservoirs and the solid sample in the main chamber. Consequently, a stoichiometry of the solid sample is changed to arrive at a second composition thereof.