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| 20090082474 | HIGHLY DISPERSIBLE CARBON NANOSPHERES IN A POLAR SOLVENT AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The particle sizes of agglomerates of carbon nanospheres are reduced by dispersing the carbon nanospheres in a polar solvent. The carbon nanospheres are multi-walled, hollow, graphitic structures with an average diameter in a range from about 10 nm to about 200 nm, more preferably about 20 nm to about 100 nm. Spectral data shows that prior to being dispersed, the carbon nanospheres are agglomerated into clusters that range in size from 500 nm to 5 microns. The clusters of nanospheres are reduced in size by dispersing the carbon nanospheres in the polar solvent (e.g., water) using a surface modifying agent (e.g., glucose) and ultrasonication. The combination of polar solvent, surface modifying agent, and ultrasonication breaks up and disperses agglomerates of carbon nanospheres. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090093554 | HIGHLY DISPERSIBLE CARBON NANOSPHERES IN AN ORGANIC SOLVENT AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME - The particle sizes of agglomerates of carbon nanospheres are reduced by dispersing the carbon nanospheres in an organic solvent. The carbon nanospheres are multi-walled, hollow, graphitic structures with an average diameter in a range from about 10 nm to about 200 nm, more preferably about 20 nm to about 100 nm. Spectral data shows that prior to being dispersed, the carbon nanospheres are agglomerated into clusters that range in size from 500 nm to 5 microns. The clusters of nanospheres are reduced in size by dispersing the carbon nanospheres in an organic solvent containing at least one heteroatom (e.g., NMP) using ultrasonication. The combination of organic solvent and ultrasonication breaks up and disperses agglomerates of carbon nanospheres. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090093582 | FUNCTIONALIZATION OF CARBON NANOSHPERES BY SEVERE OXIDATIVE TREATMENT - Carbon nanostructures are formed from a carbon precursor and catalytic templating nanoparticles and are treated with a severe oxidative agent to introduce oxygen-containing functional groups to the surface of the graphitic material. Methods for manufacturing carbon nanostructures generally include (1) forming a precursor mixture that includes a carbon precursor and a plurality of catalytic templating particles, (2) carbonizing the precursor mixture to form an intermediate carbon material including carbon nanostructures, amorphous carbon, and catalytic metal, (3) purifying the intermediate carbon material by removing at least a portion of the amorphous carbon and optionally at least a portion of the catalytic metal, and (4) treating the intermediate carbon material with a severe oxidative treatment to increase surface functionalization. Examples of oxidative treatments include (i) a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid, (ii) a solution of hydrogen peroxide, or (iii) a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20100133481 | POLYMERIC MATERIALS INCORPORATING CARBON NANOSTRUCTURES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME - The present invention relates to novel composites that incorporate carbon nanospheres into a polymeric material. The polymeric material can be any polymer or polymerizable material compatible with graphitic materials. The carbon nanospheres are hollow, graphitic nanoparticles. The carbon nanospheres can be manufactured from a carbon precursor using templating catalytic nanoparticles. The unique size, shape, and electrical properties of the carbon nanospheres impart beneficial properties to the composites incorporating these nanomaterials. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20110095238 | POLYMERIC MATERIALS INCORPORATING CARBON NANOMATERIALS - The present invention relates to novel composites that incorporate carbon nanospheres into a polymeric material. The polymeric material can be any polymer or polymerizable material compatible with graphitic materials. The carbon nanospheres are hollow, graphitic nanoparticles. The carbon nanospheres can be manufactured from a carbon precursor using templating catalytic nanoparticles. The unique size, shape, and electrical properties of the carbon nanospheres impart beneficial properties to the composites incorporating these nanomaterials. | 04-28-2011 |
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| 20090036940 | HYPERTENSION DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY USING PRESSURE SENSOR - An example relates to a method for sensing a pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and providing a sensed PAP signal, detecting an abnormal blood pressure (BP) condition using information from the sensed PAP signal, delivering a pacing energy to a heart, and automatically altering at least one pacing characteristic in response to the detected abnormal BP condition. The detecting an abnormal BP condition can include detecting various forms of hypertension or hypotension. The automatically altering the at least one pacing characteristic can include automatically altering at least one of a pacing rate, a pacing waveform, an atriventricular (AV) delay, an interventricular (VV) delay, a pacing mode, or a pacing site. The method can also include delivering vagal nerve stimulation and automatically altering the vagal nerve stimulation in response to the detected abnormal BP condition. The detecting the abnormal BP condition can also include using a sensed auxiliary physiological parameter. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20100010559 | EVENT-BASED BATTERY MONITOR FOR IMPLANTABLE DEVICES - A remaining charge capacity of a battery having an initial charge capacity is monitored. The battery powers a remote implantable medical device (IMD) that includes an active state, during which the remote IMD performs at least one function, and an inactive state, during which the remote IMD performs no functions. An active state charge consumption is computed based on stored parameters associated with an operational charge consumption for each function, and an inactive state charge consumption is computed based on a leakage current associated with the inactive state and a time the remote IMD is in the inactive state. The active state charge consumption and inactive state charge consumption are subtracted from the initial charge capacity to determine the remaining charge capacity. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100317977 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE WITH INTERNAL PIEZOELECTRIC ENERGY HARVESTING - Methods, systems, and apparatus for powering and/or recharging medical devices implanted within the body are described. An illustrative power generation module disposable within the interior space of an implantable medical device includes a module body that defines an interior cavity as well as a flexible diaphragm that spans the interior cavity. The flexible diaphragm includes a first electrical conductor, a piezoelectric layer disposed adjacent to the first electrical conductor, and a second electrical conductor disposed adjacent to the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer is configured to displace within the interior cavity and generate a voltage differential between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100331905 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL OF ANTI-TACHYARRHYTHMIA PACING USING HEMODYNAMIC SENSOR - A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system includes an implantable medical device that delivers anti-tachyarrhythmia therapies including anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing (ATP) and a hemodynamic sensor that senses a hemodynamic signal. The implantable medical device includes a hemodynamic sensor-controlled closed-loop ATP system that uses the hemodynamic signal for ATP capture verification. When ATP pulses are delivered according to a selected ATP protocol to terminate a tachyarrhythmia episode, the implantable medical device performs the ATP capture verification by detecting an effective cardiac contraction from the hemodynamic signal. The ATP protocol is adjusted using an outcome of the ATP capture verification. | 12-30-2010 |
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| 20090060832 | HYDROGEN STORAGE USING POROUS CARBON NANOSPHERES - Hydrogen is stored by adsorbing the hydrogen to a carbon nanomaterial that includes carbon nanospheres. The carbon nanospheres are multi-walled, hollow carbon nanostructures with a maximum diameter in a range from about 10 nm to about 200 nm. The nanospheres have an irregular outer surface and an aspect ratio of less than 3:1. The carbon nanospheres can store hydrogen in quantities of at least 1.0% by weight. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20100038263 | HYDROGEN STORAGE APPARATUS USING POROUS CARBON NANOSPHERES - Hydrogen is stored by adsorbing the hydrogen to a carbon nanomaterial that includes carbon nanospheres. The carbon nanospheres are multi-walled, hollow carbon nanostructures with a maximum diameter in a range from about 10 nm to about 200 nm. The nanospheres have an irregular outer surface with graphitic defects and an aspect ratio of less than 3:1. The carbon nanospheres can store hydrogen in quantities of at least 1.0% by weight. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100092370 | PREPARATION OF A CARBON NANOMATERIAL USING A REVERSE MICROEMULSION - Powdered, amorphous carbon nanomaterials are formed from a carbon precursor in reverse microemulsion that includes organic solvent, surfactant and water. Methods for manufacturing amorphous, powdered carbon nanomaterials generally include steps of (1) forming a reverse microemulsion including at least one non-polar solvent, at least one surfactant, and at least one polar solvent, (2) adding at least one carbon precursor substance to the reverse microemulsion, (3) reacting the at least one carbon precursor substance so as to form an intermediate carbon nanomaterial, (4) separating the intermediate amorphous carbon nanomaterial from the reverse microemulsion, and (5) heating the intermediate amorphous carbon nanomaterial for a period of time so as to yield an amorphous, powdered carbon nanomaterial. Amorphous, powdered carbon nanomaterials manufactured according to the present disclosure typically have a surface area of at least 500 m | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100125035 | CARBON NANOSTRUCTURES MANUFACTURED FROM CATALYTIC TEMPLATING NANOPARTICLES - Methods for manufacturing carbon nanostructures include: 1) forming a plurality of catalytic templating particles using a plurality of dispersing agent molecules; 2) forming an intermediate carbon nanostructure by polymerizing a carbon precursor in the presence of the plurality of templating nanoparticles; 3) carbonizing the intermediate carbon nanostructure to form a composite nanostructure; and 4) removing the templating nanoparticles from the composite nanostructure to yield the carbon nanostructures. The carbon nanostructures are well-suited for use as a catalyst support. The carbon nanostructures exhibit high surface area, high porosity, and high graphitization. Carbon nanostructures according to the invention can be used as a substitute for more expensive and likely more fragile carbon nanotubes. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100196246 | METHODS FOR MITIGATING AGGLOMERATION OF CARBON NANOSPHERES USING A CRYSTALLIZING DISPERSANT - Novel methods for manufacturing carbon nanostructures (e.g., carbon nanospheres) that are highly dispersed include forming a precursor composition, polymerizing the precursor composition, and carbonizing the polymerized material (e.g., through pyrolysis) to form the carbon nanostructures. The precursor composition includes catalytic metals and a crystallizing dispersant. The crystallizing dispersant forms a crystalline phase in the polymerized precursor material which facilitates the formation of dispersed carbon nanostructures during the carbonation step. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100311869 | POLYMERIC MATERIALS INCORPORATING CARBON NANOSTRUCTURES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME - The present invention relates to novel composites that incorporate carbon nanospheres into a polymeric material. The polymeric material can be any polymer or polymerizable material compatible with graphitic materials. The carbon nanospheres are hollow, graphitic nanoparticles. The carbon nanospheres can be manufactured from a carbon precursor using templating catalytic nanoparticles. The unique size, shape, and electrical properties of the carbon nanospheres impart beneficial properties to the composites incorporating these nanomaterials. | 12-09-2010 |
