Recent Patents on Nanotechnology - Volume 8, Issue 3, 2014

Cell manipulation is instrumental in most biological applications. One of the most promising methods in handling cells and other biological particles is the magnetic manipulation technique. In this technique, magnetic nanoparticles are employed to magnetize cells. Such cells then can be manipulated, sorted, or separated by applying an external magnetic field. In this work, first recent works and patents on the synthesis methods used for producing magnetic nanoparticles are investigated. These methods include co-precipitation, solvothermal, electrical wire explosion, microemulsion, laser pyrolysis, spray pyrolysis and carbon reduction. Then recent patents and articles on surface modification and functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles using polymers, dithiocarbamate, superparamagnetic shells, antibodies, graphene shells, and fluorescent materials are reviewed. Finally, different techniques on magnetic cell manipulation, such as direct attaching of magnetic particles to cells, employing intercellular markers or extra support molecules, as well as magnetic thin films, microfluidic channels and magnetic beads, are studied.

The recent trends of US patents on the front transparent electrode of thin-film silicon (Si) photovoltaic (PV) devices are reviewed. The various transparent conductive oxide (TCO) materials have been invented to satisfy a multifunctional prerequisite for the front electrode: high electrical conductivity, high optical transparency, effective light trapping, anti-reflection effect, and diffusion barrier. The recent surge of filed patents reflects the great importance of the front TCO technology for high efficiency thin-film Si PV devices. Among the TCO materials, properties of commercially available F-doped tin oxide (SnO2:F)-coated glass substrates are compared. SnO2:F-coated glass substrates share 20-30% of the cost for production of thin-film Si PV modules - evaluated values from mass production at KISCO. Therefore, the cost and technological innovation must be established for cost-effective mass production of large-area thin-film Si multijunction PV modules.

Nanotechnology has been implemented widely in the automotive industry. This technology is particularly useful in coatings, fabrics, structural materials, fluids, lubricants, tires, and preliminary applications in smart glass/windows and video display systems. A special sub-class of improved materials, alternative energy, has also seen a boost from advances in nanotechnology, and continues to be an active research area. A correlation exists in the automotive industry between the areas with increased nanotechnology incorporation and those with increased profit margins via improvements and customer demands.

The aim of the article is to present a trend in patent filings for application of nanotechnology to the automobile sector across the world, using the keyword-based patent search. Overviews of the patents related to nano technology in the automobile industry have been provided. The current work has started from the worldwide patent search to find the patents on nanotechnology in the automobile industry and classify the patents according to the various parts of an automobile to which they are related and the solutions which they are providing. In the next step various graphs have been produced to get an insight into various trends. In next step, analysis of patents in various classifications, have been performed. The trends shown in graphs provide the quantitative analysis whereas; the qualitative analysis has been done in another section. The classifications of patents based on the solution they provide have been performed by reading the claims, titles, abstract and full texts separately. Patentability of nano technology inventions have been discussed in a view to give an idea of requirements and statutory bars to the patentability of nanotechnology inventions. Another objective of the current work is to suggest appropriate framework for the companies regarding use of nano technology in the automobile industry and a suggestive strategy for patenting of the inventions related to the same. For example, US Patent, with patent number US2008-019426A1 discusses the invention related to Lubricant composition. This patent has been studied and classified to fall under classification of automobile parts. After studying this patent, it is deduced that, the problem of friction in engine is being solved by this patent. One classification is the “automobile part” based while other is the basis of “problem being solved”. Hence, two classifications, namely reduction in friction and engine were created. Similarly, after studying all the patents, a similar matrix has been created.

In recent years, a large number of patents have been devoted to developing minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) grinding techniques that can significantly improve both environmentally conscious and energy saving and costeffective sustainable grinding fluid alternatives. Among them, one patent is about a controllable nano-fluids jet MQL grinding system based on electrostatic atomization. Using the principle of electrostatics, it can achieve the control of droplet transfer by charging the sprayed droplets. This system can improve the uniformity of the droplet spectrum, liquid deposition efficiency and effective utilization of liquid. It can also effectively control the movement patterns of the droplets, thereby reducing the pollution of the environment and providing better health protection for workers. Although researchers accomplished profound and systematic studies on MQL, especially on nano-particles jet MQL. It can solve the shortage of MQL in cooling performance, greatly improve the working environment, save energy and reduce costs to achieve a low-carbon manufacturing. The unique lubricating performance and tribological property of solid nano-particles form nano-particle shearing films at the grinding wheel/workpiece interface, which can enhance the lubricating performance of MQL grinding. Existing studies on MQL grinding equipments, however, cannot meet the needs of the technological development. Therefore, our research provided a general introduction of the latest patients and research progress of nanoparticles jet MQL grinding equipments presented by the research team from Qingdao Technological University.