Raouf O Loutfy

US Patent:

6511766, Jan 28, 2003

Filed:

Jun 8, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/591191

Inventors:

Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ
Mathias Hecht - Tucson AZ

Assignee:

Materials and Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

H01M 200

US Classification:

429 34, 429 38, 429143, 429249

Abstract:

A bipolar or unipolar separator plate for an electrochemical fuel cell is formed of an insulating slab of plastic material such as a polymer matrix having a plurality of electrically conductive elements embedded therein for conducting electricity from an adjacent electrode of the cell to an electrical conductor on the opposite side of the slab for deriving electricity from the cell. The conducting elements are preferably formed of aligned carbon fiber composite cylinders and the insulating slab is formed of a plastic such as epoxy, polyamide, polystyrene, polyphenylene oxide or polyphenylene sulfide molded around the conductive elements.

US Patent:

6520219, Feb 18, 2003

Filed:

Aug 31, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/945251

Inventors:

Vladimir I. Shapovalov - Tucson AZ
Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ

Assignee:

Materials and Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

B65B 104

US Classification:

141 4, 141237

Abstract:

A compressed gas such as hydrogen is stored at elevated pressure by introducing it into a plurality of storage cells having a common gas distribution manifold thereby maintaining the same pressure in all cells. The flow of gas between the manifold in any given cell is blocked in the event of a sudden pressure drop in such cell such as may occur in the event of a leak in the cell. Preferably, the cells are constructed in modular form to include a plurality of the cells and the modular material is preferably made of porous gasar material. The low pressure, i. e. , leaky cell, is preferably blocked by a closure formed of pliable rubber like material that is forced against the passageway leading from the manifold to the cell by higher gas pressure in the manifold, which occurs when the pressure becomes lower in the given cell due to a leak.

US Patent:

6695974, Feb 24, 2004

Filed:

Jan 29, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/059716

Inventors:

James C. Withers - Tucson AZ
Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ

Assignee:

Materials and Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

C09K 500

US Classification:

252 70, 16510419

Abstract:

A novel fluid heat transfer agent suitable for use in a closed heat transfer system, for example, wherein energy is transferred between an evaporator and a condenser in heat exchange relationship with the heat transfer agent that is caused to flow from one to the other. The novel heat transfer agent is a complex comprising a body of heat transfer fluid, for example, ethylene glycol or water, having suspended therein carbon nanoparticles in a quantity sufficient to enhance the thermal conductivity of the body of heat transfers fluid, per se. The carbon nanoparticles are selected from carbon in the form of sp type and sp type bonding and preferably comprise nanotubes or fullerenes and may have a coupling agent bonded thereto or enclosed therein when the nanotube or fullerene forms a hollow capsule. The coupling agent may be a polar organic group covalently bonded to the carbon nanoparticles and miscible in the fluid medium.

US Patent:

6723279, Apr 20, 2004

Filed:

Mar 15, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/268251

Inventors:

James C. Withers - Tucson AZ
Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ
Sion M. Pickard - Tuscon AZ
Kenneth J. Newell - Tucson AZ
William B. Kelly - Tucson AZ

Assignee:

Materials and Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation - Tuscon AZ

International Classification:

B22F 326

US Classification:

419 27, 419 12, 419 14

Abstract:

Golf club structures, including club heads and shafts, composed of composites comprised of a matrix of metal, such as an aluminum alloy, or a plastic material and a fiber such as graphite or a ceramic, which may be whiskerized, and which may also be selectively weighted as in the toe and heel of a club head, with heavy particles such as tungsten metal. The club structure may also be surface hardened by applying a coating of fullerenes to a metal club structure and heat treating it to produce a hard coating of metal carbide, preferably by coating a titanium golf club structure with fullerenes and heat treating the coated structure to produce a titanium carbide surface.

US Patent:

6882094, Apr 19, 2005

Filed:

Feb 16, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/784910

Inventors:

Steven Dimitrijevic - Tucson AZ, US
James C. Withers - Tucson AZ, US
Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ, US

Assignee:

Fullerene International Corporation - Dover DE

International Classification:

H01J001/14
H01J001/146
H01J009/00
H01J009/04
H01J019/06

US Classification:

313346R, 313309, 313310, 313311, 313351, 313336, 445 50, 445 51

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to a nanotube coated with diamond or diamond-like carbon, a field emitter cathode comprising same, and a field emitter comprising the cathode. It is also directed to a method of preventing the evaporation of carbon from a field emitter comprising a cathode comprised of nanotubes by coating the nanotube with diamond or diamond-like carbon. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of preventing the evaporation of carbon from an electron field emitter comprising a cathode comprised of nanotubes, which method comprises coating the nanotubes with diamond or diamond-like carbon.

US Patent:

6949304, Sep 27, 2005

Filed:

Jun 12, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/867380

Inventors:

Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ, US
Perumal Pugazhendhi - Tucson AZ, US
Ken Tasaki - Goleta CA, US
Arunkumar Venkatesan - Santa Barbara CA, US

Assignee:

MC Research & Innovation Center - CA
Materials and Electrochemical Resarch (MER) Corp. - AZ

International Classification:

H01M008/10

US Classification:

429 33, 429 30

Abstract:

Proton conductive fullerene materials are incorporated in minor amounts into various polymeric materials to enhance the low relative humidity proton conductivity properties of the polymeric material. The resulting proton conductors may be used as polymer electrolyte membranes in fuel cells operative over a wide range of relative humidity conditions and over a wide range of temperatures from below room temperature to above the boiling point of water.

US Patent:

7052667, May 30, 2006

Filed:

Oct 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/283882

Inventors:

Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ, US
Alexander P. Moravsky - Tucson AZ, US
Timothy P. Lowe - Tucson AZ, US

Assignee:

Materials and Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

D01F 9/12

US Classification:

4234471, 977DIG 1

Abstract:

Single walled carbon nanotubes are selectively produced to the substantial exclusion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by subjecting a mixture of solid hydrocarbon, such as coal, and a transition metal catalyst, to heat generated by an RF induction system sufficient to vaporize both the solid hydrocarbon and the catalyst, and thereafter collecting the single walled carbon nanotubes thereby formed.

US Patent:

7279023, Oct 9, 2007

Filed:

Oct 2, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/677454

Inventors:

Sion M. Pickard - Tucson AZ, US
James C. Withers - Tucson AZ, US
Raouf O. Loutfy - Tucson AZ, US

Assignee:

Materials and Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

C22C 1/05
H01L 23/043

US Classification:

75243, 75245, 75249, 4285395, 257708, 257720

Abstract:

Discontinuous diamond particulate containing metal matrix composites of high thermal conductivity and methods for producing these composites are provided. The manufacturing method includes producing a thin reaction formed and diffusion bonded functionally graded interactive SiC surface layer on diamond particles. The interactive surface converted SiC coated diamond particles are then disposed into a mold and between the particles and permitted to rapidly solidify under pressure. The surface conversion interactive SiC coating on the diamond particles achieves minimal interface thermal resistance with the metal matrix which translates into good mechanical strength and stiffness of the composites and facilitates near theoretical thermal conductivity levels to be attained in the composite. Secondary working of the diamond metal composite can be performed for producing thin sheet product.