Mashed Articles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7419624.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7419651.html

Many of the basic fabrication methods for single walled nanotube production have come from research out of Rice University. While most of Rice’s patents have previously focused on the single walled carbon nanotube type, a recent set of issued patents based on continuations (with priority going back to the 1990′s) have extended the patent coverage to “fullerene nanotubes” which may include double or multiwall nanotubes types that are being explored as field emitters and transparent electrodes in electronics and display applications.

US Patent 7419624 – Claims 1 and 3

1. A method of producing a composite material comprising fullerene nanotube material, wherein said fullerene nanotube material comprises fibers of fullerene nanotubes, and wherein said method comprises:
(a) preparing an assembly of a fibrous material;
(b) adding said fullerene nanotube material to said fibrous material; and
(c) adding a matrix material to said fullerene nanotube material and said fibrous material.

3. A composite material comprising fullerene nanotubes, a fibrous structural constituent and a matrix material, wherein the matrix material comprises a polymer and the fibrous structural constituent comprises carbon, and wherein the fullerene nanotubes comprise fullerene nanotube fibers.

(US Patent 7419651) Claims 1 and 13

1. A three-dimensional structure that self-assembles from derivatized fullerene nanotubes comprising: a plurality of multifunctional fullerene nanotubes assembled into said three-dimensional structure.

13. A structure formed by the process comprising:
(a) providing fullerene nanotubes derivatized with at least one functionally-specific agent;
(b) exposing the derivatized nanotubes to another moiety for which the functionally-specific agent has an attraction; and
(c) recovering assemblies formed by the derivatized nanotubes.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7416911.html

This patent from CalTech teaches forming a template which is possibly useful for the formation of molecular electronic devices using hydrogenated nanostructured surfaces including Si-H bonds. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for manufacturing molecular probes on semiconductor microstructures or nanostructures, the method comprising:

providing at least one microstructures or nanostructure, the microstructures or nanostructure comprising a surface region;

processing the surface region to form a hydrogenated surface on a portion of the surface region of the microstructure or nanostructure;

forming one or more electro active molecules overlying the surface region of the microstructure or nanostructure, selecting one or more microstructures or nanostructures by applying an electrical voltage from an external source with respect to a reference electrode to the one or more selected microstructures or nanostructures; and

forming one or more reactive sites on a portion of the one or more of the selected microstructures or nanostructures.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7414437.html

Nantero has started the ball rolling on nanoscale mechanical computers but others are also trying to develop similar devices. This patent from WARF discloses the formation of dual nanopillars to form electrical switches and connecting the electrical switches to form basic logic and computational structures. Claim 1 reads:

1. An electrical switching element comprising:

at least one first nanoscale pillar extending upward from a substrate between first opposed electrodes to flex between the first electrodes; and

at least one second nanoscale pillar extending upward from the substrate between second opposed electrodes, the second nanoscale pillar coupled to the first nanoscale pillar to flex with the first nanoscale pillar alternately toward and away from alternate second electrodes influenced by flexure of the first nanoscale pillar;

whereby flexure of the first nanoscale pillar promotes a charge transfer between the second opposed electrodes via the second nanoscale pillar.