John P Baltrus, 65118 Vine St, Floreffe, PA 15025

8440015, May 14, 2013

Jun 23, 2010

12/803306

Robert B. LaCount - Waynesburg PA, US
John P. Baltrus - Jefferson Hills PA, US
Douglas G. Kern - Point Marion PA, US

Waynesburg University - Waynesburg PA
U.S. Department of Energy - Washington DC

C04B 18/06

106705, 106DIG 1

A thermal method to passivate the carbon and/or other components in fly ash significantly decreases adsorption. The passivated carbon remains in the fly ash. Heating the fly ash to about 500 and 800 degrees C. under inert gas conditions sharply decreases the amount of surfactant adsorbed by the fly ash recovered after thermal treatment despite the fact that the carbon content remains in the fly ash. Using oxygen and inert gas mixtures, the present invention shows that a thermal treatment to about 500 degrees C. also sharply decreases the surfactant adsorption of the recovered fly ash even though most of the carbon remains intact. Also, thermal treatment to about 800 degrees C. under these same oxidative conditions shows a sharp decrease in surfactant adsorption of the recovered fly ash due to the fact that the carbon has been removed. This experiment simulates the various “carbon burnout” methods and is not a claim in this method. The present invention provides a thermal method of deactivating high carbon fly ash toward adsorption of AEAs while retaining the fly ash carbon.

2019011, Apr 18, 2019

Oct 17, 2017

15/785634

- Washington DC, US
John P. Baltrus - Jefferson Hills PA, US
Zsolt Poole - Pittsburgh PA, US

H01J 49/04
G01J 3/12
G01J 3/02

The disclosure relates to an apparatus, method and process for detecting rare earth elements. The system includes an LED powered by a first power source and a focusing lens in optical communication with the LED. A shortpass filter is in optical communication with the focusing lens; and a fiber bifurcated cable in optical communication with the shortpass filter. The system includes a probe tip in optical communication with the fiber bifurcated cable and a sample; a first aspheric lens in optical communication with the fiber bifurcated cable. A longpass filter is in optical communication with the first aspheric lens and a second aspheric lens in optical communication with the longpass filter. The system includes a spectrometer connected to a power source, where the spectrometer is in optical communication with the second aspheric lens.

2018001, Jan 11, 2018

Sep 7, 2017

15/698569

Chih-hung Chang - Corvallis OR, US
Alan X. Wang - Corvallis OR, US
Yujing Zhang - Corvallis OR, US
Xinyuan Chong - Corvallis OR, US
John P. Baltrus - Pittsburgh PA, US
Paul R. Ohodnicki - Allison Park PA, US

G01N 21/3504
G01N 21/359

Disclosed herein are embodiments of sensor devices comprising a sensing component able to determine the presence of, detect, and/or quantify detectable species in a variety of environments and applications. The sensing components disclosed herein can comprise MOF materials, plasmonic nanomaterials, redox-active molecules, a metal, or any combinations thereof. In some exemplary embodiments, optical properties of the plasmonic nanomaterials and/or the redox-active molecules combined with MOF materials can be monitored directly to detect analyte species through their impact on external conditions surrounding the material or as a result of charge transfer to and from the plasmonic nanomaterial and/or the redox-active molecule as a result of interactions with the MOF material.