Thrive IP® Wins Patent Appeal for North Carolina Universities' Solar Technology

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., Sept. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 29, 2018, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board ("PTAB") handed victory to North Carolina State University ("NC State") and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ("UNC-CH"), reversing the rejection of all claims appealed.  The patent application, entitled, "Solar Water Splitting in a Molecular Photoelectrochemical Cell," is expected to issue as a U.S. patent following the PTAB's decision.

The technology, developed in collaboration by NC State and UNC-CH scientists, relates to a light-harvesting chromophore coupled to a molecular catalyst, which are anchored to a particle having a transparent, conductive core and a titanium dioxide shell.  The chromophore absorbs light and causes the catalyst to drive important and useful chemistry such as the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen.  The core-shell particle stabilizes the reactive state of the catalyst by harvesting an electron.  The solar-powered reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide to a carbon-based fuel also appears in the patent application.  The technology is available for licensing.

"A panel composed of three administrative patent judges considered the patent examiner's rejection, based in part on our own scientists' earlier work, and reached the conclusion that we claim a patentable improvement over what has come before," explained Dr. Jeremy M. Stipkala, Thrive IP®'s lead patent attorney on the appeal.  "Among other points of novelty, the panel focused on our claimed titanium dioxide shells that are not more than about 5 nm thick.  Our scientists made shells that are thinner and perform dramatically better than the alleged prior art."

Thrive IP® Office hours are generally M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For more information, please visit www.Thrive-IP.com or call (843) 580-9057.

Contact: Jeremy M. Stipkala, Ph.D., J.D., Thrive IP®, 5401 Netherby Lane, Suite 1201, North Charleston, SC 29420.  (843) 580-9057.

For licensing inquiries, please contact:

Chance Rainwater, Ph.D.
Senior Commercialization Manager
Office of Technology Commercialization
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Campus Box 4105
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
919.445.9371

Brian Eller, J.D.
Senior Licensing Associate
Office of Technology Commercialization and New Ventures
North Carolina State University
Campus Box 8210
Raleigh, NC 27695-8210
919.515.7199

SOURCE Thrive IP