US4911981A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Metal clad lipid microstructures
Assignee: Science Applications International Corp SAIC
•
Filing: 1987-06-16
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Granted: 1990-03-27
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Expires: 2007-06-16
Abstract
Abstract Tubular, spheroidal, and helical lipid microstructures are individually clad with a metal coat deposited on the microstructures by an electroless plating bath. In metal cladding the microstructures, the surfaces of the lipid microstructures are sensitized by adsorption thereon of a catalytic precursor which enables metal from the electroless plating bath to deposit upon and adhere to the sensitized surface. The metal plate is electrically conductive and may also be magnetic. A composite material is produced by embedding the metal clad microstructures in a matrix of a polymer such as an epoxy or a polyurethane.
Inventors
- 👤 Joel M. Schnur
- 👤 Paul E. Schoen
- 👤 Paul Yager
- 👤 Jeffrey M. Calvert
- 👤 Jacque H. Georger
- 👤 Ronald Price
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:46
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61K; A61K9/00; A61K9/10; A61K9/127; A61K9/1274; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2922; Y10T428/2925; Y10T428/2933; Y10T428/294; Y10T428/2958; Y10T428/2982; Y10T428/2989
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
21 words
A self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and clad with an adherent electrically conductive metal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
21 words
A self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and clad with an adherent electrically conductive metal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst and clad with an adherent electrically non-magnetic metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst and clad with an adherent electrically non-magnetic metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and clad with an adherent ferromagnetic, electrically conductive metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and clad with an adherent ferromagnetic, electrically conductive metal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A helical self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal coat deposited thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A helical self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal coat deposited thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A tubular self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal coat deposited thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A tubular self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal coat deposited thereon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A hollow cylindrical self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its inner and outer surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal deposited thereon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A hollow cylindrical self-assembling lipid microstructure presensitized on its inner and outer surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal deposited thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A self-assembling lipid vesicle microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal coat deposited thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A self-assembling lipid vesicle microstructure presensitized on its exposed surfaces with a catalyst precursor and having an adherent metal coat deposited thereon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A composite material comprising metal-coated self-assembling lipid microstructure embedded in a polymer matrix.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A composite material comprising metal-coated self-assembling lipid microstructure embedded in a polymer matrix.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The composite material according to claim 8, wherein the polymer of the matrix is comprised of an epoxy.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite material according to claim 8, wherein the polymer of the matrix is comprised of polyurethane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite material according to claim 8, wherein the metal coated microstructures comprise elongate longitudinally aligned tubules.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of coating a self-assembling lipid microstructure with an adherent electrically conductive metal, comprising the steps of (1) producing a lipid microstructure, (2) causing a catalyst precursor to adhere to the surface of the self-assembling lipid microstructure, and (3) plating a metal or metal alloy onto the catalyst treated microstructure in an electroless plating bath.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of coating a self-assembling lipid microstructure with an adherent electrically conductive metal, comprising the steps of (1) producing a lipid microstructure, (2) causing a catalyst precursor to adhere to the surface of the self-assembling lipid microstructure, and (3) plating a metal or metal alloy onto the catalyst treated microstructure in an electroless plating bath.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 12, including the further step of (4) irradiating the self-assembling lipid microstructure prior to step 2 with energy sufficient to cause polymerization of the self-assembling lipid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 13, including the additional step of (5) coating the irradiated polymerized self-assembling lipid microstructure with a plating bath pre-activator before coating those microstructures with the catalyst precursor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein the catalyst precursor in step 2 contains palladium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein the catalyst precursor in step 2 is a colloid containing palladium and tin.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein the plating bath of step 3 is a solution of a reducible metal complex.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein the plating bath in step 3 is an electroless copper plating bath.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein the plating bath in step 3 is an electroless nickel plating bath.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 19, wherein the plating bath is an alkaline electroless nickel plating bath whereby the metal deposited on the microstructure is ferromagnetic.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 19, herein the plating bath is an acid electroless nickel plating bath whereby the metal deposited on the microstructure is non-magnetic.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microstructure according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 12 wherein the self-assembling lipid comprises a phospholipid.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The microstructure according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 12 wherein the self-assembling lipid comprises a diacetylenic phospholipid.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composite material according to claim 11 wherein the aligned tubules protrude vertically from the polymer matrix.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-03-26 | 1993-09-25 | 1994-03-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-26 | 1997-09-25 | 1998-03-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-26 | 2001-09-25 | 2002-03-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |