Processes and uses of dissociating molecules

• US 8,440,154 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fahs Stagemyer, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fahs Stagemyer, LLC
• Inventors: Fahs, Richard W. II, Fahs, Matthew D. W.
• Primary Examiner(s): VANOY, TIMOTHY C
• Application Number:
  US13/524,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20120247273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 423/210, 423/648.1, 422/4, 422/5, 422/120, 422/121, 422/122, 422/129, 210/600, 588/300, 588/301, 204/157.15, 204/164
• US Class Current: 423/210
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/725 by catalytic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/008 Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

A process has been developed to selectively dissociate target molecules into component products compositionally distinct from the target molecule, wherein the bonds of the target molecule do not reform because the components are no longer reactive with each other. Dissociation is affected by treating the target molecule with light at a frequency and intensity, alone or in combination with a catalyst in an amount effective to selectively break bonds within the target molecule. Dissociation does not result in re-association into the target molecule by the reverse process, and does not produce component products which have a change in oxidation number or state incorporated oxygen or other additives because the process does not proceed via a typical reduction-oxidation mechanism. Target molecules include ammonia for waste reclamation and treatment, PCB remediation, and targeted drug delivery.

Claims

1. A process for dissociation of one or more target molecules, comprising

(a) treating a sample comprising a target molecule with an effective amount, intensity and frequency of energy to specifically dissociate one or more bonds in the target molecule to separate the molecule into its component products without producing any reactants and without re-association of the one or more target bonds.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the energy source is selected from the group consisting of chemical, kinetic, potential, magnetic, thermal, gravitational, sound, light, elastic, electrical, piezoelectric, and electrochemical energy.

3. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1, wherein the energy is in the form of light irradiation, acoustic or electromagnetic radiation.

4. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 3, wherein the irradiative energy is amplified.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the energy source is an apparatus selected from the group consisting of frequency generators, electrical generators, plasma generators, arc lamps, pulse generators, amplifying generators, tunable lasers, ultraviolet lamps, ultraviolet lasers, pulse ultraviolet generators, ultrasound generators, and combinations thereof.

6. The process of claim 1, comprising providing a catalyst.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the catalyst is a semi-conductive material or magnetic material.

8. The process of claim 6, where in the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of titanium oxides (TiO2), platinized titania, amorphous manganese oxide, copper-doped manganese oxide, titanium dioxide, strontium titanate, barium titanate, sodium titanate, cadmium sulfide, zirconium dioxide, and iron oxide.

9. The process of claim 6, wherein the catalyst is a semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium, strontium titanate, amorphous silicon, hydrogenated amorphous silicon, nitrogenated amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, germanium, and combinations thereof.

10. The process of claim 6, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of carbon-based graphene or graphite, carbon-doped semi-conductive material, or carbon-doped magnetic material.

11. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1, wherein the energy source is a combination of irradiative energy and catalyst.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the energy is ultraviolet irradiation and the catalyst is copper doped amorphous manganese oxide.

13. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1, wherein the target molecule is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfonates, alkyl phenols, ammonia, benzoic acid, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, dioxin, fumaric acid, grease, herbicides, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, formaldehyde, medicines, methane, nitric acid, nitrogen dioxide, nitrates, nitrites, ozone, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, oil, sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid and volatile organic compounds.

14. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1, wherein the target molecule comprises waste material.

15. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 14, wherein the waste material is selected from the group consisting of ventilation makeup air, ambient air, air from stripping and off-gassing operations, soil vapor extraction (SVE), airborne matter, organic particulate matter, process vent gas, wastewater treatment off-gas, liquid effluents, wastewater, industrial runoff, and agricultural runoff, polluted soil, sludge waste, and landfill waste.

16. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1, further comprising

(b) purifying, recycling or reclaiming the component products.

17. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1 further comprising

(c) using at least one component product to produce energy.

18. The process of for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1, wherein the target molecule is ammonia.

19. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 18, wherein the ammonia originates from urine, fertilizer, or aquacultural waste products.

20. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 19, wherein hydrogen gas is produced.

21. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1 wherein the target molecule is a PCB.

22. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 1 wherein the target molecule is a therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic agent.

23. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 22 wherein the target molecule is a chemotherapeutic for treatment of cancer or infectious agents.

24. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 23 wherein the target molecule is incorporated onto, into or forms a nanoparticle.

25. The process for dissociation of one or more target molecules of claim 24 wherein the nanoparticle comprises a metal.

26. A system for use in a process for dissociation of one or more target molecules, comprising

(a) treating a sample comprising a target molecule with an effective amount, intensity and frequency of energy to specifically dissociate one or more bonds in the target molecule to separate the molecule into its component products without producing any reactants and without re-association of the one or more target bonds, comprising

Means for containing a sample comprising target molecules to be dissociated, and

an energy source that provides an effective amount, intensity, and frequency of energy to specifically dissociate one or more target bonds in the target molecules to separate the target molecules into their component products without producing any by-products and without re-association of the one or more target bonds,

wherein the energy source is positioned to transfer the energy to the target molecules.

27. The system of claim 26 comprising an energy source selected from the group consisting of devices providing chemical, kinetic, potential, magnetic, thermal, gravitational, sound, light, elastic, electrical, piezoelectric, and electrochemical energy.

28. The system of claim 26 comprising an energy source providing energy in the form of light irradiation, acoustic or electromagnetic radiation.

29. The system of claim 26 comprising an apparatus selected from the group consisting of frequency generators, electrical generators, plasma generators, arc lamps, pulse generators, amplifying generators, tunable lasers, ultraviolet lamps, ultraviolet lasers, pulse ultraviolet generators, ultrasound generators, and combinations thereof.

30. The system of claim 26, comprising a catalyst.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the catalyst is a semi-conductive material or magnetic material.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of titanium oxides (TiO2), platinized titania, amorphous manganese oxide, copper-doped manganese oxide, titanium dioxide, strontium titanate, barium titanate, sodium titanate, cadmium sulfide, zirconium dioxide, and iron oxide.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the catalyst is a semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium, strontium titanate, amorphous silicon, hydrogenated amorphous silicon, nitrogenated amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, germanium, and combinations thereof.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of carbon-based graphene or graphite, carbon-doped semi-conductive material, or carbon-doped magnetic material.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein the energy source is a combination of irradiative energy and catalyst.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the energy is ultraviolet irradiation and the catalyst is copper doped amorphous manganese oxide.

37. The system of claim 26 comprising means for containing waste material for treatment.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the waste material is selected from the group consisting of ventilation makeup air, ambient air, air from stripping and off-gassing operations, soil vapor extraction (SVE), airborne matter, organic particulate matter, process vent gas, wastewater treatment off-gas, liquid effluents, wastewater, industrial runoff, and agricultural runoff, polluted soil, sludge waste, and landfill waste.

39. The system of claim 26 wherein the energy source is a fiber optic device.

40. The system of claim 26 comprising a pulse generator and an xenon lamp.

41. The system of claim 39 or 40 comprising a photocatalyst.