Intellectual Property

The Center for Macromolecular Engineering actively pursues patent protection for major developments made by its researchers and as a consequence of the proactive filing history of the ATRP Consortium and CRP Consortium twenty six US Patents have issued. The fundamental patents have been filed, and many have issued, in other countries around the world.

Further information on the following CMU patents and patent applications on various aspects of controlled/?living? radical polymerization can be obtained at

- United States Patent Office
- WIPO Intellectual Property Digital Library
- European Patent Office

Issued U.S. Patents:

• 5,763,548; (Co)polymers and a novel polymerization process based on atom (or group) transfer radical polymerization
• 6,407,187; (Co)polymers and a novel polymerization process based on atom (or group) transfer radical polymerization
• 6,624,263; (Co) polymers and a novel polymerization process based on atom (or group) transfer radical polymerization
• 10/992,249; Novel (co) polymers and a novel polymerization process based on atom (or group) transfer radical polymerization#
• 5,807,937; Processes based on atom (or group) transfer radical polymerization and novel (co) polymers having useful structures and properties
• 6,538,091; Atom or group transfer radical polymerization
• 6,887,962; Processes based on atom (or group) transfer radical polymerization and novel (co)polymers having useful structures and properties
• 7,125,938; Atom or group transfer radical polymerization
• 11/059,217; Processes based on atom (or group) transfer radical polymerization and novel (co)polymers having useful structures and properties#
• 5,789,487; Preparation of novel homo- and copolymers using atom transfer radical polymerization
• 5,945,491; Preparation of novel homo- and copolymers using atom transfer radical polymerization
• 6,111,022; Preparation of novel homo- and copolymers using atom transfer radical polymerization
• 6,124,411; Preparation of novel homo- and copolymers using atom transfer radical polymerization
• 6,162,882; Preparation of novel homo- and copolymers using atom transfer radical polymerization
• 6,512,060; Atom or group transfer radical polymerization
• 6,541,580; Atom or group transfer radical polymerization
• 11/430,216; Atom or group transfer radical polymerization#
• 6,121,371; Application of atom transfer radical polymerization to water-borne polymerization systems
• 09/534,827; Catalytic processes for the controlled polymerization of free radically (Co)polymerizable monomers and functional polymeric systems prepared thereby
• 10/788,995; Catalytic processes for the controlled polymerization of free radically (Co)polymerizable monomers and functional polymeric systems prepared thereby
• 6,627,314; Preparation of nanocomposite structures by controlled polymerization
• 6,624,262. Polymerization process for ionic monomers
• 10/625,890; Polymerization processes for ionic monomers#
• 10/684,137; Stabilization of transition metal complexes for catalysis in diverse environments#
• 6,790,919; Catalyst system for controlled polymerization
• 7,157,530; Catalyst system for controlled polymerization
• 7,049,373; Process for preparation of graft polymers
• 7,056,455; Process for the preparation of nanostructured materials
• 7,064,166; Process for monomer sequence control in polymerizations
• 6,759,491;Simultaneous Reverse and Normal Initiation of ATRP
• 7,019,082; Polymers, supersoft elastomers and methods for preparing the same

There are nineteen active applications including continuations of patents marked#.

Two of the granted patents were the earliest filed relating to ATRP and dominate the field covering both ATRP process and many products made by CRP.

In the related field of Nitroxide Mediated Polymerization

• 5,910,549 Method for preparation of alkoxyamines from nitroxyl radicals
An expansion of the utility of US Patent 5,910,549 was covered in US 6,512,060 where the use of copper zero to drive the reaction to completion was disclosed (Claim 26) and in US 6,541,580 which discloses replacing the radically transferable atom or group in a copolymer with a thermally labile group, to form a bifunctional macroinitiator (claims 17-18).
• 6,288,186 Rate enhancement of nitroxyl radical-mediated polymerization

Published Patent Applications

• WO 2007/075817; PCT/US2006/048656 Preparation of block copolymers
WO 2007/059350; PCT/US2006/044931 Preparation of Alkoxyamines
WO/2007/052964; PCT/KR2006/004535 20070197693 Synthesis of MDH-polymer hybrid particles
WO/2007/025310 PCT/US2006/033792 Polymerization process with catalyst reactivation
• WO/2007/025086; PCT/US2006/033152 ATRP in microemulsion and true emulsion polymerization
• WO2004087777 PCT/US2004/009905 20070155926 Degradable polymers
• WO2006086599 20070106012 Modified Carbon Particles
WO2005084159 20060008490 Antimicrobial surfaces and methods for preparing antimicrobial surfaces
WO2005087819 Atom transfer radical polymerization process
WO/2005/087818 PCT/US2005/007264 Preparation of functional polymers
WO/2004/096872 PCT/US2003/032172 Stabilization of transition metal complexes for catalysis in diverse environments
WO 00/56795 Catalytic processes for the controlled polymerization of free radically (co)polymerizable monomers and functional polymeric systems prepared thereby

Carnegie Mellon University | Mellon College of Science | Department of Chemistry