Pitt innovators were issued nine U.S. patents in August 2025.
Featured patent: 12,401,022: Methods of Fabrication of Engineered Carbon Nanofiber/Cu Electrode Architectures for Dendrite Free High-Efficiency Li-ion Metal Batteries
Lithium ion batteries are used in consumer goods ranging from electric vehicles to laptop computers and medical devices. A major roadblock in meeting the growing demand is low Coulombic Efficiency (CE) in these batteries, reducing their lifespan, and the formation of lithium dendrites on the electrodes during plating, leading to battery failure and safety risks, including fires. PItt innovators led by Prashant Kumta, Distinguished Professor at the Swanson School of Engineering and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, have developed a novel approach to improve the capacity of lithium ion batteries through increasing CE and reducing the impacts of lithium plating. Using a copper foil and Li-impervious polymer (PDMS), dendrite-free Li-metal anodes can be produced with high specific capacity.
For more information on this technology, including licensing details, contact us at partner@pitt.edu.
Below is a listing of all patents issued to Pitt innovators in June 2025. You can also search all Pitt technologies available for licensing.
| Patent Number |
Title | Inventor(s) | Licensing Manager | Status | |||
| 12,397,041 | Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Release from Microparticles | Andrew Glowacki; Steven Little | Janice Panza | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,396,959 | Thermoresponsive Hydrogel Containing Polymer Microparticles for Noninvasive Ocular Drug Delivery | Joel Schuman; Morgan Fedorchak; Anthony Cugini; Steven Little | Janice Panza | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,398,123 | Chemical Inhibition of the E3 Ligase Subunit Fbxo7 Confers Neuroprotection and Anti-Inflammatory Activity by Stabilizing Mitochondria |
Beibei Chen; Charleen Chu; Rama Mallampalli; Yuan Liu |
Maria Vanegas | Optioned | |||
| 12,397,040 | Methods for Treating and Reducing Traumatic Brain Injury. | Amy Wagner | Andrew Remes | Optioned | |||
| 12,390,435 | Electrophiles and Electrophile Pro-Drugs as RAD51 Inhibitors | Bruce Freeman; Carola Neumann; Francisco Schopfer | Andrew Remes | Licensed | |||
| 12,401,022 | Methods of Fabrication of Engineered Carbon Nanofiber/Cu Electrode Architectures for Dendrite Free High-Efficiency Li-ion Metal Batteries | Bharat Gattu; Moni Datta; Prashant Kumta | Janice Panza | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,384,820 | Griffithsin Mutants | Barry O’Keefe, Joshua Fuqua ; Kenneth Palmer ; Tinoush Moulaei ; | Andrew Remes | Available for Licensing | |||
| 12,383,243 | Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Hydrogel as a Submucosal Fluid Cushion | Juan Gutierrez; Stephen Badylak; Lindsey Saldin | Alex Ducruet | Licensed | |||
| 12,400,658 | System and Method for Automated Observation and Analysis of Instructional Disclosure | Sidney D’Mello; Sean Kelly | Tara Branstad | Available for Licensing |