Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/17/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 11/17/2025 has been entered. Claims 1, 3-6, 8, and 10-20 remain pending in this application. The examiner acknowledges no new matter has been added.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the last line contains an incomplete sentence. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 8, and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sen et al. (Gel-Polymer Electrolytes Based on Poly(Ionic Liquid)/Ionic Liquid Networks, ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2021 3 (1), 200-208, DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.0c01042) and the Supporting Information of the Sen et al. research publication that were jointly published (Supporting Information Gel-polymer Electrolytes based on Poly(ionic liquid)/ionic liquid Networks, ACS Publications. Collection. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.0c01042). The supporting information references will be differentiated by “Sen et al. – SI”) .
Regarding claim 1, Sen et al. teaches a non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel comprising (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches ion gel polymer electrolyte in page 200: column 1: paragraph 1: lines 8-10 that are ionically conductive in page 200: column 1: paragraph 2: line 6. Considering excess water was removed and the residual water content was found to be 30, 21, and 32 ppm, it would be considered the remaining water is purely residual and the electrolyte is non-aqueous in page 202: column 1: paragraph 3: lines 8-10. It’s noted to be free-standing on page 202: column 2: paragraph 2: line 2):
a matrix comprising a hydrophobic polymer including repeating units derived from a monomer having an unsaturated double bond (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches phase separation within the IL of the matrix comprising a polyIL or polymeric ionic liquid that separates based on various hydrophobicities that dope the polymer in Page 204: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 1-20. Sen et al. teaches the crosslinker is 1,4-butanediol diacrylate on page 201: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 19-22 and shown on Sen et al. -SI Page 28 to cross link the formed polymeric ionic liquid by its unsaturated double bond. Additionally, Sen et al. – SI teaches the Poly/IL should appear like the product of the synthesis reaction in S-8 which comprises an alkyl chain and is inherently a hydrophobic segment.);
a domain dispersed in the matrix and comprising a hydrophilic ionic liquid (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches protic and ion conductive ionic liquids ILs diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate, [dema][TfO], diethylmethylammonium trifluoroacetate, [dema][TFAc], and diethylmethylammonium bis- [trifluoromethanesulfonyl]imide, [dema][Tf2N] that are trapped within the host polymer ionic liquid on page 201: column 2: paragraph 1 lines 1-28. Sen et al. teaches the ionic liquid [dema][TfO] of page 204: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 1-20 that inherently is hydrophilic and is otherwise known as diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate. It is best understood that after the polymerization that incorporates some of the ionic liquid, there is still remaining free ionic liquid within the gel polymer electrolyte considering the term “free IL” on page 201: column 1: paragraph 1: line 9 and the phrasing of PolyIL/IL which implies a mixture on page 201: column 1: paragraph 2: line 1 and shown in the abstract figure of Poly(Ionic liquid) + free ionic liquid); and
a surface active layer comprising an ionic liquid having surface activity (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches the gel-polymer electrolyte which is a layer that comprises the poly(ionic liquid) with high conductivity in page 201 column 1: paragraph 1: lines 1-7), wherein a portion of a hydrophobic segment in a chain of the ionic liquid having surface activity is positioned in the matrix, and a portion of a hydrophilic segment in the chain is positioned in the domain (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches phase separation of the second polyIL [PDADMA][Tf2N] because the [PDADMA][Tf2N] dopant phase separates from the host [BVBIm][Tf2N] because of the differing hydrophobicities of the [BVBIm] and [PDADMA] which implies hydrophobic and hydrophilic portions that force phase separation. Additionally, Sen et al. – SI teaches the Poly/IL should appear like the product of the synthesis reaction in S-8 which comprises an alkyl chain and is inherently a hydrophobic segment. Sen et al. teaches the ionic liquid [dema][TfO] of page 204: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 1-20 that inherently is hydrophilic and is otherwise known as diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate. Given that the prior art, Sen et al., discloses the same structure and composition as recited thus far by the claimed invention, a person having ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect it to have the claimed property of “a portion of a hydrophobic segment in a chain of the ionic liquid having surface activity is positioned in the matrix, and a portion of a hydrophilic segment in the chain is positioned in the domain” lacking any distinction or anything to the contrary. See MPEP 2112.01) ,
wherein the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel is a bi-continuous structure in which the matrix is a continuous phase and the domain is a continuous phase (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches phase separation of the electrolyte in page 204: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 1-20 and given that the prior art, Sen et al., discloses the same structure and composition as recited thus far by the claimed invention, a person having ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect it to have the claimed property of “a bi-continuous structure in which the matrix is a continuous phase and the domain is a continuous phase” lacking any distinction or anything to the contrary. See MPEP 2112.01),
wherein the monomer having an unsaturated double bond is represented by Structural Formula 1 below,[Structural Formula 1]
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in Structural Formula 1 (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches 1,4-butanediol diacrylate on page 201: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 19-22 and shown on Sen et al. -SI Page S-8),
R1 is a C3-C20 linear or branched alkylene group and R2 is each independently a hydrogen atom or a C1-C3 linear or branched alkyl group (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches R1 is a C4 linear alkylene group and R2 is hydrogen by the 1,4-butanediol diacrylate on page 201: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 19-22 and shown on Sen et al. -SI Page S-8),
the hydrophobic polymer comprises a C3-C20 linear or branched alkylene group (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches 1,4-butanediol diacrylate on page 201: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 19-22 and shown on Sen et al. -SI Page S-8 of which comprises a C4 linear alkylene group which is inherently hydrophobic)
wherein the ionic liquid having surface activity comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of imidazolium-based ionic liquid, pyridinium-based ionic liquid, piperidinium-based ionic liquid, pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquid, phosphonium- based ionic liquid, and sulfonium-based ionic liquid (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches [PDADMA][Tf2N] may dope the second polymer in page 204: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 1-20 of which poly(diallyldimethylammonium) bis- (trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (noted page 201: column 1: paragraph 1: lines 3-4) is an ammonium, pyrrolidinium, and sulfonium – based ionic liquid).
Regarding claim 3, Sen et al teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 1, wherein the domain forms an ion channel (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches the GPE having conductivity on page 201: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 29-30 and given that the prior art, Sen et al., discloses the same structure and composition as recited thus far by the claimed invention, a person having ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect it to have the claimed property of “an ion channel” lacking any distinction or anything to the contrary. See MPEP 2112.01).
Regarding claim 4, Sen et al. teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the ion channel varies depending on the content of the ionic liquid having surface activity (Given that the prior art, Sen et al., discloses the same structure and composition as recited thus far by the claimed invention, a person having ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect it to have the claimed property of “a thickness of the ion channel varies depending on the content of the ionic liquid having surface activity” lacking any distinction or anything to the contrary. See MPEP 2112.01.
Regarding claim 8, Sen et al. teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 1,
wherein the ionic liquid having surface activity comprises an alkyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms (see e.g. Sen et al. -SI teaches a formed polymer alkyl of 8 carbon atoms at the bottom of S-8 as based upon the repeating units, when the first repeating unit starts again in the chain it would lead to an alkyl chain of 8, see Annotated Fig. A below).
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Figure A. Annotated Fig. A of Scheme 2 of Sen et al. - SI
Regarding claim 10, Sen et al. teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic ionic liquid comprises an alkyl group having 5 or less carbon atoms (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches the ionic liquid [dema][TfO] of page 204: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 1-20 that inherently is hydrophilic and is otherwise known as diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate. While this compound has six carbons, each are singular carbon atoms or an alkyl group of 2).
Regarding claim 11, Sen et al. teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 10, wherein the hydrophilic ionic liquid comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of imidazolium-based ionic liquid, pyridinium-based ionic liquid, piperidinium- based ionic liquid, pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquid, ammonium-based ionic liquid, phosphonium-based ionic liquid, and sulfonium-based ionic liquid ((see e.g. Sen et al. teaches the ionic liquid[dema][TfO] of page 204: column 2: paragraph 1: lines 1-20 that inherently is hydrophilic and is otherwise known as diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate is ammonium and sulfonium based).
Regarding claim 12, Sen et al. teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 1, having a thickness of 20 to 200 pm (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches the thickness may range from 200-400 mum on page 202: column 1: paragraph 1: lines 7-8).
Regarding claim 13, Sen et al. teaches an energy storage device comprising the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 1 (see e.g. Sen et al. teaches ion gel polymer electrolyte in page 200: column 1: paragraph 1: lines 8-10 that are ionically conductive in page 200: column 1: paragraph 2: line 6. Considering excess water was removed and the residual water content was found to be 30, 21, and 32 ppm, it would be considered the remaining water is purely residual and the electrolyte is non-aqueous in page 202: column 1: paragraph 3: lines 8-10. Sen et al. teaches this may be for Li-ion batteries on page 201: column 1: paragraph 2: lines 1-2).
Claims 5, 6, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sen et al. (Gel-Polymer Electrolytes Based on Poly(Ionic Liquid)/Ionic Liquid Networks, ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2021 3 (1), 200-208, DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.0c01042) and the Supporting Information of the Sen et al. research publication that were jointly published (Supporting Information Gel-polymer Electrolytes based on Poly(ionic liquid)/ionic liquid Networks, ACS Publications. Collection. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.0c01042) as applied to claims 1 above, and further in view of Lu et al. (US 2009/0246625 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Sen et al. teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 1.
Sen et al. teaches the GPE may be for Li-ion batteries on page 201: column 1: paragraph 2: lines 1-2).
Sen et al. fails to explicitly teach wherein the domain further comprises a lithium salt.
However, Lu et al. teaches a gel polymer electrolyte that may include a gel polymer as well as an ionic liquid and lithium salt in Para. 123. Lu et al. teaches one or more of an ionic liquid, lithium salt, and solid electrolyte interphase individually or combinedly affect lithium-ion intercalation and de-intercalation.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrolyte of Sen et al. to add a lithium salt such as lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium perchlorate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and lithium bis(oxalato) borate, as taught by Lu et al., to support and improve lithium-ion intercalation and de-intercalation as noted in Para 123-124 of Lu et al.
Considering these lithium salts are known to dissolve within ionic liquids, one would reasonably expect the combined teachings to result in the lithium salt dissolving in the ionic liquid of the domain of Sen et al..
Regarding claim 6, Sen et al. in view of Lu et al. teaches the non-aqueous freestanding ion conductive gel of claim 5.
Sen et al. teaches the GPE may be for Li-ion batteries on page 201: column 1: paragraph 2: lines 1-2).
Sen et al. fails to explicitly teach wherein the lithium salt comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of lithium bistrifluoromethanesulfonylimide (LiN(CF3SO2)2, LiTFSI), lithium perchlorate (LiCIO4), lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4), lithium bisfluorosulfonylimide (Li(FSO2)2N), LiFSI), lithium triflate (LiCF3SO3), lithium difluoro(bis(oxalato))phosphate (LiPF2(C2O4)2), lithium tetrafluoro(oxalato)phosphate (LiPF4(C2O4)), lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiBF2(C2O4)), and lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiB(C2O4)2).
However, Lu et al. teaches a gel polymer electrolyte that may include a gel polymer as well as an ionic liquid and lithium salt in Para. 123. Lu et al. teaches one or more of an ionic liquid, lithium salt, and solid electrolyte interphase individually or combinedly affect lithium-ion intercalation and de-intercalation. Lu et al. teaches the lithium salt being soluble in the ionic liquid is preferred and may be lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium perchlorate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and lithium bis(oxalato) borate in Para 124.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrolyte of Sen et al. to add a lithium salt, as taught by Lu et al., to support and improve lithium-ion intercalation and de-intercalation as noted in Para 123 of Lu et al.
Regarding claim 14, Sen et al. teaches the energy storage device of claim 13,
Sen et al. teaches the GPE may be for Li-ion batteries on page 201: column 1: paragraph 2: lines 1-2).
Sen et al. fails to explicitly teach wherein the energy storage device is any one selected from the group consisting of a transistor, a super capacitor, and a lithium secondary battery.
However, Lu et al. teaches a lithium ion batteries are a type of secondary battery that are re-charging in Para 4.
Therefore, it would have been either expected that the li-ion battery of Sen et al. is a secondary battery. Furthermore, it would also have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the li-ion battery of Sen et al. to be a secondary battery, as taught by Lu et al., for the benefit of being rechargeable as noted in Para 4 of Lu et al..
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-4, 7, and 10-13 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu, X., Zhan, Y., Zhao, C., Su, Y., Ge, Z., & Luo, Y. (2020). A Novel Polymer Electrolyte Matrix Incorporating Ionic Liquid into Waterborne Polyurethane for Lithium-Ion Battery. Polymers, 12(7), 1513. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12071513 teaches a polymer electrolyte matrix
Enhanced Li+ Conduction within Single-Ion Conducting Polymer Gel Electrolytes via Reduced Cation–Polymer Interaction, Hunter O. Ford, Bumjun Park, Jizhou Jiang, Morgan E. Seidler, and Jennifer L. Schaefer. ACS Materials Letters 2020 2 (3), 272-279, DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialslett.9b00510 teaches a Li ion polymer gel electrolyte
Yu, Zhexun and Qin, Da and Zhang, Yiduo and Sun, Huicheng and Luo, Yanhong and Meng, Qingbo and Li, Dongmei, Quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell fabricated with poly (β-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) based organogel electrolyte, Energy Environ. Sci., 2011, volume 4, issue 4, pages 1298-1305, The Royal Society of Chemistry, doi: 10.1039/C0EE00382D teaches solar cell with PHEMA-based polymer gel electrolyte
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/KATHERINE J METZGER/Examiner, Art Unit 1723
/TONG GUO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723