Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group III, claims 32-38, in the reply filed on June 8, 2026, is acknowledged.
Claims 1-31, 39, and 40 are hereby withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected (a) method of producing as CF (chitosan-iron) composite (claims 1-9), (b) method of producing a CR (chitosan resin) composite (claims 10-31), and (c) method of making a Ti-POM (titanium-polyoxometallate) composite (claims 39 and 40), there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on June 8, 2026.
Claims 32-38 are presently under consideration by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 32-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 32 is (and claims 33-38 depending directly or indirectly therefrom are) indefinite for lacking continuity between “TF composite” in line 1 therein, and “TF composite” in line 9 therein.
Additionally, claims 32-38 are indefinite because the limitations (a) “TF composite” and “TF material” in claims 32 and 36 and (b) “TF-1” in claim 36 are not defined therein.
The Examiner respectfully suggests that in line 1 of claim 32, “a TF composite” should be deleted and -–an iron doped meso-porous titanium (TF) material-- inserted therefor (see paragraphs [00040]-[00041] of Applicants’ Specification) to overcome this rejection.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 32-38 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record does not teach or suggest Applicants’ claimed method of producing an iron doped meso-porous titanium (TF) material, wherein titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) and solutions of ferric chloride, ethanol, acetic acid, and ethylene glycol are obtained, followed by combining said TTIP and said ethanol solution to create a Ti mixture, adding said ferric chloride solution to said Ti mixture to create a Ti-Fe mixture, adding said acetic acid solution to said Ti-Fe mixture to adjust a pH of said Ti-Fe mixture, adding said ethylene glycol solution to said Ti-Fe mixture, heating said Ti-Fe mixture to create a wet gel, and drying said wet gel and subsequently heat treating said wet gel to create a TF material.
Exemplary prior art includes:
Herring (U. S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0240644), which teaches preparation of a visible light photo-catalyst, wherein a titanium dioxide nanocrystal is doped with iron to provide an iron-doped nanocrystal, followed by washing the iron-doped nanocrystal with an acid to produce an acid-washed iron-doped titanium dioxide nanocrystal and rinsing the acid-washed iron-doped titanium dioxide nanocrystal to remove a residual of the acid, thereby providing a visible light photo-catalyst. Said preparation involves the employment of titanium isopropoxide (TTIP), ferric nitrite (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O) as the iron source, and anhydrous ethyl alcohol (ethanol); see paragraphs [0008]-[0015] and [0051]-[0052] of Herring. While Herring teaches the feasibility in employing acetic acid in the acid washing step (paragraph [0052]), this reference does not teach or suggest the employment of a ferric chloride solution, oxalic acid, or sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), as required by Applicants’ claims 32-38;
He et al. (CN 101347732), which teaches the preparation of a porous iron-doped titanium dioxide photocatalyst, wherein solid hexahydrated ferric chloride and tetrabutyl titanate are sequentially added in an ethylene glycol solvent for carrying out the stirring and the reflux, and solution is further cooled to the room temperature; the solution after the cooling is arranged in a centrifuge for carrying out the separation, then the solution is arranged in anhydrous ethanol for carrying out a plurality of times of dispersion and washing, thereby obtaining metal alkoxide solids; the drying treatment and the heating treatment are further carried out to obtain solid powder of the porous iron-doped titanium dioxide photocatalyst. See paragraphs [0010]-[0018] of He et al. He et al. do not teach or suggest the employment of titanium isopropoxide (TTIP), acetic acid, oxalic acid, or sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), as required by Applicants’ claims 32-38;
Shen et al. (CN 101567271), which teaches the preparation of a nano-crystalline meso-porous TiO2 thick film material, wherein titanium tetrabutyl titanate and ferric chloride are used as titanium and iron precursors, and a triblock copolymer, dissolved in an anhydrous ethanol solution, is used as a templating agent. See paragraphs [0009] and [0029] of Shen et al. Shen et al. do not teach or suggest the employment of titanium isopropoxide (TTIP), acetic acid, oxalic acid, or sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), as required by Applicants’ claims 32-38;
Ding et al. (CN 108940334), which teaches the preparation of an attapulgite-loaded Fe-N co-doped mesoporous TiO2 microsphere photocatalyst, wherein the Fe-N co-doped mesoporous TiO2 microspheres are formed by first preparing the TiO2 microspheres from titanium isopropoxide, polyethylene glycol, and sodium dodecyl sulfate, the TiO2 microspheres are added to anhydrous ethanol and ultrasonically treated to form a homogeneous and stable solution, iron nitrate (Fe(NO2)3•9H14O) and urea, as a nitrogen source, are added to the homogeneous and stable solution to form a mixed solution, the mixed solution is stirred until it is homogeneous and stable, placed in a microwave reactor for 5 to 6 hours, and dried at 80 to 90°C for 3 to 4 hours, after which the dried product is transferred to a tube furnace and heated to 400 to 500°C at a heating rate of 3 to 5°C/min. After calcination for 2 to 3 hours, it is cooled to 23 to 25°C to obtain Fe-N co-doped mesoporous TiO2 microspheres. See paragraphs [0011]-[0012] of Ding et al. Ding et al. do not teach or suggest the employment of ferric chloride, acetic acid, oxalic acid, or sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), as required by Applicants’ claims 32-38; and
Nakai (JP 2018 008257), which teaches the preparation of photocatalyst having a structure carrying an iron compound on a titanium oxide surface, wherein iron (III) chloride is supported on titanium dioxide via impregnation with an aqueous solution of iron (III) chloride containing a sacrificial agent (e.g., ethanol, acetic acid), followed by irradiation with light (paragraphs [0010], [0026]-[0031]). Nakai does not teach or suggest the employment of titanium isopropoxide, ethylene glycol, sodium hypochlorite, or oxalic acid, as required by Applicants’ claims 32-38.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICIA L HAILEY whose telephone number is (571)272-1369. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ching-Yiu (Coris) Fung, can be reached at 571-270-5713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Patricia L. Hailey/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1732 June 22, 2026
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