DETAILED ACTION
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
Claims 19-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 30 June 2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I, claims 1-18 in the reply filed on 30 June 2026 is acknowledged.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) and 35 U.S.C. 120 as follows:
The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an invention which is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisional application or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parent application and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, except for the best mode requirement. See Transco Products, Inc. v. Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551, 32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994).
The disclosure of the prior-filed applications, Application No. 63/158,807, PCT/US2022/019564, and 18/280,509 fail to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph for one or more claims of this application. There is no disclosure of an integrated composite, coating a substrate with a phenolic resin, curing the phenolic resin, or forming a conductive carbon network, such that the prior-filed applications do not disclose a method for forming an integrated composite as claimed.
Accordingly, claims 1-18 are not entitled to the benefit of the prior application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statements filed 09/06/2023, 12/12/2023, and 03/27/2025 have been considered.
Claim Objections
Claims 14 and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 14, line 2, "a slurry of support material" should read "a slurry of the support material".
Claim 18, line 1, "support -coated" should read "support-coated". There appears to be an extra space.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 7 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 7, line 1, recites “the amino acid salt comprises…”. However, claim 6 does not require the sorbent comprise an amino acid salt. Therefore, it is unclear whether or not the amino acid salt of claim 7 is optional or required. This limitation is interpreted as requiring the sorbent comprises an amino acid salt.
Claim 8, line 2, recites “to cure it prior to pyrolyzing it”. It is unclear what “it” is. This limitation is interpreted as requiring heating to cure the substrate coated with phenolic resin prior to pyrolyzing the substrate coated with phenolic resin.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-6, 8-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen (US 2025/0058308; appears to have a filing date of 20 August 2023 based on PRO Application No. 63/520,637).
Regarding Claim 1, Shen discloses a method of forming an electrically conductive carbon network on a three-dimensional substrate [0003], wherein the electrically conductive carbon network in combination with the substrate may be referred to as an integrated composite [0144], such that Shen meets the limitation of a method for forming an integrated composite. Shen further discloses the substrate comprises a monolith substrate with a multiplicity of channels [0100]. Shen further discloses dispersing a phenolic resin on or in the three-dimensional substrate (dispersing on or in the substrate meets the limitation of coating the substrate, wherein coating comprises dispersing the phenolic resin on the substrate, impregnating the phenolic resin in the substrate or a combination of both; [0003]). Shen further discloses pyrolyzing the phenolic resin that has been dispersed on or in the three-dimensional substrate to form an electrically conductive carbon network on the substrate [0003]. Shen further discloses the phenolic resin (aka carbon precursor; see [0119]) and the substrate is cured prior to pyrolyzing [0116]. Shen further discloses heating the cured substrate and cured phenolic resin to a temperature in a range of 600°C to 1600°C under an inert atmosphere to pyrolyze the carbon precursor and form a conductive carbon network on and/or in the substrate [0116].
Regarding the temperature in claim 1, it appears that 600°C to 1600°C taught by Shen overlaps the claimed range of 600°C to 1100°C such that the range taught by Shen obviates the claimed range. See MPEP 2144.05 (I).
Shen further discloses the integrated structured material with the three-dimensional substrate and the conductive carbon network may be referred to as an electrically conductive structured material (ECSM) [0072]. Shen further discloses a support coating may be applied to the ECSM before, after, or simultaneously with the resin used to produce the conductive carbon network [0142]. Shen further discloses the support can be deposited on and/or in the substrate [0150]-[0151].
Regarding Claim 2, Shen further discloses depositing (depositing meets the limitation of coating) a sorbent on and/or in the substrate of the integrated composite [0146], such that the sorbent is necessarily coated on and or in the integrated composite.
Regarding Claim 3, Shen discloses the sorbent is a CO2 sorbent [0146].
Regarding Claim 4, Shen discloses the sorbent that is selective for CO2 is selected from an oxide or carbonate of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, etc. [0101], which meets the limitation of a solid inorganic base (see [0081] of the Specification of the present application).
Regarding Claim 5, Shen discloses the sorbent that is selective for CO2 is selected from an oxide or carbonate of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, etc. [0101], such that the solid inorganic base of Shen is a Ca- based, Mg-based, K-based, and Na-based oxide and/or carbonate.
Regarding Claim 6, Shen discloses the sorbent that is selective for CO2 is selected from an oxide or carbonate of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, etc. [0101], such that the sorbent comprises sodium oxide, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, potassium carbonate, magnesium oxide, or magnesium carbonate.
Regarding Claim 8, Shen discloses curing comprises heating the coated substrate to a temperature of 80°C to 300°C to cure to cure the substrate coated with the carbon precursor prior to pyrolyzing [0116].
Regarding the curing temperature in claim 8, it appears that 80°C to 300°C taught by Shen overlaps the claimed range of 100°C to 150°C such that the range taught by Shen obviates the claimed range. See MPEP 2144.05 (I).
Regarding Claim 9, Shen discloses the substrate may be in a monolithic form, laminate form, wire mesh form [0127].
Regarding Claim 10, Shen discloses the substrate comprises cordierite, alumina, silica/alumina, silicon carbide (SiC), titania, silica, magnesia, zirconia, metal mesh, carbon, or combinations of two or more thereof [0128].
Regarding Claim 11, Shen discloses a catalyst may be incorporated into the ECSM as the active material [0141]. Shen further discloses a phenolic resin solution is used as the carbon precursor [0119]. Shen further discloses a solution comprising a combination of the active material and the carbon precursor is used to synthesize the electrically conductive carbon network applied to the substrate [0152], such that Shen meets the limitation wherein the phenolic resin coated on the substrate comprises a solution of phenolic resin and a catalyst.
Regarding Claim 12, Shen discloses using a phenolic resin solution as the carbon precursor solution, wherein the phenolic resin is diluted with deionized water to provide 5.0-50% phenolic resin in the solvent by weight [0119], such that a mass ratio of deionized water: phenolic resin is necessarily present.
Regarding Claim 13, Shen discloses using a phenolic resin solution as the carbon precursor solution, wherein the phenolic resin is diluted with deionized water to provide 5.0-50% phenolic resin in the solvent by weight [0119], which is equivalent to a mass ratio of deionized water: phenolic resin of 1:1 to 19:1, which meets the limitation of 1:5 to 100:1.
Regarding Claim 14, Shen discloses an example wherein a monolith core (substrate) is coated with phenolic resin, cured, and pyrolyzed [0226]. Shen further discloses washcoating the core with an aqueous slurry of alumina washcoat [0226], wherein the support material in the ECSM includes alumina [0150], such that Shen meets the limitation wherein coating the support on the substrate comprises washcoating the substrate with a slurry of support material.
Regarding Claim 15, Shen discloses the support material in the ECSM include, without limitation, alumina, titania, silica, zirconia, and combinations thereof [0150].
Regarding Claim 16, Shen discloses the support coating may be applied to the ECSM before, after, or simultaneously with the resin used to produce the electrically conductive carbon material [0142].
Shen is silent to the support being coated on or in the substrate after the phenolic resin is dispersed on or in the substrate and cured but before it is pyrolyzed.
Shen, however, discloses heating the cured substrate and cured phenolic resin to a temperature in a range of 600°C to 1600°C under an inert atmosphere to pyrolyze the carbon precursor and form a conductive carbon network on and/or in the substrate [0116]. Shen further discloses an example wherein a monolith core (substrate) is coated with phenolic resin, cured, and pyrolyzed [0226]. Shen further discloses washcoating the core with an aqueous slurry of alumina washcoat [0226], wherein the support material in the ECSM includes alumina [0150]. Shen further discloses calcining the alumina washcoat support at 900°C [0226] and 800°C [0227]. The calcination temperature of Shen (800°C and 900°C) overlaps the pyrolysis temperature of Shen (600°C to 1600°C).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen wherein the support is coated on or in the substrate after the phenolic resin is dispersed on or in the substrate and cured but before it is pyrolyzed, because the pyrolysis temperature of the phenolic resin and substrate of Shen overlaps the calcination temperature of the support of Shen, and selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results (MPEP 2144.04 IV C).
Regarding Claim 17, Shen discloses the support layer may be applied to the ECSM after the formation of the electrically conductive carbon network [0142], such that the support is coated on or in the substrate after the phenolic resin is dispersed on or in the substrate and the substrate and phenolic resin are cured and pyrolyzed.
Regarding Claim 18, Shen discloses an example wherein a monolith core (substrate) is coated with phenolic resin, cured, and pyrolyzed [0226]. Shen further discloses washcoating the core with an aqueous slurry of alumina washcoat [0226], wherein the support material in the ECSM includes alumina [0150]. Shen further discloses calcining the alumina washcoat support at 900°C [0226] and 800°C [0227], which meets the limitation of 300°C to 1000°C.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen (US 2025/0058308; appears to have a filing date of 20 August 2023 based on PRO Application No. 63/520,637) in view of Wood (US 2024/0384041).
Regarding Claim 7, Shen teaches the elements as described above with regards to claim 6.
Shen discloses the sorbent structure is used for CO2 adsorption (Abstract).
Shen is silent to the sorbent comprising an amino acid salt.
Wood discloses a method of forming a hydrogel for removing CO2 acid gas from gaseous stream by absorbing the acidic gas within the hydrogel [0007]. Wood further discloses providing the hydrogel as a monolith comprising a plurality of channels wherein the gaseous stream flows through. Wood further discloses the hydrogel comprises a conductive carbon material [0013]. Wood further discloses the hydrogel comprises a liquid swelling agent, and the liquid swelling agent comprises at least one acidic gas absorbent [0017]. Wood further discloses the liquid swelling agent may further comprise an amino acid salt, and the incorporation of an amino acid salt within the liquid swelling agent can improve acidic gas absorption [0124]. Wood discloses due to the presence of the amino functional group, CO2 can bind with the amino acid salt thus increasing CO2 absorption [0124]. Wood further discloses the amino acid salt may comprise any suitable amino acid or derivative thereof, for example potassium glycinate [0124].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen to incorporate the teachings of Wood wherein the sorbent comprises an amino acid salt, wherein the amino acid salt is potassium glycinate, because the incorporation of an amino acid salt within the liquid swelling agent can improve acidic gas absorption; due to the presence of the amino functional group, CO2 can bind with the amino acid salt thus increasing CO2 absorption, as recognized by Wood [0124].
Claims 1-3, 8-10, and 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gadkaree (US 2023/0277975; US PG Pub of IDS Doc US 11,679,354).
An alternative rejection of claim 1 is provided in case Shen does not qualify as prior art.
Regarding Claim 1, Gadkaree discloses a method or making a sorbent structure comprising forming a mixture of a carbon precursor and a sorbent material into the shape of a flow-through substrate; drying the mixture (drying meets the limitation of curing, see [0076]); and carbonizing the carbon precursor to define a continuous body in the form of the flow-through substrate [0013]. Gadkaree further discloses the flow-through substrate can be defined by a length, width, and a distance between two sides [0040], such that the substrate is three-dimensional.
Gadkaree further discloses the continuous body is derived from a green body that includes a phenolic resin as a precursor for the carbon and an inorganic filler [0058]. Gadkaree further discloses the carbonization temperature can range from 600°C to 1200°C [0077], which overlaps the claimed range of 600°C to 1100°C such that the range taught by Gadkaree obviates the claimed range. See MPEP 2144.05 (I). Therefore, the carbonization of Gadkaree meets the limitation of pyrolyzing the phenolic resin. Gadkaree further discloses the carbonization atmosphere can be inert [0077]. Gadkaree further discloses the carbon helps achieve electrical conductivity [0053], wherein the carbon is dispersed throughout the continuous body [0063], such that Gadkaree meets the limitation of forming a conductive carbon network in the substrate. Since the carbon of Gadkaree is dispersed throughout (aka impregnated in) the continuous body, the phenolic resin is necessarily impregnated in the substrate prior to pyrolysis.
Gadkaree further discloses a method of making a sorbent structure that includes: forming a carbon precursor into the shape of a flow-through substrate; carbonizing the carbon precursor to form a continuous, non-activated carbon body in the form of a flow-through substrate comprised of at least one cell defined by at least one porous wall; applying a sorbent coating comprising a sorbent material into the substrate; an firing the coating within the substrate [0016], wherein the sorbent coating is derived from a green coating that comprises a methylcellulose, a plasticizer, an inorganic filler and the sorbent material [0011]. Gadkaree discloses inorganic fillers can include zirconia, alumina, and silica [0054], which meet the limitation of a support material per [0077] of the Specification of the present application. Gadkaree furthere discloses the sorbent coating 80b is essentially dispersed within the non-activated carbon material 70b and/or coated on its porous walls [0065], such that the sorbent coating (and therefore, the support material) were coated on, in, or both on and in the substrate, and, therefore, the sorbent structure of Gadkaree meets the limitation of an integrated composite.
Gadkaree is silent to forming the substrate without the carbon precursor (phenolic resin) followed by coating the substrate with a phenolic resin.
Gadkaree, however, discloses the carbon is dispersed throughout the continuous body [0063], such that the phenolic resin was necessarily dispersed in the continuous body prior to pyrolysis.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gadkaree to form a flow-through substrate followed by coating the substrate with a phenolic resin, wherein coating comprises dispersing the phenolic resin on the substrate, impregnating the phenolic resin in the substrate or a combination of both, followed by the curing and heating, because selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results (MPEP 2144.04 IV C).
Regarding Claim 2, Gadkaree discloses coating a sorbent into the substrate [0016]. The substrate is part of the integrated composite such that Gadkaree meets the limitation of coating a sorbent in the integrated composite.
Regarding Claim 3, Gadkaree discloses the sorbent material absorbs CO2 [0050], such that the sorbent comprises one or more CO2 sorbents.
Regarding Claim 8, Gadkaree discloses curing comprises heating the substrate and phenolic resin to a temperature of about 70°C to about 200°C to cure the carbon precursor and the sorbent material prior to pyrolysis [0076], which overlaps the claimed range of about 100°C to about 150°C such that the range taught by Gadkaree obviates the claimed range. See MPEP 2144.05 (I).
Regarding Claim 9, Gadkaree illustrates the flow-through substrate comprises a monolithic form (Fig. 1, 1A), as the substrate illustrated in Gadkaree has a form which is substantially similar to the monolithic form of the present application (see Fig. 1-2 of the present application).
Regarding Claim 10, Gadkaree discloses a continuous body in the form of the flow-through substrate [0013], wherein the continuous body is derived from a green body that comprises inorganic fillers, wherein the inorganic fillers that can be used include zirconia; alumina; cordierite; and silica [0054].
Regarding Claim 12, Gadkaree discloses an example wherein liquid components added to a mixture include 360 g phenolic resin and 120 g deionized water [0082], such that the solution of phenolic resin and deionized water necessarily has a mass ratio of deionized water: phenolic resin.
Regarding Claim 13, Gadkaree discloses an example wherein liquid components added to a mixture include 360 g phenolic resin and 120 g deionized water [0082], which is equivalent to a mass ratio of deionized water: phenolic resin of 1:3, which meets the limitation of 1:5 to 100:1.
Regarding Claim 14, Gadkaree discloses the sorbent coating is derived from a green coating that comprises a methylcellulose, a plasticizer, an inorganic filler and the sorbent material [0011]. Gadkaree discloses inorganic fillers can include zirconia, alumina, and silica [0054], which meet the limitation of a support material per [0077] of the Specification of the present application. Gadkaree discloses the green coating is applied as a wash-coating to the continuous body of the sorbent structure [0067], such that coating the support on the substrate comprises washcoating the substrate with a slurry of support material.
Regarding Claim 15, Gadkaree discloses inorganic fillers can include zirconia, alumina, and silica [0054], which meet the limitation of a support material per [0077] of the Specification of the present application.
Regarding Claim 16, Gadkaree discloses forming a carbon precursor into the shape of a flow-through substrate; carbonizing the carbon precursor to form a continuous, non-activated carbon body in the form of a flow-through substrate; applying a sorbent coating comprising a sorbent material into the substrate; and firing the coating within the substrate [0016]. Gadkaree further discloses the step of firing the sorbent coating can be conducted according to the same time, temperature and atmospheres employed in the carbonizing and/or activating steps outlined earlier in connection with the method of making a sorbent structure [0080].
Gadkaree is silent to the support being coated on or in the substrate after the phenolic resin is dispersed on or in the substrate and cured but before it is pyrolyzed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gadkaree wherein the support is coated on or in the substrate after the phenolic resin is dispersed on or in the substrate and cured but before it is pyrolyzed, because the step of firing the sorbent coating can be conducted at the same temperature employed in the carbonizing of the phenolic resin, as recognized by Gadkaree [0080], and selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results (MPEP 2144.04 IV C).
Regarding Claim 17, Gadkaree discloses forming a carbon precursor into the shape of a flow-through substrate; carbonizing the carbon precursor to form a continuous, non-activated carbon body in the form of a flow-through substrate; applying a sorbent coating comprising a sorbent material into the substrate [0016], wherein carbonizing the carbon precursor is after drying and/or curing [0077], and the sorbent coating is derived from a green coating that comprises a methylcellulose, a plasticizer, an inorganic filler and the sorbent material [0011]. Gadkaree discloses inorganic fillers can include zirconia, alumina, and silica [0054], which meet the limitation of a support material per [0077] of the Specification of the present application. Therefore, the support is coated on or in the substrate after the phenolic resin is dispersed on or in the substrate and the substrate and phenolic resin are cured and pyrolyzed.
Regarding Claim 18, Gadkaree discloses forming a carbon precursor into the shape of a flow-through substrate; carbonizing the carbon precursor to form a continuous, non-activated carbon body in the form of a flow-through substrate; applying a sorbent coating comprising a sorbent material into the substrate; and firing the coating within the substrate [0016]. Gadkaree further discloses the step of firing the sorbent coating can be conducted according to the same time, temperature and atmospheres employed in the carbonizing and/or activating steps outlined earlier in connection with the method of making a sorbent structure [0080]. Gadkaree discloses the carbonization temperature can range from 600°C to 1200°C [0077], which overlaps the claimed range of 300°C to 1000°C such that the range taught by Gadkaree obviates the claimed range. See MPEP 2144.05 (I). Gadkaree further discloses the carbonization atmosphere can be inert [0077].
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gadkaree (US 2023/0277975; US PG Pub of IDS Doc US 11,679,354) in view of Holder (US 6,562,748).
Regarding Claim 4, Gadkaree teaches the elements as described above with regards to claim 2.
Gadkaree discloses the sorbent material 70a of the continuous body 14a can be fabricated from various sorbent materials that include, but are not limited to, zeolites, metal-organic framework (“MOFs”) and combinations of these materials [0051].
Gadkaree is silent to the sorbent comprising a solid inorganic base.
Holder discloses a method for forming a soda lime formulation consisting of calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide (calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide meet the limitation of a solid inorganic base), and zeolite (claims 14-15). Holder further discloses the formulation has improved mechanical strength (Abstract) and is effective to absorb carbon dioxide from air (claim 15).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gadkaree to incorporate the teachings of Holder, wherein the sorbent comprising a solid inorganic base, because the addition of the solid inorganic base to the zeolite of Holder results in improved mechanical strength and effective absorption of carbon dioxide from air, as recognized by Holder (Abstract, claim 15).
Regarding Claim 5, Holder discloses a method for forming a soda lime formulation consisting of calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide (calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide meet the limitation of a Ca-based, Na-based, K-based hydroxide), and zeolite (claims 14-15).
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gadkaree (US 2023/0277975; US PG Pub of IDS Doc US 11,679,354) in view of Wood (US 2024/0384041).
Regarding Claim 6, Gadkaree teaches the elements as described above with regards to claim 2.
Gadkaree discloses the sorbent structure is used for CO2 capture [0035].
Gadkaree is silent to the sorbent comprising an amino acid salt.
Wood discloses a method of forming a hydrogel for removing CO2 acid gas from gaseous stream by absorbing the acidic gas within the hydrogel [0007]. Wood further discloses providing the hydrogel as a monolith comprising a plurality of channels wherein the gaseous stream flows through. Wood further discloses the hydrogel comprises a conductive carbon material [0013]. Wood further discloses the hydrogel comprises a liquid swelling agent, and the liquid swelling agent comprises at least one acidic gas absorbent [0017]. Wood further discloses the liquid swelling agent may further comprise an amino acid salt, and the incorporation of an amino acid salt within the liquid swelling agent can improve acidic gas absorption [0124]. Wood discloses due to the presence of the amino functional group, CO2 can bind with the amino acid salt thus increasing CO2 absorption [0124].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gadkaree to incorporate the teachings of Wood wherein the sorbent comprises an amino acid salt, because the incorporation of an amino acid salt within the liquid swelling agent can improve acidic gas absorption; due to the presence of the amino functional group, CO2 can bind with the amino acid salt thus increasing CO2 absorption, as recognized by Wood [0124].
Regarding Claim 7, Wood further discloses the amino acid salt may comprise any suitable amino acid or derivative thereof, for example potassium glycinate [0124].
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gadkaree (US 2023/0277975; US PG Pub of IDS Doc US 11,679,354) in view of Park (KR 20150066632).
Regarding Claim 11, Gadkaree teaches the elements as described above with regards to claim 1.
Gadkaree is silent to the phenolic resin coated on the substrate comprises a solution of phenolic resin and a catalyst.
Gadkaree, however, discloses using liquid components (phenolic resin liquid and deionized water) to form the solid green body/sorbent structure [0082].
Park discloses a method for producing a carbon aerogel for adsorbing carbon dioxide comprising gelling a solution containing a carbon precursor, formaldehyde, a solvent, and a catalyst to produce a wet gel followed by drying [0007] and heat treating the activated carbon aerogel precursor at 500 to 1500°C [0015], where carbonization takes place [0019]. Park further discloses the catalyst was added for gelation [0029].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gadkaree to incorporate the teachings of Park wherein the phenolic resin coated on the substrate comprises a solution of phenolic resin and a catalyst in order to improve gelation of the carbon precursor (phenolic resin), as recognized by Park [0029].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SLONE ELZABETH SIMKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-3214. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30AM-4:30PM.
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/S.E.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1735
/PAUL A WARTALOWICZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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