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 with traverse of Group I, claim 1, in the reply filed on 6/3/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the grounds that there would not be a serious search burden and/or examination burden on the Examiner if restriction were not required. This is not found persuasive because the Examiner has sufficiently shown a concurrent examination of the inventions would present a “serious burden”, as set forth in the restriction requirement mailed 4/3/26. Specifically, after the Examiner provides all the inventions, I-III being independent or distinct for the reasons given in the restriction requirement mailed 6/3/26, the Examiner has provided reason(s) that there would be a serious search and/or examination burden if restriction were not required because one or more of the following reasons apply: the inventions have acquired a separate status in the art in view of their different classification, the inventions have acquired a separate status in the art due to their recognized divergent subject matter, and the inventions require a different field of search (e.g., searching different classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search strategies or search queries).
Given Applicants have not traversed why none of the reasons given in the restriction requirement mailed 4/3/26 would not be proper, and given that Applicants have not traversed the Examiner's explanation of all the inventions I-III being independent or distinct for the reasons set forth in the restriction requirement mailed 6/3/26, the restriction requirement is proper.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Examiner would also like to point out that claims 2-3 would be subject to a 101/112 rejection as these claims are not a proper use claims. There is not a clear transition phase or language or how the photocatalyst is used. “for photocatalytic CO2 reduction” this reads as the preamble.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zaka (Nov 2023, cited on the 1/21/26 IDS) in view of Majhi et al (Feb 2023, cited on the 1/21/26 IDS) in view of Dona et al (WO2013117778, English translation, cited on the 1/21/26 IDS).
Zaka, synthesis of a nanocomposite, teaches the suspension of V2C MXene was prepared by taking V2C in 15 mL of ethylene glycol and stirring for a few mins. Similarly, the suspension of TiO2 nanoparticles was prepared by adding TiO2 nanoparticles in ethylene glycol and stirring for 10 min. The TiO2 suspension was then added to the suspension of V2C MXene. The obtained mixture was stirred for 30 min and then transferred to Teflon lined stainless steel autoclave. The autoclave was placed in a heating oven at 120 °C for 12 h. The obtained product was centrifuged and washed several times with ethanol and deionized water. The sample was heated at 50 °C for 6 h in a vacuum oven.
Although Zaka teaches heating the product, Zaka does not teach calcining the product.
Majhi teaches V2CTX MXene-based hybrid sensors.
Majhi, conclusion, teaches multilayered V2CTx MXenes were partially transformed into urchin-type V2O5 structures (V2CTx/V2O5 MXene) at 450 °C calcination temperature.
Furthermore, the V2CTx/V2O5 MXene sensor exhibited high selectivity to acetone among different interfering gases, fast response-recovery time (115s/180s), and excellent reproducibility and long-term stability (21 days) at RT.
Majhi teaches a chemiresistive gas sensor made from V2CTx MXene-derived, urchin-like V2O5 hybrid materials (V2C/V2O5 MXene) for gas sensing applications at room temperature.
These improved sensing properties can be attributed to the possible formation of H-bonds in multilayer V2C MXenes, the synergistic effect of the newly formed composite of urchin-like V2C/V2O5 MXene sensor, and high charge carrier transport at the interface of V2O5 and V2C MXene.
Majhi, synthesis of V2CTx-derived composites, teaches the as-obtained V2CTx powder was calcined at different temperatures ranging from 300–450 °C at a rate of 1 °C/min.
It 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 to calcine at 300–450 °C to form a V2C/V2O5 interface as taught by Majhi the product as taught by Zaka as the V2CTx/V2O5 MXene sensor exhibited high selectivity to acetone among different interfering gases, fast response-recovery time (115s/180s), and excellent reproducibility and long-term stability (21 days) at RT.
Further, it 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 to choose the amount of time for calcination to obtain the urchin-like V2C/V2O5 MXene shape.
Although the references teach drying and calcining, the references do not teach grinding.
Dona teaches a titanium dioxide photocatalyst.
Dona teaches to dry the particles obtained in step d); and f) Grind the particles obtained in step e). Dona teaches the grinding and sieving stages are intended to ensure that the photocatalyst obtained is homogeneous.
It 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 to grind as taught Dona the product before or after calcination to ensure the powder is homogenous.
Where the claimed and prior art products are identical or substantially identical in structure or composition, or are produced by identical or substantially identical processes, a prima facie case of either anticipation or obviousness has been established. In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255, 195 USPQ 430, 433 (CCPA 1977). See MPEP 2112.01 (I).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US2010031656, cited on the 1/21/26 IDS, teaches the preparation of titanium dioxide.
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/STEFANIE J COHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1732 6/10/26
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