US Patent Issued to Northwestern University on Jan. 20 for "Self-stabilized thermothickening colloids" (Illinois Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 20 -- United States Patent no. 12,528,064, issued on Jan. 20, was assigned to Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.).

"Self-stabilized thermothickening colloids" was invented by Kenneth R. Shull (Evanston, Ill.) and Yaoyao Chen (Evanston, Ill.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A thermothickening fluid is provided which comprises a liquid phase; a first polymer comprising functional groups and having a room temperature solubility in the liquid phase; and a second, different polymer comprising functional groups and having a room temperature solubility in the liquid phase, wherein functional groups on the first polymer are capable of associating with functional groups on the...