Dr. Hari Cohly, associate professor of biology in the Jackson State University Department of Biology, has recently been named an inventor on a patent for a new method of removing and preventing rust.
Cohly says the new technology, which employs a hydrogen-based gas, is economical to produce, non-invasive, environmentally friendly and can be mass- produced. The process could revolutionize numerous industries that now must rely on the current costly and labor-intensive rust removal methods, as well as prevent corrosion on objects ranging from small tools to automobiles, massive bridges and ocean-going ships.
The potential savings to consumers and industry is incalculable.
“Just consider a company that cleans rust from the bottoms of huge ships. The ship must be pulled from the water, chemicals applied and then scraped. It takes a very long time and is very labor-intensive and costly,” he says.
When the gas developed by Cohly and his colleagues is applied to a corroded surface, the rust falls off, particle by particle. “There is no scraping, and you can then just vacuum up the rust that has fallen off,” Cohly says.
Cohly acknowledges the contributions of the following individuals who are also named on the patent: Bharat Subodh of India., Dr. Rajendram V. Rajnarayanan, of East Amherst, NY, and Hui Chu Tsai of Singapore.
A native of India, Cohly holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Toronto and a master’s and Ph.D. in microbiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has done post-doctoral work at the University of Toronto and with Baylor College of Medicine and NASA Johnson Space Center in Texas.
Dr. Loretta Moore, interim vice president for research and federal relations at JSU, said university officials are excited about the project.
“Dr. Cohly is very passionate about innovation, and we are proud of his achievement in being named an inventor with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. We are thrilled to be able to support our faculty, staff, and students through the entire process, from idea to invention to commercialization,” Moore said.
Through its Technology Transfer and Commercialization unit, Jackson State University facilitates the invention disclosure and patent application process and provides both technical and financial support to ensure that the intellectual property rights to the invention are protected.
For more information about the patent application process at JSU, please contact the university’s intellectual property manager, Almesha L Campbell, at 601-979-1815.