Appeal No. 95-2746
Application 07/887,394
oxidation of the active carbon. Patentee thereafter treats
the fiber with Fe , which results in interaction between the+2
Fe ions and the oxygen containing functional groups on the+2
surface of the carbon, Fig. 1(b) and column 3, lines 59
through column 4, line 47. It is this modified carbon which
is used in a gas phase adsorption process. See column 4, lines
59-63 and Table 3.
Claim 15, however, requires an activated carbon fiber,
"with oxygen containing functional groups and an oxygen
content of about 3 to about 18% by weight based on the weight
of the fiber." Based on the teachings of Oikawa, we are unable
to make
a positive finding either with respect to the presence of
oxygen containing functional groups or to the oxygen content
of about 3 to about 18 % by weight based on the weight of the
fiber as required by claim 15.
The oxygen containing functional groups have been
reacted with the Fe ions such that it cannot be determined if+2
oxygen containing functional groups remain or how many.
Similarly, we are unable to determine the oxygen content, as
an indeterminate amount of Fe is chemically bonded to the+2
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