(19)

(11)

EP 1 442 084 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 26.02.2004 (43) Date of publication: 04.08.2004 Bulletin 2004/32 (21) Application number: 02737139.2 (22) Date of filing: 28.05.2002

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: C09B 62/04, C09B 62/20, C09B 62/00 (86) International application number: PCT/US2002/016420 (87) International publication number: WO 2002/096995 (05.12.2002 Gazette 2002/49)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK RO SI (30) Priority: 29.05.2001 GB 0112954 04.08.2001 GB 0119051 (71) Applicant: North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7003 (US)	(72) Inventors: HE, Wei Dong Morley,Leeds LS27 0HF (GB) BROADBENT, Peter, Jeffrey Knaresborough,North Yorkshire HG5 0JH (GB) LEWIS, David Malcolm West Yorkshire,Leeds LS21 2AL (GB) (74) Representative: Behnisch, Werner, Dr.  Reinhard-Skuhra-WeiseFriedrichstrasse 31 80801 München 80801 München (DE)