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US 10,300,669 B2Granted
Phase change composite bimorphs
AssigneeGenuine Ideas, LLC
InventorGreg E. Blonder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bilayer composite thin-film beam structure is described. The structure incorporates a bulk phase change material as small inclusions in one layer of a bimorph. The structure, also referred to as a “phase change composite bimorph” or “PCBM”, curls abruptly, and reversibly, at a phase transition temperature. Large curling and effective expansion coefficients are demonstrated. The PCBMs may be employed in various self-assembly mechanisms and actuators.
Claims12
An apparatus comprising:
- a first layer comprising a first material;
- and
- a second layer bonded to the first layer, the second layer comprising a matrix comprising a second material incorporating a plurality of inclusions of a phase-change component, wherein a curvature of the first layer bonded to the second layer changes in response to the phase-change component reaching a transition temperature.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first layer comprising a polymer;
- and
- a second layer bonded to the first layer, the second layer comprising a matrix comprising a second material incorporating a plurality of inclusions of a phase-change component encapsulated by one or more microsphere shells, wherein the phase-change component is encapsulated prior to incorporation into the matrix, and wherein the phase-change component transitions from a solid state to a liquid state at a transition temperature to cause a change of a curvature of the first layer bonded to the second layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.