# US 11,114,952 B1 · Phase-change composites for electroactive devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,952 B1 - Document ID: US11114952B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/197,397 - Filed: 2018-11-21 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-21 - Assignees: Facebook Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Facebook Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Thomas Wallin; Austin Lane; Christopher Yuan Ting Liao; Jack Lindsay; Tanya Malhotra; Andrew John Ouderkirk; Katherine Marie Smyth; Yigit Mengue - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114952B1 ## CPC - F03G 7/06113: {the fluids subjected to phase change} - H02N 1/006: {of the gap-closing type (H02N1/004 takes precedence)} - F03G 7/0612: {using polymers} - G02B 3/14: of variable focal length - H10N 30/20: with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators - H10N 30/2047: {Membrane type} - H10N 30/50: having a stacked or multilayer structure - H10N 30/802: {Circuitry or processes for operating piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for, e.g. drive circuits} - H10N 30/852: {Composite materials, e.g. having 1-3 or 2-2 type connectivity} - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A device, such as an electroactive device, may include primary electrode and a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode. An electroactive polymer element may include a composite polymer material and is disposed between and abuts each of the primary electrode and the secondary electrode. A phase change or other deformable medium such as a liquid, a gas, or a liquid-gas mixture may be disposed as inclusions within the polymer material. The device can be actuated by the application of a voltage between the electrodes and the attendant formation of a Maxwell stress, exposing the deformable medium to a source of radiation, changing a pressure of the deformable medium, or changing a temperature of the deformable medium, e.g., about a phase transformation temperature of the phase change medium. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: a primary electrode; a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode; and an electroactive polymer element comprising a composite polymer material disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, wherein the composite polymer material comprises a polymer matrix and inclusions of a phase-changeable material that undergoes a change in volume when the phase-changeable material changes phase, the phase-changeable material comprising at least one of a liquid, a gas, or a liquid-gas mixture disposed throughout the polymer matrix. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer element has a thickness of approximately 100 nanometers to approximately 10 micrometers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer element further comprises particles of a material having a high dielectric constant, the particles having an average diameter between approximately 10 nm and approximately 1000 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the high dielectric constant particles comprise barium titanate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the composite polymer material comprises mutually isolated inclusions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the composite polymer material comprises interconnected inclusions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises at least one of an alcohol, glycol, water, paraffin, trimethylolethane, lauric acid, a solution of a carbonate compound, or a solution of a peroxide compound. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the gas comprises at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, or sulfur hexafluoride. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the electroactive polymer element is characterized by three or more of: (i) an actuation frequency of at least 1 MHz; (ii) an actuation efficiency of at least 20%; (iii) an actuation amplitude of at least 100%; and (iv) an actuation stress of at least 1 MPa. ### Claim 10 An electroactive device comprising: a primary electrode; a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode; and an electroactive polymer element comprising a composite polymer material disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, wherein the composite polymer material comprises a polymer matrix and inclusions of a deformable medium comprising a phase-changeable material that undergoes a change in volume when the phase-changeable material changes phase, the inclusions of the deformable medium being dispersed throughout the polymer matrix. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electroactive device of claim 10, wherein the electroactive polymer element further comprises particles of a material having a high dielectric constant, the particles having an average diameter between approximately 10 nm and approximately 1000 nm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electroactive device of claim 11, wherein the high dielectric constant particles comprise barium titanate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The electroactive device of claim 10, wherein the composite polymer material comprises mutually isolated inclusions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The electroactive device of claim 10, wherein the deformable medium comprises a high dielectric strength fluid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The electroactive device of claim 10, wherein the deformable medium comprises at least one of an alcohol, glycol, water, paraffin, trimethylolethane, lauric acid, a solution of a carbonate compound, or a solution of a peroxide compound. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The electroactive device of claim 10, wherein the deformable medium is adapted to undergo a reversible phase transformation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The electroactive device of claim 10, wherein the electroactive polymer element is characterized by three or more of: (i) an actuation frequency of at least 1 MHz; (ii) an actuation efficiency of at least 20%; (iii) an actuation amplitude of at least 100%; and (iv) an actuation stress of at least 1 MPa. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The electroactive device of claim 10, wherein a dimension of the electroactive polymer element is changeable by at least one of: (i) applying a voltage between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode; (ii) exposing the deformable medium to a source of radiation; (iii) changing a temperature of the deformable medium; or (iv) changing a pressure of the deformable medium. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: forming a primary electrode; forming an electroactive polymer element comprising a composite polymer material directly over the primary electrode; and forming a secondary electrode opposite the primary electrode and directly over the electroactive polymer element, wherein the composite polymer material comprises a polymer matrix and inclusions of a deformable medium comprising a phase-changeable material that undergoes a change in volume when the phase-changeable material changes phase, the inclusions of the deformable medium being dispersed throughout the polymer matrix. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising changing a dimension of the electroactive polymer element by at least one of: (i) applying a voltage between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode; (ii) exposing the deformable medium to a source of radiation; (iii) changing a temperature of the deformable medium; or (iv) changing a pressure of the deformable medium.