US 12,264,655 B2 · Unipolar artificial muscles and methods of use thereof

Abstract

Previous electrochemically-powered yarn muscles cannot be usefully operated between extreme negative and extreme positive potentials, since strokes during electron injection and during hole injection partially cancel because they are in the same direction. Unipolar-stroke carbon nanotube yarn muscles are described in which muscle strokes are additive between extreme negative and extreme positive potentials, and stroke increases with potential scan rate. These electrochemical artificial muscles include an electrically conducting twisted or coiled yarn and a material that dramatically shifts the potential of zero charge of the electrochemically actuated yarn.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An electrochemical artificial muscle comprising:

(a) an actuating electrode that comprises a first twisted yarn or coiled yarn that is electrically conducting;
(b) an electronically conducting counter electrode;
(c) an ionic conductor that provides a path for ionic conduction between said actuating electrode and said counter electrode;
(d) a material that shifts the potential of zero charge of the actuating electrode, wherein
(i) the shift in potential increases the potential range over which the actuating electrode monotonically increases or monotonically decreases actuator stroke during increase in potential, and
(ii) the first twisted or coiled yarn in the electrochemical artificial muscle has a monotonic potential range fraction of at least 0.7.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/380,746Filed 3 Feb 2020 · us provisional application

Priority

7 Feb 2019

Published

US 2023/0141697 A111 May 2023

Granted

1 Apr 2025

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H01B 1/127
Intrinsically conductive polymers: comprising five-membered aromatic rings in the main chain, e.g. polypyrroles, polythiophenes
D02G 3/16
Yarns or threads characterised by the material or by the materials from which they are made: yarns or threads made from mineral substances
D02G 3/26
Yarns or threads characterised by constructional features , e.g. blending, filament/fibre: with characteristics dependent on the amount or…
D02G 3/441
Yarns or threads characterised by the purpose for which they are designed: yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding…

Unipolar artificial muscles and methods of use thereof

Life of this patent

Unipolar artificial muscles and methods of use thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19