Electroactive nanostructured polymers as tunable organic actuators
AssigneeNorth Carolina State University
InventorsRavi Shankar, Tushar K. Ghosh, Richard J. Spontak
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Abstract
An actuator element formed from an actuator composition is described, along with transducers including the same. The composition comprises: (i) a thermoplastic elastomer copolymer, the copolymer comprising at least one flexible midblock, and at least two glassy or semicrystalline endblocks; and (ii) a liquid modifier that selectively solvates the at least one flexible midblock.
Claims33
A transducer useful in an electromechanical device, said transducer comprising:
- (a) at least one electrode;
- and
- (b) an actuator element operatively associated with said at least one electrode, said actuator element formed from an actuator composition comprising:
- (i) at least one thermoplastic elastomer copolymer, said copolymer comprising at least one flexible midblock and at least two glassy or semicrystalline endblocks;
- and (ii) at least one organic solvent that selectively solvates said at least one flexible midblock.
A transducer useful in an electromechanical device, said transducer comprising:
- (a) at least one electrode;
- and
- (b) an actuator element operatively associated with said at least one electrode, said actuator element formed from an actuator composition comprising:
- (i) at least one thermoplastic elastomer copolymer, said copolymer comprising at least one flexible midblock and at least two glassy or semicrystalline endblocks;
- and (ii) at least one organic solvent that selectively solvates said at least one flexible midblock;
- wherein:
- said flexible midblock is a polyolefin or polydiene midblock;
- said endblocks are aromatic or acrylic endblocks;
- said solvent is an oil having a boiling point greater than 50° C.;
- said actuator composition comprises a thermoplastic elastomer gel;
- said thermoplastic elastomer has a molecular weight greater than 10,000;
- said solvent has a molecular weight less than 10,000;
- said thermoplastic elastomer is included in said actuator composition in an amount of from 2 to 80 percent by weight;
- and
- said solvent is included in said actuator composition in an amount of from 98 to 2 percent by weight.
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21-22. (canceled)
An actuator element formed from an actuator composition, said composition comprising:
- (i) at least one thermoplastic elastomer copolymer, said copolymer comprising at least one flexible midblock, and at least two glassy or semicrystalline endblocks;
- and (ii) at least one organic solvent that selectively solvates said at least one flexible midblock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.