Humidity responsive materials and systems and methods using humidity responsive materials
AssigneeThe University of Akron
InventorsAli Dhinojwala, Todd Blackledge, Ingi Agnarsson
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Abstract
The invention relates to silk or other materials formed to have predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics, wherein the contraction/relaxation characteristics are initiated by exposure thereof to predetermined humidity characteristics in the adjacent atmosphere. The materials may comprise a single silk fiber, a bundle of fibers of a predetermined size or diameter, a meshwork of fibers forming a predetermined configuration such as one or more sheets, bundles or other bodies. In this manner, the material can be scaled across a size range of any desired magnitude to produce predetermined force and/or displacement characteristics in association therewith.
Claims38
The fibrous body of claim 7, wherein the at least one silk fiber is formed of an aqueous solution of a silk protein formed to have predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics, wherein the contraction/relaxation characteristics are initiated by exposure thereof to predetermined relative humidity characteristics in the adjacent atmosphere.
The fibrous body of claim 7, wherein the at least one silk fiber has contraction characteristics including supercontraction, where the fiber contracts a percentage of its length upon being exposed to a predetermined relative humidity.
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A fibrous body formed of at least one silk fiber, the at least one silk fiber having predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics, wherein the contraction/relaxation characteristics are initiated by exposure thereof to predetermined relative humidity characteristics in the adjacent atmosphere, wherein the fibrous body will have predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics resulting from the exposure thereof to predetermined relative humidity characteristics in the adjacent atmosphere.
A system comprising at least two members between which at least one fiber is attached to impart a predetermined force or displacement between the at least two members, the at least one fiber having predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics, and a controlled atmosphere at least in the vicinity adjacent to at least a portion of the at least one fiber, such that the predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics of the at least portion of the at least one fiber are controllable by control of the relative humidity in the atmosphere adjacent the at least one fiber.
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A method of using at least one silk fibrous body by attaching the at least one fibrous body to at least two members to selectively impart a force on at least one member or displacement of at least one member by subjecting the at least one fibrous body to an atmosphere having predetermined relative humidity characteristics, wherein the predetermined relative humidity characteristics cause predetermined contraction or relaxation of the at least one fibrous body.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.