# US 2018/0320669 A1 · Vapor pressure solid articles and methods for making and using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0320669 A1 - Document ID: US20180320669A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/996,028 - Filed: 2018-06-01 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-01 - Assignees: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York - Applicants: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York - Inventors: Kenneth William Stack; Aslan Miriyev; Hod Lipson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180320669A1 ## CPC - F03G 7/012: {Electro-chemical actuators} - B25J 7/00: Micromanipulators {(specimen supports for investigating or analysing materials G01N23/2204; associated with microscopes G02B21/32; means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material in discharge tubes H01J37/20)} - B29C 51/002: {characterised by the choice of material} - B29C 51/006: {for making articles having hollow walls} - B29C 51/10: Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum - B29C 51/12: of articles having inserts or reinforcements - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - C08L 83/04: Polysiloxanes - F03G 7/06113: {the fluids subjected to phase change} - F15B 15/103: {using inflatable bodies that contract when fluid pressure is applied, e.g. pneumatic artificial muscles or McKibben-type actuators} - F16H 27/02: with at least one reciprocating or oscillating transmission member - B29C 44/3484: {Stopping the foaming reaction until the material is heated or re-heated} - B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials - B29K 2105/0061: {Gel or sol} - B29K 2105/0064: {Latex, emulsion or dispersion} - B29K 2105/24: crosslinked or vulcanised - B29K 2995/0063: Density - H05B 3/18: the conductor being embedded in an insulating material - H05B 2203/014: Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54 - 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) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F16H: GEARING - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Disclosed are devices, systems, apparatuses, methods, products, and other implementations of vapor pressure solids. In some embodiments, a vapor pressure solid may include a one- or multi-component matrix material. In some embodiments, the multi-components matrix material is a two-part PDMS comprising a first and second matrix material. The first matrix material is capable of being mixed with one or more vaporizable fluids that causes the first matrix material to swell. The second matrix material is capable of being mixed with the swelled first matrix material to produce an actuating material. When the actuating material is heated, the one or more vaporizable fluids expand, resulting in vapors. The increased pressure applied by the vapors causes the actuating material to expand. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article of manufacture comprising: a first matrix material capable of being mixed with one or more vaporizable fluids, wherein mixing the one or more vaporizable fluids causes the first matrix material to swell; a second matrix material capable of being mixed with the swelled first matrix material to produce an actuating material, wherein heating the actuating material causes inflation of the actuating material based on pressure applied by vapors resulting from expansion of one or more vaporizable fluids. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein cooling the actuating material causes contraction of the actuating material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the one or more vaporizable fluids is captive in the first matrix material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the first matrix material is soaked and cured in the one or more vaporizable fluids. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the first and second matrix materials are selected from a group consisting of silicone rubber, polymers, resins and latex. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The article of manufacture of claim 5 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of Polydimethysiloxane (“PDMS”), platinum-catalyzed PDMS, and tin-catalyzed PDMS. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the one or more vaporizable fluids is selected from a group consisting of ethanol, acetone, water, glycerin and etheric compounds. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 further comprising a heating element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the heating element is a resistor embedded in the actuating material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of heating elements configured to independently heat different portions of the actuating material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 further comprising one or more cooling elements configured to accelerate cooling of the actuating material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The article of manufacture of claim 1 further comprising one or more conductive materials for heating the one or more vaporizable fluids. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The article of manufacture of claim 9 further comprising: a layer of passive Polydimethysiloxane (“PDMS”) material having a first end and a second end, wherein the actuating material is formed onto the layer of passive PDMS material, and wherein actuation and contraction of the actuating material causes the article of manufacture to advance along an axis of contraction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The article of manufacture of claim 9 further comprising: a layer of passive Polydimethysiloxane (“PDMS”) material having a first end and a second end, wherein the actuating material is formed onto the layer of passive PDMS material; and a gripper comprising a first finger and a second finger, the first finger coupled to the first end of the layer of passive PDMS material and the second finger couple second end of the layer of passive PDMS material, wherein actuation of the actuating material causes the gripper to manipulate an object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The article of manufacture of claim 9 further comprising: a base; a movable member coupled to the base, wherein the actuating material is enclosed in the movable member; and a bar coupled to the movable member, wherein contraction of the actuating material causes the base to advance along an axis of contraction. ### Claim 16 A method of actuating a composite material comprising the following steps: providing a composite material comprising at least one matrix material; mixing the at least one matrix material with one or more vaporizable fluids; and heating the one or more vaporizable fluids to produce vapor, wherein the produced vapor causes the composite material to inflate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising modifying the composite material to include a sealing layer, wherein the sealing layer blocks the one or more vaporizable fluids from emanating from the composite material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the step of providing composite material comprises 3D printing the composite material. ### Claim 19 A process of preparing an actuating material which comprises: mixing a first matrix material with one or more vaporizable fluids; mixing a second matrix material to produce a composite material; and modifying the composite material to include a sealing layer, wherein the sealing layer blocks the one or more vaporizable fluids from emanating from the composite material, wherein heating the one or more vaporizable fluids produces vapor that causes the at least one matrix material to inflate. ### Claim 20 A process of preparing an actuating material which comprises: mixing at least one matrix material with one or more vaporizable fluids, wherein heating the one or more vaporizable fluids produces vapor that causes the at least one matrix material to inflate.