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US 2021/0214469 A1Published application
Water-responsive materials and uses therefor
AssigneeResearch Foundation of the City University of New York
InventorsXi Chen, Rein V. Ulijn, Zhi-Lun Liu, Yi-Ren Wang, Daniela Kroiss, Haozhen Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotary engine that generates electricity using differences in relative humidity. A water-responsive material expands and contracts as water evaporates which drives the rotation of two wheels. The rotary motion drives an electrical generator which produces electricity. In another embodiment, the water-responsive material is used to actuate an artificial muscle of a robotic device.
Claims17
A method for actuating an artificial muscle, the method comprising:
- exposing a flexible substrate to air with a first humidity, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a surface that is coated with a peptidoglycan;
- exposing the substrate to air with a second humidity, different than the first humidity, wherein the second humidity causes a change in hygroscopic expansion or contraction of the peptidoglycan, thereby actuating the substrate.
An artificial muscle comprising:
- a flexible substrate with a surface that is coated with a peptidoglycan with a thickness between 500 nm and 5 mm, wherein humid air contacting the peptidoglycan causes hygroscopic expansion and contraction of the peptidoglycan, thereby actuating the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.