Fast acting valve

A fast acting mechanical valve affording macroeffects with high speed, low mass, micromovement, comprising:

• a first microporous planar sheet-like electrically conductive film having an electrically insulative face surface on one side thereof and an array of microapertures through said film and face surface;
• a second microporous planar sheet-like electrically conductive film abutting said insulative face surface on the opposite side thereof from said first film, and having an array of microapertures through said second film nonaligned with said first mentioned array, the interface between said first and second films at said insulative face surface providing a seal which blocks fluid flow;
• and
• electric circuit means for passing electric current through said first and second films in opposite directions to drive them transversely apart due to opposing electromagnetic fields to break said interface seal and allow fluid flow passage through said first and second arrays of microapertures and through the space between said transversely separated films.