Electrostrictive composite and electrostrictive element using the same
AssigneesTsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
InventorsLu-Zhuo Chen, Chang-Hong Liu, Jia-Ping Wang, Shou-Shan Fan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrostrictive composite includes a flexible polymer matrix and a number of one dimensional conductive materials dispersed in the flexible polymer matrix. The flexible polymer matrix is a sheet. The one dimensional conductive materials cooperatively form an electrically conductive structure in the flexible polymer matrix. The one dimensional conductive materials are oriented substantially along a same preferred direction.
Claims21
An electrostrictive composite comprising:
- a flexible polymer matrix in a sheet structure form;
- and
- a plurality of one dimensional conductive materials dispersed in the flexible polymer matrix, the one dimensional conductive materials-cooperatively forming an electrically conductive structure in the flexible polymer matrix, wherein the one dimensional conductive materials are carbon nanotubes oriented substantially along a preferred orientation and joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force.
An electrostrictive composite comprising:
- a flexible polymer matrix having a sheet structure;
- and
- a carbon nanotube film structure dispersed in the flexible polymer matrix, the carbon nanotube film structure comprising at least one carbon nanotube film, the at least one carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes;
- wherein the carbon nanotubes in the at least one carbon nanotube film are successively oriented substantially along a preferred orientation and joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force.
An electrostrictive element comprising:
- a flexible polymer matrix in a sheet structure form;
- a carbon nanotube film structure dispersed in the polymer matrix, the carbon nanotube film structure comprising at least one carbon nanotube film, the at least one carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes, wherein the carbon nanotubes in the at least one carbon nanotube film are oriented substantially along a first direction, the carbon nanotube film structure having a first thermal expansion coefficient along the first direction and a second thermal expansion coefficient along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first thermal expansion coefficient is smaller than the second thermal expansion coefficients;
- and
- a first electrode and a second electrode located apart from each other and electrically connected to the carbon nanotube film structure;
- wherein the electrostrictive element is controlled to expand or contract in the second direction by controlled heating of the carbon nanotube film structure to cause the flexible polymer matrix to expand or contract in the second direction via adjustment of a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.