Device including multilayer membrane to control fluid drainage and methods of use thereof

A method of varying a fluid flow rate through a multilayer membrane comprising:

• sending a control signal from a controller operably connected to activate an electroactive polymer within each layer of a plurality of layers of a multilayer membrane, wherein the electroactive polymer surrounds each of a plurality of variably-sized pores in the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane;
• altering the electroactive polymer surrounding one or more sizes of the plurality of variably-sized pores within a first layer of the multilayer membrane and altering the one or more sizes of the variably-sized pores sequentially within a second layer and one or more subsequent layers of the multilayer membrane;
• and
• aligning at least one of the plurality of the variably-sized pores in the first layer with at least one of the plurality of variably-sized pores in one or more subsequent layers of the multilayer membrane.

A device comprising:

• a multilayer membrane including a plurality of layers, each layer of the plurality of layers having a plurality of pores on the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane;
• an actuator operably attached to the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane;
• and
• a controller operably activating the actuator to differentially actuate two or more of the layers to alter a relative lateral position of the two or more layers of the plurality of layers to align two or more of the plurality of pores within the two or more layers of the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane;
• wherein the two or more pores are aligned and accessible through the two or more layers of the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane.