High strain gels, gel composites and artificial muscel actuators made thereform

• US 20030122446A1
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Elastomerics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John Y. Chen
• Inventors: Chen, John Y.
• Granted Patent: US 6,909,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/309
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/00 Devices for cleaning between the teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/041 Dental floss chemical aspects A61Q11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 26/055 Blanks having super-plastic properties
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/24 Graft or block copolymers according to groups C08L51/00, C08L53/00 or C08L55/02; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/00 Compositions of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds for ABS polymers C08L55/02; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/00 Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/02 of vinyl-aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/025 modified

Abstract

Novel gels and articles are formed from one or more copolymers having at least one poly(ethylene) components and high levels of one or more plasticizers, said gels having an amount of crystallinity, glassy components, and selected plasticizers sufficient to achieve improvements in one or more physical properties including improved crack propagation resistance, improved tear resistance, improved resistance to fatigue, resistance to catastrophic failure, and exhibiting high strain under elongations not obtainable in amorphous gels which high strain making the gel suitable for use as film layers for artificial muscles.

Claims

1. A artificial muscle actuator comprising:

a) one or more thin film layers folded or rolled into the shape of a cylinder forming a center part of said cylinder and an outer part of said cylinder, said film layer having a top surface M_n1 and a bottom surface M_n2, said top surface and said bottom surface each coated with an electrical conducting layer M_c, said conducting layer of said top surface connected by a first electrode on said top surface positioned at said center part and said bottom surface connected by a second electrode on said bottom surface positioned at said outer part;

said first and second electrodes being connected to one or more direct current power source or sources, said power supply capable of generating a electrical potential of a positive electrical charge to the first electrode and a negative electrical charge to the second electrode from less than about 100 volt to above about 10,000 volts;

said film layers comprising a gel made from one or more copolymers having one or more polyethylene segments and capable of exhibiting crystanility at about 10°

C. and higher as determined by DSC curve, said gel having rigidities of from less than about 2 gram Bloom to about 1,800 gram Bloom; and

said gel being capable of exhibiting greater tear resistance than amorphous gels of SEPS and SEBS.

2. A artificial muscle actuator comprising:

a) one or more thin film layers folded or rolled into the shape of a cylinder forming a center part of said cylinder and an outer part of said cylinder, said film layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface and said bottom surface each coated with an electrical conducting layer, said conducting layer of said top surface connected by a first electrode on said top surface positioned at said center part and said bottom surface connected by a second electrode on said bottom surface positioned at said outer part;

said first and second electrodes being connected to a direct current power source, said power supply capable of generating a electrical potential of a positive electrical charge to the first electrode and a negative electrical charge to the second electrode of about 100 v, 200 v, 300 v, 400 v, 500 v, 600, 700 v, 800, 900, 1,000 v, 2,000 v, 3,000 v, 4,000 v, 5,000 v, 6,000 v, 7,000 v, 8,000 v, 9,000 v, 10,000 v, 11,000 v, 12,000 v,15,000 v and higher;

said film layers comprising a gel made from one or more copolymers in combination with or without polyphenylene ether, said copolymers having one or more polyethylene segments; and

said copolymers capable of exhibiting crystanility at about 10°

C. and higher as determined by DSC curve, said gel having rigidities of from less than about 2 gram Bloom to about 1,800 gram Bloom; and

said gel being capable of exhibiting greater tear resistance than amorphous gels of SEPS and SEBS.

3. A artificial muscle actuator comprising:

a) one or more thin film layers folded or rolled into the shape of a cylinder forming a center part of said cylinder and an outer part of said cylinder, said film layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface and said bottom surface each coated with an electrical conducting layer, (E), said conducting layer of said top surface connected by a first electrode on said top surface positioned at said center part and said bottom surface connected by a second electrode on said bottom surface positioned at said outer part;

said first and second electrodes being connected to a direct current power source, said power supply capable of generating a electrical potential of a positive electrical charge, to the first electrode and a negative electrical charge, to the second electrode of at least about 10,000 volts;

said film layers comprising a composite of one or more gel, G, film layers and one or more electrode, E, coating layers, said composite selected from EGE, EGEGE, EGEGEGE, EGEGEGEGE, and EGEGEGEGEGE;

said film layers comprising a gel made from one or more copolymers in combination with or without polyphenylene ether, said copolymers having one or more polyethylene segments; and

said copolymers capable of exhibiting crystanility at about 10°

C. and higher as determined by DSC curve, said gel having rigidities of from less than about 2 gram Bloom to about 1,800 gram Bloom; and

said gel being capable of exhibiting greater tear resistance than amorphous gels of SEPS and SEBS.