ELECTROSTRICTIVE COMPOSITE AND ELECTROSTRICTIVE ELEMENT USING THE SAME

• US 20110094217A1
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: FAN, SHOU-SHAN, LIU, CHANG-HONG, WANG, JIA-PING, CHEN, LU-ZHUO
• Granted Patent: US 8,536,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/528
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/108 Carbon, e.g. graphite particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/00 Electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/04 as impregnant, bonding, or embedding substance not used
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/14 next to a particulate layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/26 characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids foam layer B32B5/18; layer of synthetic resin characterised by fillers that create voids or cavities B32B27/205; characterised by an apertured layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/02 characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/16 characterised by features of a layer formed of particles, e.g. chips, powder or granules layer formed of natural mineral particles B32B19/00; layer being formed of wood fibres, chips or particles B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/027 Thermal properties
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/005 Electro-chemical actuators; Actuators having a material for absorbing or desorbing gas, e.g. a metal hydride; Actuators using the difference in osmotic pressure between fluids; Actuators with elements stretchable when contacted with liquid rich in ions, with UV light, with a salt solution
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/0121 Electroactive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/06146 Torque tubes or torsion bars
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/065 using a shape memory element
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/20 with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/857 Macromolecular compositions
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/87 Electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24994 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249945 Carbon or carbonaceous fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249978 Voids specified as micro

Abstract

An electrostrictive composite includes a flexible polymer matrix and a carbon nanotube film structure. The carbon nanotube film structure is located on a surface of the flexible polymer matrix, and at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer matrix through the first surface. The carbon nanotube film structure includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

Claims

1. An electrostrictive composite comprising:

a flexible polymer matrix; and

a carbon nanotube film structure located on a first surface of the flexible polymer matrix, and at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer matrix through the first surface, the carbon nanotube film structure comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

2. The electrostrictive composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube film structure comprises at least one carbon nanotube film.

3. The electrostrictive composite of claim 2, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a drawn carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallel to each other and combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

4. The electrostrictive composite of claim 3, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film comprises a plurality of carbon nanotube films stacked together, the carbon nanotubes of each of the carbon nanotube films being substantially aligned along a preferred orientation.

5. The electrostrictive composite of claim 2, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a flocculated carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of long, curved, disordered carbon nanotubes entangled with each other.

6. The electrostrictive composite of claim 2, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a pressed carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially arranged along a same direction or along different directions entangled with each other.

7. The electrostrictive composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube film structure comprises a plurality of micropores, and the flexible polymer matrix is permeated in the micropores of the carbon nanotube film structure.

8. An electrostrictive composite comprising:

a flexible polymer matrix; and

a carbon nanotube film structure entirely embedded within the flexible polymer matrix, the carbon nanotube film structure being located at an offset from a central plane of the flexible polymer matrix.

9. The electrostrictive composite of claim 8, wherein thermal expansion coefficients on two opposite sides of the dividing plane of the electrostrictive composite are different.

10. The electrostrictive composite of claim 8, wherein the carbon nanotube film structure comprises at least one carbon nanotube film.

11. The electrostrictive composite of claim 10, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a drawn carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallel to each other and combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

12. The electrostrictive composite of claim 11, wherein the carbon nanotube film structure comprises a plurality of carbon nanotube film stacked together, the carbon nanotubes of each carbon nanotube films being substantially aligned along a same preferred orientation.

13. The electrostrictive composite of claim 10, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a flocculated carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of long, curved, disordered carbon nanotubes entangled with each other.

14. The electrostrictive composite of claim 10, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a pressed carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially arranged along a same direction or along different directions entangled with each other.

15. The electrostrictive composite of claim 8, wherein the carbon nanotube film structure comprises a plurality of micropores, and the flexible polymer matrix is permeated in the micropores of the carbon nanotube film structure.

16. The electrostrictive composite of claim 8, wherein the flexible polymer matrix comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicone elastomer, polyester, polyurethane, epoxy resin, polymethyl methacrylate, and combinations thereof.

17. An electrothermic element comprising:

a flexible polymer matrix;

a carbon nanotube film structure entirely embedded within the flexible polymer matrix, the carbon nanotube film structure being located at an offset from a dividing plane of the flexible polymer matrix;

a first electrode; and

a second electrode, wherein the electrodes are separately disposed in the flexible polymer matrix and electrically connected to the carbon nanotube film structure.

18. The electrothermic element of claim 17, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to two ends of the carbon nanotube film structure.

19. The electrostrictive element of claim 18, wherein the carbon nanotube film structure comprises a plurality of micropores, and the flexible polymer matrix is permeated in the micropores of the carbon nanotube film structure.

20. The electrostrictive composite of claim 17, wherein the carbon nanotube film structure comprises at least one drawn carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallel to each other and combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.