ELECTROTHERMAL ACTUATORS
First Claim
1. An electrothermal actuator comprising:
- at least one connecting portion;
at least two operating portions connected with each other by the at least one connecting portion, to define at least one conductive path; and
at least two electrodes spaced from each other and configured to introduce a current to the at least one conductive path;
wherein each of the at least one connecting portion and the at least two operating portions comprises a flexible polymer layer and a carbon nanotube paper stacked with each other, the carbon nanotube paper is at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer layer;
a thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer is in a range from about 1;
7 to about 1;
10, a density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to 0.5 g/cm3, a thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to ten times that of the flexible polymer layer;
a first conductivity of each of the at least two operating portions along a first current direction of the at least two operating portions is in a range from about 1000 S/m to about 6000 S/m, and a second conductivity of the at least one connecting portion along a second current direction of the at least one connecting portions is greater than 6000 S/m.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrothermal actuator includes at least one connecting portion; at least two operating portions; and at least two electrodes. Each of the at least one connecting portion and the at least two operating portions includes a flexible polymer layer and a carbon nanotube paper. A thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer ranges from 1:7 to 1:10. A density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than 0.5 g/cm3. A thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than ten times that of the flexible polymer layer. A conductivity of the at least two operating portions along the current direction ranges from 1000 S/m to 6000 S/m. A conductivity of the at least one connecting portion along the current direction is greater than 6000 S/m.
21 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electrothermal actuator comprising:
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at least one connecting portion; at least two operating portions connected with each other by the at least one connecting portion, to define at least one conductive path; and at least two electrodes spaced from each other and configured to introduce a current to the at least one conductive path; wherein each of the at least one connecting portion and the at least two operating portions comprises a flexible polymer layer and a carbon nanotube paper stacked with each other, the carbon nanotube paper is at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer layer;
a thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer is in a range from about 1;
7 to about 1;
10, a density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to 0.5 g/cm3, a thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to ten times that of the flexible polymer layer;
a first conductivity of each of the at least two operating portions along a first current direction of the at least two operating portions is in a range from about 1000 S/m to about 6000 S/m, and a second conductivity of the at least one connecting portion along a second current direction of the at least one connecting portions is greater than 6000 S/m. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electrothermal actuator comprising:
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at least one connecting portion extending along a first direction; and at least two operating portions extending along a second direction, and connected with each other by the at least one connecting portion, to define at least one conductive path; wherein each of the at least one connecting portion and the at least two operating portions comprises a flexible polymer layer and a carbon nanotube paper stacked with each other, the carbon nanotube paper is at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer layer;
a thickness ratio of the carbon nanotube paper and the flexible polymer layer is in a range from about 1;
7 to about 1;
10, a density of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to 0.5 g/cm3, a thermal expansion coefficient of the carbon nanotube paper is greater than or equal to ten times that of the flexible polymer layer;
a first conductivity of each of the at least two operating portions along the first direction is in a range from about 1000 S/m to about 6000 S/m, and a second conductivity of the at least one connecting portion along the second direction is greater than 6000 S/m. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification