The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 21, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2003
Patrick A. Anquetil, Boston, MA (US);
Ian W. Hunter, Lincoln, MA (US);
John D. Madden, Vancouver, CA;
Peter G. Madden, Somerville, MA (US);
Anthony E. Pullen, Belmont, MA (US);
Timothy M. Swager, Newton, MA (US);
Bing Xu, Kowloon, HK;
Hsiao-hua Yu, Cambridge, MA (US);
Patrick A. Anquetil, Boston, MA (US);
Ian W. Hunter, Lincoln, MA (US);
John D. Madden, Vancouver, CA;
Peter G. Madden, Somerville, MA (US);
Anthony E. Pullen, Belmont, MA (US);
Timothy M. Swager, Newton, MA (US);
Bing Xu, Kowloon, HK;
Hsiao-hua Yu, Cambridge, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
The synthesis of thiophene based conducting polymer molecular actuators, exhibiting electrically triggered molecular conformational transitions is reported. Actuation is believed to be the result of conformational rearrangement of the polymer backbone at the molecular level, not simply ion intercalation in the bulk polymer chain upon electrochemical activation. Molecular actuation results from π—π stacking of thiophene oligomers upon oxidation, producing a reversible molecular displacement that leads to surprising material properties, such as electrically controllable porosity and large strains. The existence of active molecular conformational changes is supported by in situ electrochemical data. Single molecule techniques have been used to characterize the molecular actuators.