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:
Sep. 25, 2007
Filed:
Jan. 20, 2005
Ping Liu, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Cameron Massey, Hawthorne, CA (US);
Leslie Momoda, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Geoffrey P. Mcknight, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Alan J. Jacobsen, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Ping Liu, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Cameron Massey, Hawthorne, CA (US);
Leslie Momoda, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Geoffrey P. McKnight, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Alan J. Jacobsen, Los Angeles, CA (US);
HRL Laboratories, LLC, Malibu, CA (US);
Abstract
One nanostructured actuator embodiment includes an actuation region between electrical contacts. The actuation region includes an elastic matrix with embedded nanocomposite layered structures, which have inorganic material layers with pillared organic material structures between the inorganic material layers responsive to the surface acidity of the inorganic material layers. The elastic matrix allows transport of species for changing the surface acidity. A separator region is between the electrical contacts. A proton generation region capable of reversible electrochemical production and elimination of protons is provided, which may be a hydrogen storage material located on a side of the separator region opposite the actuation region, which may include metal hydride, or metal hydroxide. Alternatively, it may include an electrolytic solution and conductive particles within the elastic matrix for in situ electrochemical generation of an acid/base. The conductive particles may include carbon nanotubes, metal fibers, and/or metal nanoparticles. The nanocomposite structures may be generally aligned with a direction of work in the elastic matrix.