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:
Apr. 15, 2014
Filed:
Apr. 16, 2010
Abraham D. Stroock, Ithaca, NY (US);
Alan N. Lakso, Geneva, NY (US);
Vinay Pagay, Ithaca, NY (US);
Bojan Ilic, Ithaca, NY (US);
Meredith Metzler, Ithaca, NY (US);
Abraham D. Stroock, Ithaca, NY (US);
Alan N. Lakso, Geneva, NY (US);
Vinay Pagay, Ithaca, NY (US);
Bojan Ilic, Ithaca, NY (US);
Meredith Metzler, Ithaca, NY (US);
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (US);
Abstract
A microtensiometer sensor includes a substrate layer fluidly coupled to an enclosed reservoir. A porous membrane is disposed on a surface of the substrate layer. The membrane defines a liquid side fluidly coupled to the reservoir and a vapor side fluidly coupled to a vapor interface. The porous membrane includes a plurality of through holes fluidly coupling the liquid reservoir to the vapor interface, and a nanoporous filler material disposed within the plurality of through holes. The filler material includes a plurality of open pores having a maximum diameter in the range of 0.2 to 200 nanometers. In one embodiment, the microtensiometer sensor includes a molecular membrane disposed adjacent to the vapor side of the porous membrane. In one example, the molecular membrane is formed of a highly crystalline polytetrafluoroethylene polymer having a microstructure characterized by nodes interconnected by fibrils. In one application, the microtensiometer sensor may be used in a probe to measure the average water potential within a network of plant or tree xylem. In another application, the microtensiometer sensor may be useful in real-time determination of the water potential in soil.