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:
Dec. 02, 2014
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2011
David Okawa, Berkeley, CA (US);
Stefan J. Pastine, San Francisco, CA (US);
Alexander K. Zettl, Kensington, CA (US);
Jean M. J. Frechet, Oakland, CA (US);
David Okawa, Berkeley, CA (US);
Stefan J. Pastine, San Francisco, CA (US);
Alexander K. Zettl, Kensington, CA (US);
Jean M. J. Frechet, Oakland, CA (US);
The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are a method and apparatus for converting light energy to mechanical energy by modification of surface tension on a supporting fluid. The apparatus comprises an object which may be formed as a composite object comprising a support matrix and a highly light absorptive material. The support matrix may comprise a silicon polymer. The highly light absorptive material may comprise vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VANTs) embedded in the support matrix. The composite object is supported on a fluid. By exposing the highly light absorptive material to light, heat is generated, which changes the surface tension of the composite object, causing it to move physically within the fluid.