Zhibin Yu

US Patent:

20100171393, Jul 8, 2010

Filed:

Dec 10, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/635674

Inventors:

Qibing Pei - Calabasas CA, US
Zhibin Yu - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01L 41/16
H01L 41/18
H01L 41/02
H01L 41/047
H01L 41/04
G02B 26/08
G02B 5/18

US Classification:

310330, 310311, 310343, 310363, 310365, 3592212, 359566

Abstract:

A bistable electroactive polymer transducer is provided for electrically actuated deformation of rigid electroactive polymer members. The polymers have glass transition temperatures (Tg) above ambient conditions and turn into rubbery elastomers above Tg and have high dielectric breakdown strength in the rubbery state. They can be electrically deformed to various rigid shapes with maximum strain greater than 100% and as high as 400%. The actuation is made bistable by cooling below Tg to preserve the deformation. The dielectric actuation mechanism includes a pair of compliant electrodes in contact with a dielectric elastomer which deforms when a voltage bias is applied between the pair of electrodes. In some of the transducers of the present invention, the dielectric elastomer is also a shape memory polymer. The deformations of such bistable electroactive polymers can be repeated rapidly for numerous cycles. The polymer transducers have such advantages as high energy and power densities, quietness, mechanical compliancy (for shock resistance and impedance matching), high efficiency, lightweight, and low cost.

US Patent:

20130251943, Sep 26, 2013

Filed:

Mar 2, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/783284

Inventors:

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - , US
Zhibin Yu - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01B 1/22
B29D 11/00
B29C 41/00

US Classification:

428141, 264104, 264 11

Abstract:

A method for producing flexible, nanoparticle-polymer composite electrodes is described. Conductive nanoparticles, preferably metal nanowires or nanotubes, are deposited on a smooth surface of a platform to produce a porous conductive layer. A second application of conductive nanoparticles or a mixture of nanoparticles can also be deposited to form a porous conductive layer. The conductive layer is then coated with at least one coating of monomers that is polymerized to form a conductive layer-polymer composite film. Optionally, a protective coating can be applied to the top of the composite film. In one embodiment, the monomer coating includes light transducing particles to reduce the total internal reflection of light through the composite film or pigments that absorb light at one wavelength and re-emit light at a longer wavelength. The resulting composite film has an active side that is smooth with surface height variations of 100 nm or less.