High surface area polymer actuator with gas mitigating components

Abstract

A polymer actuator component and a polymer actuator assembly, power supply and method of using the activation are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An actuator assembly comprising, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, an electrolyte and a volume changing polymeric actuator in contact with the anode electrode or the cathode electrode, wherein the electrodes are separated from each other by a porous membrane that facilitates modulation of the pH via charges or ionic separation. 
     
     
         2 . An actuator assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a metal hydride material in contact with and covering a surface of one or more of the electrodes. 
     
     
         3 . The actuator assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a sealed flexible outer housing enclosing the electrolyte, the anode electrode, the cathode electrode, and the volume changing polymeric actuator, allowing sealed entrance or exit points for the electrodes, wherein the volume changing polymeric actuator is configured to expand or contract in response to pH or chemical changes in the electrolyte induced by an electrical potential differential. 
     
     
         4 . The actuator assembly of  claim 3 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) further comprising a second volume changing polymeric actuator, wherein the volume changing polymeric actuators are each adjacent to one of the electrodes and are separated from each other by the porous membrane; and wherein the volume changing polymeric actuators are configured to expand or contract simultaneously when the electric potential differential is applied;   (b) wherein the volume changing polymeric actuator and the electrode in contact with the polymeric actuator are sealed inside a flexible container or bag made of the same material as the porous membrane; and wherein a portion of the electrode exiting the flexible container is continuously insulated from the electrolyte;   wherein the flexible container or bag, or a portion of the flexible container or bag, preferably is comprised of an elastomeric material;   (c) further comprising a rigid structure at least partially surrounding the volume changing polymer actuator material to facilitate a direction of actuation; wherein the rigid structure is pervious to the electrolyte, wherein at least a portion of the rigid structure preferably is porous;   (d) wherein the volume changing polymeric actuator is comprised of particulates of an actuating material, the particulates of the actuating material and the electrolyte form a slurry, and wherein the actuator assembly further comprises a flexible and porous enclosure having an interior and an exterior, wherein the particulates of actuating material are contained in the enclosure interior,   wherein one of the electrodes preferably is in contact with a surface of the enclosure exterior or in contact with the polymer actuator particulate within the enclosure interior, and/or wherein the enclosure is contained within a rigid porous container that allows fluidic access of the electrolyte to the actuating material within the enclosure.   
     
     
         5 . The actuator assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a gas adsorbant, and/or further comprising a storage area outside of the sealed flexible outer housing in fluid connection with the electrolyte inside the sealed flexible outer housing. 
     
     
         6 . The actuator assembly of  claim 1 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) wherein the electrodes of the actuator assembly are configured to allow in-line electrical connectivity of the actuator assembly with at least one other actuator assembly;   (b) wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution;   (c) wherein the electrolyte comprises a non-aqueous solution;   (d) wherein the polymeric actuator drives a platen or piston, wherein the platen or piston preferably pumps a fluid; and   (e) further comprising a power source and a programmable controller, and optionally further comprising one or more sensors communicating feedback to the controller.   
     
     
         7 . A polymeric actuator assembly comprising:
 a housing;   a first electrode in contact with a first portion of an electrolyte;   a second electrode in contact with a second portion of the electrolyte;   a membrane separating the first portion of the electrolyte from the second portion of the electrolyte to support a pH difference between the first and second portions of the electrolyte when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes;   a plurality of polymeric actuators disposed in the first portion of the electrolyte and configured to change volume in response to a pH change within the first portion of the electrolyte.   
     
     
         8 . The polymeric actuator of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the polymeric actuators comprises granules of a polymeric actuating material contained within a porous container, wherein the porous container preferably is a polymeric bag, and wherein the granules of polymeric actuating materials preferably comprise a slurry with the electrolyte. 
     
     
         9 . A polymeric actuator component comprising (a) an actuating polymer that increases volume in response to a stimulus, cross linked to a hydrophobic polymer, or (b) a NH reactant and an epoxide, wherein the epoxide comprises a hydrophilic ether and a hydrophobic ether. 
     
     
         10 . The polymeric actuator component of  claim 9  (a), wherein the actuating polymer and the hydrophobic polymer comprise an NH reactant and an epoxide. 
     
     
         11 . The polymeric actuator component of  claim 10 , characterized by one or more of the following features:
 (a) wherein the NH reactant in the actuating polymer and the NH reactant in the hydrophobic polymer comprise the same NH reactant;   (b) wherein the epoxide in the actuating polymer comprises polyethylene diglycidyl glycol ether;   (c) wherein the epoxide in the hydrophobic polymer comprises either neopentyl diglycidyl ether or polypropylene diglycidyl glycol ether;   (d) wherein the NH reactant in the hydrophobic polymer comprises a polyether amine,   (e) wherein the NH reactant in the actuator polymer comprises a polyether amine, wherein the NH reactant preferably comprises a polyether amine, more preferably a polyoxyalkyleneamine;   (f) wherein the ratio of epoxide to NH reactant in the hydrophobic polymer is between about 1 to 1.5 and about 1 to 4, wherein the hydrophobic polymer preferably is oriented to protect the hydrophilic polymer from the external environment, and/or wherein the hydrophobic polymer seals the actuator polymer in a defined volume, and   (g) wherein the ratio of epoxide to NH reactant in the hydrophobic polymer is about 1 to 2.0, wherein the hydrophobic polymer preferably comprises polyethyleneamine and water.   
     
     
         12 . The polymeric actuator material of claim  9 (b), characterized by one or both of the following features:
 (a) wherein the ratio of epoxide to NH reactant is about 1 to 2.85;   (b) wherein the ratio of hydrophilic ether to hydrophobic ether is about 99 to 1.   
     
     
         13 . A polymer actuator assembly of  claim 7 , comprising one or more polymer actuators, each actuator having one or more double layer capacitor electrodes. 
     
     
         14 . The polymer actuator assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the polymer actuators are connected in series, forming a pump.