Method and system using small molecule absorbers to create a photothermal actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12398702-B2
Application number	US-202318301690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2023
Priority date	Apr 15, 2022
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A photon-activated substance is disclosed, which includes a phase change material and a photon activated substance. The photon activated substance can be at least one of (2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, and guaiazulene (GAZ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photon-activated substance comprising: a phase change material and a photon activated substance wherein the photon activated substance is at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ).

2. The photon-activated substance according to claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is a wax-based phase change material.

3. The photon-activated substance according to claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is an alkane wax-based phase change material.

4. The photon-activated substance according to claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is eicosane.

5. The photon-activated substance according to claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is eicosane and the at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

6. The photon-activated substance according to claim 1 , further comprising: wherein the at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

7. The photon-activated substance according to claim 6 , wherein the photon-activated substance is activated by a photon source with a laser light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 1000 nm.

8. A wax motor comprising:
a linear actuator configured to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy;
a phase change material and
a photon-activated substance of at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) wherein the photon-activated substance is configured to receive photons from a photon source to generate thermal energy that causes the phase change material to change phase such that the thermal energy is converted to the mechanical energy.

9. A method for preparing a photon-activated substance, the method comprising:
melting a phase change material;
mixing solid particles from at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) with the melted phase change material; and
forming a mixture of the phase change material and the solid particles from at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ).

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
allowing the mixture of the phase change material and the solid particles from at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) to solidify.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the phase change material is a wax-based phase change material.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the phase change material is an alkane wax-based phase change material.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the phase change material is eicosane.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the phase change material is eicosane, and the at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

15. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
melting the solidified mixture of the phase change material and the at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ) with a photon source.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the photon source can be a lamp or laser light.

17. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
incorporating the phase change material and the at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ) into a wax actuator, the wax actuator being a linear actuator configured to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy.

18. A method of converting photons into mechanical energy, the method comprising:
melting a solidified mixture of a phase change material and at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ) with a photon source; and
displacing a piston with the melted mixture of the phase change material and at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
resolidifying the melted mixture of the phase change material and the solid particles from at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ); and repeating the melting and the resolidifying of the phase change material and the solid particles from at least one of (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, azulene and guaiazulene (GAZ).

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the photon source is a laser or lamp having a wavelength absorbed by a molecular dopant.

Assignees

• Univ California
• The Regents Of The Univ Of Californi

Inventors

• Bardeen Christopher John
• Lui Brandon F

Classifications

• F03G7/06113

  the fluids subjected to phase change · CPC title

• F03G7/016 Primary

  Photosensitive actuators, e.g. using the principle of Crookes radiometer · CPC title