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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023332581-A1
Application number	US-202318301690-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 17, 2023
Priority date	Apr 15, 2022
Publication date	Oct 19, 2023
Grant date	—

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.

2 . The photon-activated substance according to claim 1 , 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ).

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

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

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

6 . The photon-activated substance according to claim 2 , wherein the phase change material is eicosane and the at least one of (222,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

7 . The photon-activated substance according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a photon source configured to activate 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

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

9 . The photon-activated substance according to claim 2 , wherein 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ) or other small organic molecule are incorporated into a wax motor, the wax motor being a linear actuator configured to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy.

10 . 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, 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ).

11 . The method according to claim 10 , 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ) to solidify.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the phase change material is a wax-based phase change material.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the phase change material is an alkane wax-based phase change material.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the phase change material is eicosane.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

16 . The method according to claim 11 , 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ) with a photon source.

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

18 . The method according to claim 10 , 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, 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.

19 . 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, 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ) is guaiazulene (GAZ).

20 . The method according to claim 19 , further comprising:
resolidifying the melted mixture of the phase change material and the solid particles from at least one of (2,2,626-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), azobenzene (AZOB), 4-Nitro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, Lumogen orange 240, 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, and guaiazulene (GAZ).

21 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the photon source is a laser or lamp having a wavelength absorbed by a molecular dopant.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Bardeen Christopher John
• Lui Brandon F

Classifications

• F03G7/016 Primary

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

• F03G7/06113

  the fluids subjected to phase change · CPC title