Carbon nanofiber actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9966525-B2
Application number	US-201213544142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2012
Priority date	Jul 7, 2011
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

An electroconductive film for an actuator is formed from a gel composition including carbon nanofibers, an ionic liquid, and a polymer. The carbon nanofibers are produced with an aromatic mesophase pitch by melt spinning.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electroconductive film for an actuator formed from a gel composition comprising:
carbon nanofibers,
an ionic liquid, and
a polymer,
wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise a melt spun and carbonized aromatic mesophase pitch,
wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise alkali-activated carbon nanofibers,
wherein the alkali activated carbon nanofibers undergo alkali-activation treatment immediate after carbonization.

2. A laminate comprising:
the electroconductive film according to claim 1 ; and
an electrolyte membrane including a polymer and an ionic liquid.

3. The laminate according to claim 2 , wherein the carbon nanofibers are selected from the group consisting of carbon nanofibers, activated carbon nanofibers, and a combination thereof.

4. The laminate according to claim 2 , wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise activated carbon nanofibers.

5. An actuator element comprising:
an electrolyte membrane including a polymer and an ionic liquid; and
at least two electroconductive films each according to claim 1 provided in a mutually insulative state on the opposing surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, wherein the actuator deforms when a potential difference is applied across the electroconductive films.

6. The actuator element according to claim 5 , wherein the carbon nanofibers are selected from the group consisting of carbon nanofibers, activated carbon nanofibers, and a combination thereof.

7. The actuator element according to claim 5 , wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise activated carbon nanofibers.

8. The actuator element according to claim 5 , wherein the actuator can operate repeatedly with no substantial decay of displacement for 8,000 seconds or longer at a certain voltage.

9. The electroconductive film for an actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise carbon nanofibers each having a lower limit of diameter of 150 nm and a upper limit of diameter of 500 nm, and a lower limit of length of 10 μm and the upper limit of length of 1000 μm.

10. An electroconductive film for an actuator comprising:
carbon nanofibers;
an ionic liquid; and
a polymer,
wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise a melt spun and carbonized aromatic mesophase pitch, wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise alkali-activated carbon nanofibers that are alkali-activated directly after the carbonization.

11. An actuator element comprising:
an ion-conductive layer; and
at least two electroconductive films each according to claim 10 provided in a mutually insulative state on the opposing surfaces of the ion-conductive layer, wherein the actuator deforms when a potential difference is applied across the electroconductive films.

12. The electroconductive film for an actuator according to claim 10 , wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise carbon nanofibers each having a lower limit of diameter of 150 nm and a upper limit of diameter of 500 nm, and a lower limit of length of 10 μm and the upper limit of length of 1000 μm.

13. A method for producing an electroconductive film for an actuator, wherein the electroconductive film comprises carbon nanofibers, an ionic liquid, and a polymer, comprising producing the carbon nanofiber with an aromatic mesophase pitch by melt spinning and carbonized and alkali-activating the carbon nanofiber that are alkali-activated directly after the carbonization.

14. The actuator element according to claim 13 , wherein the carbon nanofibers comprise carbon nanofibers each having a lower limit of diameter of 150 nm and a upper limit of diameter of 500 nm, and a lower limit of length of 10 μm and the upper limit of length of 1000 μm.

Assignees

• Asaka Kinji
• Sugino Takushi
• Shiraishi Soshi
• Takahashi Isao
• Takatsuka Tomomasa
• Komura Shinya
• Aist
• Univ Gunma Nat Univ Corp
• Alps Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Asaka Kinji
• Sugino Takushi
• Shiraishi Soshi
• Takahashi Isao
• Takatsuka Tomomasa
• Komura Shinya

Classifications

• D01F9/145

  from pitch or distillation residues · CPC title

• B32B27/08

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• H01B1/24

  the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon · CPC title

• B32B2307/202

  Conductive · CPC title

• Y10T428/24994

  Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix · CPC title