Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090218908 | ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION USING LIQUID CRYSTALS - A new way of generating electrical power by changing the dielectric properties of liquid crystals by mechanical means is described. Such a method and device take advantage of the nature of the liquid crystal as the dielectric material in a capacitor. A broad range of materials, including various liquid crystalline materials, as well as additional mechanisms (flexoelectric polarization) to fully exploit the potential of this mechanism may be realized. Applications of this technology may be useful in wearable personal electric generators as well as in noise damping materials/devices, which not only absorb and dissipate sound, but use it to generate electric power. | 09-03-2009 |
20100158790 | METHOD FOR PREPARING ANISOTROPIC PARTICLES AND DEVICES THEREOF - The invention provides a simple and cost-effective method for preparing particles such as anisotropic semiconductor nanoparticles (e.g. CdS) and devices thereof. The method comprises (i) dispersing at least part of particle-forming reactants in a self-organized medium such as surfactant-aqueous solution system, and (ii) conducting a particle-forming reaction using the particle-forming reactants dispersed in the self-organized medium under shear condition to form the particles. The anisotropic property of the particles is controlled at least partially by the shear condition. The invention may be used to prepare quantum dots in a liquid crystal, and various devices such as nonlinear optics, optoelectronic devices, and solar cells, among others. | 06-24-2010 |
20150233816 | SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF FOR ACCURATE OPTICAL DETECTION OF AMPHIPHILES AT A LIQUID CRYSTAL INTERFACE - Systems and methods for detection of an amphiphile at a liquid crystal interface include the production of circular polarized light. A system | 08-20-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080303376 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ENERGY CONVERSION BASEDON THE GIANT FLEXOELECTRIC EFFECT IN NON-CALAMITIC LIQUID CRYSTALS - Devices and methods for energy conversion based on the giant flexoelectric effect in non-calamitic liquid crystals. By preparing a substance comprising at least one type of non-calamitic liquid crystal molecules and stabilizing the substance to form a mechanically flexible material, flexible conductive electrodes may be applied to the material to create an electro-mechanical energy conversion device which relies on the giant flexoelectric effect to produce electrical and/or mechanical energy that is usable in such applications as, for example, power sources, energy dissipation, sensors/transducers, and actuators. The ability to directly and accurately measure the giant flexoelectric effect for different types of non-calamitic liquid crystal molecules is important for identifying molecules that may be effective for particular applications. | 12-11-2008 |
20100182026 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING FLEXOELECTRIC EFFECT IN A LIQUID CRYSTAL - There are provided methods for creating energy conversion devices based on the giant flexoelectric effect in non-calamitic liquid crystals. By preparing a substance comprising at least one type of non-calamitic liquid crystal molecules and stabilizing the substance to form a mechanically flexible material, flexible conductive electrodes may be applied to the material to create an electro-mechanical energy conversion device which relies on the giant flexoelectric effect to produce electrical and/or mechanical energy that is usable in such applications as, for example, power sources, energy dissipation, sensors/transducers, and actuators. | 07-22-2010 |
20100207493 | ELECTRO-MECHANICAL ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICES AND SYSTEMS - There are provided methods for creating energy conversion devices based on the giant flexoelectric effect in non-calamitic liquid crystals. By preparing a substance comprising at least one type of non-calamitic liquid crystal molecules and stabilizing the substance to form a mechanically flexible material, flexible conductive electrodes may be applied to the material to create an electro-mechanical energy conversion device which relies on the giant flexoelectric effect to produce electrical and/or mechanical energy that is usable in such applications as, for example, power sources, energy dissipation, sensors/transducers, and actuators. | 08-19-2010 |
20150102704 | SUPER-PIEZOELECTRIC COMPOSITE FIBER MATS FOR POWER GENERATION AND SOFT ACTUATORS - A piezoelectric device includes a fiber mat comprising polymer fibers with ferroelectric particles embedded in the polymer fibers. The ferroelectric particles are oriented to generate a net polarization in the fiber mat. The ferroelectric particles may comprise barium titanate particles. The polymer fibers may comprise polylactic acid (PLA) fibers. The piezoelectric device may further include substrates sandwiching the fiber mat, and the fiber mat may be formed by electrospinning polymer fibers containing ferroelectric particles onto one of the substrates. The piezoelectric device may be a piezoelectric actuator configured to receive an input voltage applied across the fiber mat and to output a mechanical displacement in response to the voltage, or the piezoelectric device may be configured to output a voltage in response to a mechanical force applied to the fiber mat. | 04-16-2015 |