An actuator device comprises a stack formed from a plurality of photoresponsive layers, which deform in response to light, which are partitioned by respective deformable non-photoresponsive layers. The deformable non-photoresponsive layers guide light between and to the photoresponsive layers, and can follow the deformation of the photoresponsive layers.

An object of this invention is to create an actuator in which the amount of deformation is maintained and no displacement in the reverse direction occurs, even when a constant voltage is continuously applied for a long period of time. As a means for achieving the above object, the invention provides a conductive thin film comprising a polymer gel containing at least one organic molecule selected from the group consisting of electron-donating organic molecules and electron-withdrawing organic molecules, a nano-carbon material, an ionic liquid, and a polymer.

The present disclosure relates to a technique for manufacturing a humidifying membrane including a hydrophobic thin film-coating layer having a nano-sized crack morphology pattern on the surface of an aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer ion exchange membrane and applying the membrane to a reverse electrodialysis process. The humidifying membrane including a hydrophobic thin film-coating layer having a nano-sized crack morphology pattern on the surface of an aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer ion exchange membrane, manufactured according to the present disclosure, embodies a low bulk resistance of the ion exchange membrane and significantly improves ion selectivity, thereby overcoming the trade-off relationship between membrane resistance and ion selectivity, and thus may be commercially available as an anion and cation exchange membrane of a reverse electrodialysis device.

An actuator device for a wind turbine, in particular for a rotor blade of a wind turbine, and also to an associated wind turbine and a method of assembly, with an actuator component and a control component, wherein the actuator component has at least one actuator layer with a preferential direction and, substantially parallel to the actuator layer, at least one exciting layer, wherein the actuator layer comprises a photoactuator, wherein the photoactuator is designed to change a strain and/or stress of the actuator layer in the preferential direction on the basis of excitation light, wherein the exciting layer is designed to guide excitation light into the actuator layer, wherein the control component comprises a light source and a light guide, wherein the light source is arranged away from the exciting layer and is connected to the exciting layer by means of the light guide and wherein the light guide runs in different directions through the exciting layer.

A fluid system includes a membrane module including a first section and a second section that are separated by a semipermeable membrane, a feed pump connected to the first section, a draw pump connected to the second section, a load connected to the second section, a flush valve, and an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control one or more of the feed pump, the draw pump, the flush valve, and the load. The ECU may be configured to control the feed pump, the draw pump, the flush valve, and/or the load according based on or according to net power generation.

A process for generating power from a warm saline steam (1) obtained from geothermal sources. The process involves extracting a warm saline stream (1) from an underground geothermal formation (2), reducing the temperature of the saline stream (1) by passing the stream through a thermal power unit (5) in which thermal energy present in the stream is extracted. The process also involves converting latent osmotic energy present in the stream into electricity by passing the stream through an osmotic power unit (7) comprising a semi-permeable membrane (8). The output stream (13) derived from passage through the osmotic power unit is injected into a second, different underground formation.

A dielectric polymeric composition comprising a polymeric matrix comprising structural units derived from a polymerizable vinyl monomer; an ionic liquid comprising an organic cation and a balancing anion, wherein the ionic liquid is miscible or partially miscible with the polymerizable vinyl monomer, and wherein the concentration of ionic liquid in dielectric polymeric composition ranges from 0.5 to 30 wt. %; and less than 10 ppm of unreacted polymerizable vinyl monomer, based on the total weight of the composition, wherein an amount of unreacted polymerizable vinyl monomer in the composition is measured via HPLC. The polymeric matrix further comprises structural units derived from a polymerizable co-monomer comprising a functional group that has the ability to form hydrogen bonds within the polymeric matrix. The polymeric matrix further comprises a crosslinking agent, and wherein the polymeric matrix comprises covalent crosslinks between the crosslinking agent and the structural units derived from the polymerizable vinyl monomer.

An object of this invention is to create an actuator in which the amount of deformation is maintained and no displacement in the reverse direction occurs, even when a constant voltage is continuously applied for a long period of time. As a means for achieving the above object, the invention provides a conductive thin film comprising a polymer gel containing at least one organic molecule selected from the group consisting of electron-donating organic molecules and electron-withdrawing organic molecules, a nano-carbon material, an ionic liquid, and a polymer.

An object of this invention is to create an actuator in which the amount of deformation is maintained and no displacement in the reverse direction occurs, even when a constant voltage is continuously applied for a long period of time. As a means for achieving the above object, the invention provides a conductive thin film comprising a polymer gel containing at least one organic molecule selected from the group consisting of electron-donating organic molecules and electron-withdrawing organic molecules, a nano-carbon material, an ionic liquid, and a polymer.

An actuator device comprises a stack formed from a plurality of photoresponsive layers, which deform in response to light, which are partitioned by respective deformable non-photoresponsive layers. The deformable non-photoresponsive layers guide light between and to the photoresponsive layers, and can follow the deformation of the photoresponsive layers.