Systems and processes for purifying and concentrating a liquid feed stream are disclosed. In the systems, the concentrated liquid output from the high pressure side of a reverse osmosis stage is used as the draw solution in the low pressure side of the reverse osmosis stage in a configuration called osmotically assisted reverse osmosis. This reduces the osmotic pressure differential across the membrane, permitting high solute concentrations to be obtained, hastening the purification of the liquid. Reduced system pressures are also obtained by arranging multiple osmotically assisted reverse osmosis stages in a cross-current arrangement. Overall system energy consumption is reduced compared to conventional thermal processes for high concentration streams.

Previous electrochemically-powered yarn muscles cannot be usefully operated between extreme negative and extreme positive potentials, since strokes during electron injection and during hole injection partially cancel because they are in the same direction. Unipolar-stroke carbon nanotube yarn muscles are described in which muscle strokes are additive between extreme negative and extreme positive potentials, and stroke increases with potential scan rate. These electrochemical artificial muscles include an electrically conducting twisted or coiled yarn and a material that dramatically shifts the potential of zero charge of the electrochemically actuated yarn.

An artificial muscle includes a housing including an electrode region, an expandable fluid region, a first film layer, and a second film layer. The first film layer and the second film layer each include an inner protective layer having a first elasticity, an outer protective layer having a second elasticity, and a reinforcing layer provided between the inner protective layer and the outer protective layer, the reinforcing layer having a third elasticity greater than the first elasticity of the inner protective layer and the second elasticity of the outer protective layer. The artificial muscle further includes an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing and between the first film layer and the second film layer, and a dielectric fluid housed within the housing.

An electrochemical heat transfer device for a hot water tank utilizes an electrochemical hydrogen compressor to pump hydrogen into and out of a tank having a metal hydride forming alloy therein. The absorption of hydrogen by the metal hydride forming alloy is exothermic, produces heat, and the desorption of the hydrogen from the metal hydride forming alloy is endothermic and draws heat in. An electrochemical hydrogen compressor may be configured between to tanks and pump hydrogen back and forth to form a heat transfer device, such as a hot water heater. A heat transfer device may be coupled with the tank or may comprise the outer surface of the tank to transfer heat to an object or to the surroundings. A closed loop may be configured having two tanks and one or two electrochemical hydrogen compressors to pump the hydrogen in a loop around the system.

In some embodiments, electrochemical actuators include a sealed electrolytic chamber with two or more electrodes disposed therein and associated reservoirs. In some embodiments, the electrochemical actuators include one or more rigid structures that are overmolded onto one or more electrodes to form the electrolytic chambers. In some embodiments, multiple rigid structures that are overmolded onto two separate electrodes may be connected to form one or more electrolytic chambers with a desired configuration of electrodes contained therein. In some embodiments, manufacturing methods and structures relate to the formation of an array of electrochemical actuators.

An improved electro-mechanical principle for converting electric power into mechanical action and vice versa using dielectrics with extreme relative permittivity. The non-magnetic devices are based on relative movement of dielectrics in the presence of electric fields. The energy-saving devices use high-performance dielectrics based on ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals. Linear and circular mechanical action is proposed involving electromechanical actuators, non-magnetic motors and related electrical generators.

Electrochemical actuators including a sealed electrolytic chamber with two or more electrodes disposed therein and associated reservoirs are described. In some embodiments, the electrochemical actuators include one or more rigid structures that are overmolded onto one or more electrodes to form the electrolytic chambers. In some embodiments, multiple rigid structures that are overmolded onto two or separate electrodes may be connected to form one or more electrolytic chambers with a desired configuration of electrodes contained therein. Manufacturing methods and structures related to the formation of an array of electrochemical actuators are also described.

Systems and methods are described herein for monitoring gas pressure within an electrolysis system and maintaining gas pressure using an electric generator to capture kinetic energy of compressed hydrogen and/or oxygen gases as they are produced by an electrolyzer. The generator utilizes a rotating apparatus, such as a fan or turbine, to capture the energy of the gases and generate electricity. Any electricity produced by the generator is fed back to the electrolyzer to supplement its energy requirements.

Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for fabrication of moving, actuatable structures at micron scales that can be electronically controlled using low power and low voltages. Also disclosed are microscale robots having such microscale actuator structures to actuate the robots' movements as well as devices, systems, and methods for fabrication of microscale robots. The disclosed methods of fabrication are compatible with standard semiconductor technologies.