A method of making a wind turbine blade in a blade mould is described. The wind turbine blade comprises a plurality of elongate reinforcing structures each comprising a stack of strips of fibre-reinforced polymeric material, and the method comprises: stacking strips of fibre-reinforced polymeric material to form a plurality of stacks (40), each defining a longitudinal axis; aligning the stacks relative to one another in an alignment zone outside the blade mould; supporting the stacks to maintain their relative alignment; transferring the plurality of stacks into the blade mould simultaneously while maintaining the relative alignment of stacks as the stacks are transferred; and integrating the stacks with other blade materials forming the blade in the blade mould. An apparatus for use in the method is also described.

A kelp-inspired marine energy converter (MEC) device having a plurality of strips of flexible electroactive materials connected to a power conditioning module and anchored to a structure (such as the ocean floor) is described. The movement of the strips caused by water motion or current action (i.e., water motion) converted by the electroactive material to electrical energy.

The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell with a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending between a root portion and a tip portion. Further, the rotor blade assembly includes a protection system configured to protect the rotor blade from ice accumulation or a lightning strike. The protection system includes at least one organic conductive element configured within the rotor blade. The protection system also includes a conductor source electrically or thermally coupled to the organic conductive element. Thus, the conductor source is configured to heat the organic conductive element so as to prevent ice from accumulating on the rotor blade or to provide a conductive path for the lightning strike.

A kelp-inspired marine energy converter (MEC) device having a plurality of strips of flexible electroactive materials connected to a power conditioning module and anchored to a structure (such as the ocean floor) is described. The movement of the strips caused by water motion or current action (i.e., water motion) converted by the electroactive material to electrical energy.

Disclosed are extruded foam comprising an extruded thermoplastic, closed-cell foam having at least a first surface and comprising: (i) thermoplastic polymer cell walls formed by an extrusion step, with the walls being comprised of at least about 0.5% by weight of ethylene furanoate moieties and optionally one or more co-monomer moieties; (ii) blowing agent contained in at least a portion of said closed cells; and a material different than said thermoplastic, closed-cell foam attached to and/or integral with at least a portion of said first foam surface.

A silk fibroin-based multi-responsive soft actuator and a manufacturing method therefor are provided. The soft actuator includes a silk fibroin membrane and a flexible substrate, the silk fibroin membrane being arranged on and tightly bonded with the flexible substrate to form a double-layer membrane structure, thermal expansion coefficients of the silk fibroin membrane and the flexible substrate being different. The manufacturing method for a soft actuator includes: performing plasma processing on a flexible substrate; then scrap-coating the flexible substrate with a silk fibroin wet membrane, drying same to obtain a silk fibroin membrane, the silk fibroin membrane together with the flexible substrate forming a double-layer membrane; soaking the double-layer membrane into water, and then drying same; and integrally or locally soaking in a calcium chloride aqueous solution the silk fibroin membrane in the dried double-layer membrane, then taking out same, and drying same to obtain a soft actuator.

A kelp-inspired marine energy converter (MEC) device having a plurality of strips of flexible electroactive materials connected to a power conditioning module and anchored to a structure (such as the ocean floor) is described. The movement of the strips caused by water motion or current action (i.e., water motion) converted by the electroactive material to electrical energy.

A silk fibroin-based multi-responsive soft actuator and a manufacturing method therefor are provided. The soft actuator includes a silk fibroin membrane and a flexible substrate, the silk fibroin membrane being arranged on and tightly bonded with the flexible substrate to form a double-layer membrane structure, thermal expansion coefficients of the silk fibroin membrane and the flexible substrate being different. The manufacturing method for a soft actuator includes: performing plasma processing on a flexible substrate; then scrap-coating the flexible substrate with a silk fibroin wet membrane, drying same to obtain a silk fibroin membrane, the silk fibroin membrane together with the flexible substrate forming a double-layer membrane; soaking the double-layer membrane into water, and then drying same; and integrally or locally soaking in a calcium chloride aqueous solution the silk fibroin membrane in the dried double-layer membrane, then taking out same, and drying same to obtain a soft actuator.