In one embodiment, a temperature sensor includes an optical waveguide having a distal tip and a thermochromic sensing element mounted to the distal tip of the optical waveguide, wherein light transmitted through the optical waveguide to the distal tip is reflected back from the thermochromic sensing element and wherein the reflected light provides an indication of a local temperature at a location of the thermochromic sensing element.

Provided herein are novel liquid crystal based devices for the facile measurement of temperature in an MRI system. The thermometers comprise a plurality of vessels wherein each vessel contains a liquid crystal composition having a unique phase transition temperature. By scanning with appropriate techniques, the state of the liquid crystals in each vessel can be assessed, and the temperature at the time of the scan can be determined by the state of the liquid crystal compositions. Also provided are novel vessels and assemblies of vessels that can be used as MRI thermometers and which are compatible with MRI phantoms.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a solid-state helical photonic crystal structure. The method includes: mixing a nonreactive chiral dopant with a reactive nematic mesogen, followed by curing to form a helical cholesteric liquid crystal; and removing the chiral dopant from the cholesteric liquid crystal while maintaining the helical structure of the cholesteric liquid crystal, to form a solid-state helical liquid crystal.

A nanocalorimeter device includes a substrate having test cells, each test cell comprising a sample location. Each sample location includes a reaction surface suitable for an enthalpic reaction of constituents of liquid droplets, droplet movement and configured to merge the droplets, and a layer of thermochromic material thermally coupled to the reaction surface. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a spectral shift in light emanating from the thermochromic material in response to a change in temperature of the merged droplets.

The limitation of the different classes of responsive liquid crystals such as volatility in case of low molecular weight liquid crystals (LMWLCs) can be overcome by the development of a responsive film based on polymerliquid crystals (PLCs) and reactive mesogens (RMs or reactive liquid crystal monomers) to create a responsive film or coating material which appears to be easily alignable and processable. That coating material shows a large response of which the properties can be tuned in a modular approach. In this way, the advantages of both materials, PLCs and RMs, were combined, yielding stable films, which can be aligned when desired and which stimuli-responsive properties can be tuned by the choice of RMs. Thus mixtures of PLCs with RMs open the doors to a wide variety of stimuli-responsive coating systems, without the need of time consuming trial-and-error synthesis of PLCs and closed liquid crystal cells. By choosing chiral RMs, cholesteric LC coatings can for instance be fabricated, while a light responsive RM could provide a light responsive coating. In addition, one could use similar methods as were used for LMWLCs with RMs in closed cells to prepare for example broadband reflectors or patterned coatings that change topography by a stimulus.

A device for preventing thermal run-away in a battery. The device includes a main compartment that is divided into a plurality of sub-compartments. A layer of material separates (i) a first sub-compartment containing a first chemical from (ii) a second sub-compartment containing a second chemical. In the event that a thermal run-away event is either detected or predicted, the layer of material degrades/is degraded and allows the chemicals to mix. The chemicals form an endothermic process that cools the battery preventing, or at least delaying, the thermal run-away event.

A thermal-sensitive label includes a label-specific set point temperature visually displayed thereon, and a thermal indicator that changes visual appearance in dependence upon temperature change in comparison with a threshold temperature. The threshold temperature of the thermal indicator is set during manufacture to be a fixed amount above the set point temperature. The thermal indicator has a first visual appearance when a temperature measured by the thermal indicator is below the threshold temperature. The thermal indicator dynamically changes to a second visual appearance different than the visual appearance when a second temperature measured by the thermal indicator exceeds the threshold temperature. A label kit includes multiple labels with a variety of different set-points. Each of the labels may include one or both of a reversing thermal indicator for comparing current temperature to the threshold temperature and a non-reversing thermal indicator for comparing a maximum temperature to the threshold temperature.

In an example, method of inspecting a thermal protection apparatus is described. The apparatus comprises a composite wall and a thermal insulation blanket, where the thermal insulation blanket is coupled to the wall by way of a sealant disposed around, and offset from, a perimeter of the composite wall and disposed between the composite wall and the thermal insulation blanket, and where the wall, the thermal insulation blanket, and the sealant form a plenum chamber within the apparatus. The method includes pressurizing the plenum chamber with pressurized air, heating the pressurized air within the plenum chamber, and inserting a liquid crystal sheet between the wall and the thermal insulation blanket and proximate to a periphery of the sealant, where the liquid crystal sheet is configured to change color when heated pressurized air exits a gap in the apparatus and heats the liquid crystal sheet.

A nanocalorimeter device includes a substrate having test cells, each test cell comprising a sample location. Each sample location includes a reaction surface suitable for an enthalpic reaction of constituents of liquid droplets, droplet movement and configured to merge the droplets, and a layer of thermochromic material thermally coupled to the reaction surface. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a spectral shift in light emanating from the thermochromic material in response to a change in temperature of the merged droplets.

The invention pertains generally to an improved fluid dispensing device, particularly a dispensing device which employs at least one hemispherical domed cannister source of reactants and which uses a color-changing dispensing plastic tip to inform the end-user if the reactants are at a proper use temperature.