A carbon nano tube (CNT) conduit heater system includes a CNT sheet having a first surface and a second surface. A first busbar is electrically coupled to the CNT sheet. A second busbar is electrically coupled to the CNT sheet. The second busbar is arranged substantially parallel to the first busbar. A first protective layer is disposed on the first surface and a second protective layer is disposed on the second surface, wherein the second protective layer is joined to the first protective layer encapsulating the CNT sheet the first busbar and the second busbar forming a heater assembly having a first side and a second side.

An IR radiator element (1) suitable for use as a miniature infrared emitter (micro-hotplate) in a gas sensor, IR-spectrometer or electron microscope. The micro-hotplate comprises a plate (2) supported by multiple support arms (4). The plate and arms are fabricated as a MEMS device comprising a single contiguous piece of electrically-conducting refractory ceramic such as hafnium carbide (HfC) or tantalum hafnium carbide (TaHfC). Each of the arms (4), in addition to providing structural cantilever support for the plate (2), acts as a heating element for the plate (2). The plate (2) is heated by applying a voltage across the arms (4). The arms (4) may also be shaped to absorb thermomechanical stress which arises during the heating and cooling of the arms and plate. The plate, which may have an area of less than 0.05 mm.sup.2 and a thickness of between 1% and 10% of the largest dimension of the plate (2), for example, can be heated to 4,000 K or more and cooled again with a duty cycle of as little 0.5 ms, thereby permitting pulsed operation at frequencies of up to 2 kHz. Its small size (10-200 μm) and low power consumption (e.g. 10-100 mW) make the micro-hotplate suitable for use in cryogenic applications, in miniaturized devices or in battery-powered devices such as mobile phones.

A vehicle seat system is provided that includes heating, cooling, and occupant sensing functionality in a single unit. The system includes carbon nanotube (CNT) elements disposed adjacent the seat surface. The CNT elements may be woven or stitched to a vehicle seat cover, or may be disposed in a mat that is placed between a seat cushion and the seat cover. The CNT elements may be used for heating, cooling, and occupant sensing, without requiring separate units or circuits. The system may include Peltier elements attached to the CNT elements, with the Peltier elements transferring heat between the CNT elements and a heat bank. The heat bank may be in the form of a heat sink, or the heat bank may be the seat rails of the vehicle seat, with the Peltier elements attached to the seat rails.

A method for controlling interfacial thermal resistance is provided. The method includes: providing a metallic thermal conductor and a non-metallic thermal conductor, the metallic thermal conductor and the non-metallic thermal conductor are in direct contact with each other to form an interface; and varying an electric field at the interface to modulate the interfacial thermal resistance at the interface.

A carbon allotrope element includes a carbon allotrope layer formed from a carbon allotrope material impregnated with a dielectric resin and having a first surface. The carbon allotrope element further includes a first bus bar in communication with the first surface, and a second bus bar in communication with the first surface and non-adjacent to the first bus bar. The first surface includes a layer of the dielectric resin and a plurality of abraded regions, and each of the first and second bus bars is in communication with one of the plurality of abraded regions of the first surface.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle may include a heating body positioned inside an HVAC duct of the vehicle, formed between a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion having polarities opposite to each other. The heating body is configured to generate heat when the heating body is electrified to increase a temperature of an air being transported through the HVAC duct.

A multilayer heating structure for controlling ice accumulation on a surface of an aircraft includes a carbon nano-tube (CNT) heater. The heater includes: a CNT layer; a first encapsulation layer disposed on a first side of the CNT layer formed of a first encapsulation layer thermoplastic material; and a second encapsulation layer disposed on a second side of the CNT layer formed of a second encapsulation layer thermoplastic material.

A system for controlling ice accumulation on a surface of an aircraft, the system includes a carbon nano-tube (CNT) heater comprising: a CNT layer; a first encapsulation layer disposed on a first side of the CNT layer formed of a first encapsulation layer thermoplastic material; and a second encapsulation layer disposed on a second side of the CNT layer formed of a second encapsulation layer thermoplastic material. The system also includes a fore composite structure that includes a fore composite structure thermoplastic material disposed on the first side of CNT heater, an aft composite structure that includes an aft composite structure thermoplastic material disposed on the first side of CNT heater and a sensor layer disposed between the CNT heater and the one of the fore and aft composite structures.

The present invention relates to the field of 4D printing, and particularly to an electro-responsive folding and unfolding composite material for 4D printing, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for regulating shape memory behavior thereof. In the process of layer-by-layer printing, conductive layers are embedded into a pre-designed shape memory polymer matrix through spray-coating and laser-irradiation nano-fusion welding, to manufacture a folding and unfolding structure with electro-responsive shape memory behavior. The distribution and range of heat affected zones in the electro-responsive shape memory folding and unfolding structure are controlled by adjusting the number of electric heating layers energized and the value of an energizing voltage. The speed of shape recovery and the degree of shape recovery of the structure are regulated according to a magnitude relationship between a shape recovery force F.sub.recovery and a resistance F.sub.resistance to shape recovery of the structure.

A heating core includes a conductor and an e-liquid absorber. The conductor includes a cavity and the e-liquid absorber is disposed in the cavity.