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.

Disclosed herein are energy harvesting devices and methods of making and use thereof. The energy harvesting devices can efficiently harvest energy for motions at a frequency of 5 Hz or less.

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.

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.

An actuator device (21) comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) and a driver (20) for generating a electrical drive signals which give opposite polarity voltages and thus electrical field within the electroactive polymer at different times. In this way, charge build-up can be reduced or avoided, while prolonged activation times are still possible. This improves the performance and/or lifetime of the device.

An actuator or sensor device comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) arrangement which extends between fixed opposite ends. The electroactive polymer arrangement comprises a passive carrier layer and an active electroactive polymer layer, wherein at or adjacent the ends, the passive carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted with one over the other in a first order, and at a middle area between the ends, the carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted in an opposite order. This enables internal stresses and moments within the electroactive polymer arrangement to be used more effectively to contribute to displacement or actuation force.

An electricity generation process is disclosed. The process comprises injecting an aqueous feed stream into a salt formation to dissolve the salt contained therein, and then extracting a saline stream containing said dissolved salt from the salt formation. The process also comprises converting latent osmotic energy present in said saline stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit comprising a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts in which said saline stream is passed over one side of the semi-permeable membrane, a low salinity stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The process also comprises using an output stream derived from the low salinity stream as the aqueous feed stream.

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 tunable photonic device and method of fabricating the same are provided. The tunable photonic device including a substrate and an actuator having a first end supported by the substrate and a second end in spaced relation to the substrate. A photonic structure is operatively connected to the actuator and a stimulus generator configured to selectively generate a stimulus to act on the actuator. The stimulus acting on the actuator causes deformation of the actuator and moves the photonic structure between first and second positions.

A tunable photonic device and method of fabricating the same are provided. The tunable photonic device including a substrate and an actuator having a first end supported by the substrate and a second end in spaced relation to the substrate. A photonic structure is operatively connected to the actuator and a stimulus generator configured to selectively generate a stimulus to act on the actuator. The stimulus acting on the actuator causes deformation of the actuator and moves the photonic structure between first and second positions.