A linear displacement device includes at least one artificial muscle actuator, an arm attached to the at least one artificial muscle, a body that is restricted to move along a line, and a stationary channel that restricts the motion of the body to linear motion. The at least one artificial muscle actuator causes the body to move along the line. The body is further restricted to move along a surface of the arm and the at least one artificial muscle actuator is a rotational muscle actuator. Additionally, the arm rotates in concert with the at least one artificial muscle actuator.

Described herein are improved composite anodes and lithium-ion batteries made therefrom. Further described are methods of making and using the improved anodes and batteries. In general, the anodes include a porous composite having a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites. At least one of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites is formed from a dendritic particle, which is a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of an electrically conducting material and a plurality of discrete non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on a surface of the dendritic particle. At least one nanocomposite of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites has at least a portion of its dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.

Described herein are improved composite anodes and lithium-ion batteries made therefrom. Further described are methods of making and using the improved anodes and batteries. In general, the anodes include a porous composite having a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites. At least one of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites is formed from a dendritic particle, which is a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of an electrically conducting material and a plurality of discrete non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on a surface of the dendritic particle. At least one nanocomposite of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites has at least a portion of its dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.

Described herein are improved composite anodes and lithium-ion batteries made therefrom. Further described are methods of making and using the improved anodes and batteries. In general, the anodes include a porous composite having a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites. At least one of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites is formed from a dendritic particle, which is a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of an electrically conducting material and a plurality of discrete non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on a surface of the dendritic particle. At least one nanocomposite of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites has at least a portion of its dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.

Described herein are improved composite anodes and lithium-ion batteries made therefrom. Further described are methods of making and using the improved anodes and batteries. In general, the anodes include a porous composite having a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites. At least one of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites is formed from a dendritic particle, which is a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of an electrically conducting material and a plurality of discrete non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on a surface of the dendritic particle. At least one nanocomposite of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites has at least a portion of its dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.

A linear displacement device includes at least one artificial muscle actuator, an arm attached to the at least one artificial muscle, a body that is restricted to move along a line, and a stationary channel that restricts the motion of the body to linear motion. The at least one artificial muscle actuator causes the body to move along the line. The body is further restricted to move along a surface of the arm and the at least one artificial muscle actuator is a rotational muscle actuator. Additionally, the arm rotates in concert with the at least one artificial muscle actuator.

This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a total volume of at least 0.7 cm.sup.3/g and up to 2 cm.sup.3/g, wherein at least half of the total micropore and mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) silicon located within the micropores and optional mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the total volume of the micropores and optional mesopores.

A conductive paste includes: a solder powder having a melting point of less than or equal to 120° C.; a conductive filler; a flux for removing an oxide film of the solder powder; and a solvent, wherein a ratio of a mass of the conductive filler to a mass of the solder powder is 20% to 80%.

A conductive paste includes: a solder powder having a melting point of less than or equal to 120° C.; a conductive filler; a flux for removing an oxide film of the solder powder; and a solvent, wherein a ratio of a mass of the conductive filler to a mass of the solder powder is 20% to 80%.

A hinge-type actuator device in accordance with the present disclosure may include a first and second paddle, a first and second artificial muscle actuator segment, and a plurality of contacts, where the first and second artificial muscle actuator segments are actuated via the contacts, actuation of the first artificial muscle actuator segment causes the first and second paddle to open the hinge-type actuator, and actuation of the second artificial muscle actuator segment causes the first and second paddle to dose the hinge-type actuator.