Patents by Inventor Alexander Yarin

Alexander Yarin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8108157
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods to provide electrospun polymer/nanoparticle composite-fiber structures for use as lightweight, compliant, porous strain sensors for non-cyclic strain sensing. In one embodiment, the fibers in the nanocomposites comprise, for example, poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) dielectric polymer matrix with embedded electrically conductive carbon black (CB) nanoparticles. In another embodiment, the composite-fiber structures of the present invention contain at least about 7 weight percent or more of CB and are electrically conducting in the as-spun, un-deformed state, and are thus called conductive polymer composites (CPC). In still another embodiment, the electrical resistance of a nanocomposite structure according to the invention increases with strain, and at sufficiently high strains the structure is rendered non-conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Akron
    Inventors: George G. Chase, Alexander Yarin, Manish K. Tiwari, Constantine M. Megaridis
  • Publication number: 20090254288
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods to provide electrospun polymer/nanoparticle composite-fiber structures for use as lightweight, compliant, porous strain sensors for non-cyclic strain sensing. In one embodiment, the fibers in the nanocomposites comprise, for example, poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) dielectric polymer matrix with embedded electrically conductive carbon black (CB) nanoparticles. In another embodiment, the composite-fiber structures of the present invention contain at least about 7 weight percent or more of CB and are electrically conducting in the as-spun, un-deformed state, and are thus called conductive polymer composites (CPC). In still another embodiment, the electrical resistance of a nanocomposite structure according to the invention increases with strain, and at sufficiently high strains the structure is rendered non-conductive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: George G. Chase, Alexander Yarin