Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device comprising a PHA based copolymer layer comprising at least one of an electrospun ribbon of fibers of a polyhydroxyalkanoate based copolymer or the polarized polymeric composition obtained by the process of claim 1, wherein the layer is configured to exhibit one or more of a piezoelectric effect, a pyroelectric effect and a ferroelectric effect, wherein each of the electrospun ribbon of fibers and the polarized polymeric composition comprises a ?-form of the PHA based copolymer present in an amount of from about 10% to about 99%, as measured by x-ray diffraction. The device can be configured for use as a sensor, a actuator, a nanomotor, or a biobattery.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device comprising a PHA based copolymer layer comprising at least one of an electrospun ribbon of fibers of a polyhydroxyalkanoate based copolymer or the polarized polymeric composition obtained by the process of claim 1, wherein the layer is configured to exhibit one or more of a piezoelectric effect, a pyroelectric effect and a ferroelectric effect, wherein each of the electrospun ribbon of fibers and the polarized polymeric composition comprises a ?-form of the PHA based copolymer present in an amount of from about 10% to about 99%, as measured by x-ray diffraction. The device can be configured for use as a sensor, a actuator, a nanomotor, or a biobattery.

Abstract: A nanocomposite structure includes: a) a charged fibrous substrate including fibers having disposed on their surfaces a multilayer structure including a layer of a first polyelectrolyte and disposed thereon a layer of a second polyelectrolyte of opposite charge from the first, the second polyelectrolyte forming the outermost layer of the charged fibrous substrate; and b) charged nanorods having a charge opposite that of the charged fibrous substrate, including gold nanorods each having disposed on its surface one or more layers, the outermost of which is a third polyelectrolyte having a charge opposite that of the second polyelectrolyte, wherein the first and third polyelectrolytes may be the same or different; wherein the charged nanorods are disposed unaligned with respect to each other on the charged fibrous substrate.

Abstract: A nanocomposite structure includes: a) a charged fibrous substrate including fibers having disposed on their surfaces a multilayer structure including a layer of a first polyelectrolyte and disposed thereon a layer of a second polyelectrolyte of opposite charge from the first, the second polyelectrolyte forming the outermost layer of the charged fibrous substrate; and b) charged nanorods having a charge opposite that of the charged fibrous substrate, including gold nanorods each having disposed on its surface one or more layers, the outermost of which is a third polyelectrolyte having a charge opposite that of the second polyelectrolyte, wherein the first and third polyelectrolytes may be the same or different; wherein the charged nanorods are disposed unaligned with respect to each other on the charged fibrous substrate.

Abstract: A gas detector includes a predetermined amount of a sensor material having at least one optical property which changes as a result of reaction with a target gas and a photometric device operable to measure the intensity of said at least one optical property of the sensor material. The reaction is such that there is a one-to-one relationship between the magnitude of the intensity of at least one optical property and the concentration of the target gas in the gas sample whereby the concentration of the target gas in the gas sample may be determined from the measured magnitude of the intensity of said at least one optical property after the passage of the predetermined volume of gas sample over the given area of sensor material.