Abstract: Embodiments of a radially collapsible and expandable prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The prosthetic valve can comprise an annular frame, leaflets, an inner skirt, and an outer skirt. The outer skirt can be secured to the outside of the inflow end portion of the frame, the outer skirt having longitudinal slack that buckles outward radially when the valve is in the expanded configuration and which lies flat when the valve is in the collapsed configuration. In some embodiments, the outer skirt is stiffer in the axial direction of the valve than in the circumferential direction of the valve. In additional embodiments, the outer skirt comprises a self-expandable fabric comprising fibers made of a shape memory material having a shape memory set to enhance the radially outward buckling of the outer skirt. Methods of crimping such valves to a collapsed or partially collapsed configuration are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides durable, low-ice-adhesion coatings with excellent ice-adhesion reduction. Some variations provide a low-ice-adhesion composition comprising a composite material containing at least a first-material phase and a second-material phase that are nanophase-separated on a length scale from 10 nanometers to less than 100 nanometers, wherein the first-material phase and the second-material phase further are microphase-separated on a length scale from 0.1 microns to 100 microns. The larger length scale of separation is driven by an emulsion process, which provides microphase separation that is in addition to classic molecular-level phase separation. The composite material has a glass-transition temperature above ?80° C. The coatings may be characterized by an AMIL Centrifuge Ice Adhesion Reduction Factor up to 100 or more. These coatings are useful for aerospace surfaces and many other applications.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a thermoresponsive adhesive material. The material comprises a linear, phase-separated polymer having fluorinated polymer units and hydrophobic polymer units. The fluorinated polymer units and the hydrophobic polymer units are randomly ordered along the polymer. The hydrophobic polymer units include a first hydrophobic polymer unit and a second hydrophobic polymer unit. The first hydrophobic polymer unit is chosen from acrylate units or methacrylate units each substituted with one or more linear alkyl groups, linear alkenyl groups or a combination thereof, where at least one of the linear alkyl groups or alkenyl groups has 16 to 20 carbon atoms. The second hydrophobic polymer unit is chosen from acrylate units or methacrylate units each substituted with one or more linear alkyl groups, linear alkenyl groups or a combination thereof, where at least one of the linear alkyl or alkenyl groups of the second hydrophobic polymer unit has 5 to 14 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes an annular frame including a plurality of strut members that is radially collapsible and expandable. A leaflet structure is situated within the frame, and includes a plurality of leaflets having opposing commissure tab portions on opposite sides of the leaflet. Each commissure tab portion is paired with an adjacent commissure tab portion of an adjacent leaflet to form one or more commissures. A commissure support element is positioned at each of the commissures, and comprise a first member and a second member that are separable from each other and configured to receive leaflets therebetween. The first and second members are detached from the frame and spaced radially inwardly from the frame such that the members contact the leaflets radially inward from the frame and limit movement of the leaflets so that they articulate at a location that is spaced radially inwardly from the frame.

Abstract: Variations of the invention provide an improved aluminum battery consisting of an aluminum anode, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and a cathode comprising a metal oxide, a metal fluoride, a metal sulfide, or sulfur. The cathode can be fully reduced upon battery discharge via a multiple-electron reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the cathode materials are contained within the pore volume of a porous conductive carbon scaffold. Batteries provided by the invention have high active material specific energy densities and good cycling stabilities at a variety of operating temperatures.

Abstract: An implantable prosthetic valve that is radially collapsible to a collapsed configuration and radially expandable to an expanded configuration includes an annular frame including a plurality of angled strut members, and a skirt member secured to the frame. The skirt member includes a plurality of extension portions wrapped around at least one strut member adjacent the extension portions. The prosthetic valve further includes a cord member threaded through at least a portion of the plurality of extension portions to secure the skirt member to the at least one strut member.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve can include a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame having a plurality of struts defining openings. The prosthetic heart valve can further include a plurality of leaflets that regulate the flow of blood through the frame. The prosthetic heart valve can also include a sealing member mounted on the frame and having an inner layer and an outer layer. At least the outer layer is mounted on the outside of the frame, and the inner layer covers at least the openings in the frame between adjacent cusp portions of adjacent leaflets and the inner layer does not cover one or more openings in the frame at locations facing the outflow surfaces of the leaflets to permit retrograde blood to flow through the one or more uncovered openings in the frame and into space between the outer layer and the frame.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve can comprise a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame and a leaflet structure comprising a plurality of leaflets mounted within the frame. The frame can have commissure attachment portions that are configured to support the commissures of the leaflets in unique ways. For example, commissure attachment portions can include at least two struts defining a gap therebetween. Additionaly, angularly-spaced commissure attachment portions can comprise inner struts and outer struts. Adjacent side portions of leaflets can extend through a gap between the inner struts of a corresponding commissure attachment portion. Further features and arrangements are also possible.

Abstract: The disclosed battery system comprises a three-electrode metal-ion battery configured with voltage meters connected between anode and cathode, between anode and a reference electrode, and between cathode and the reference electrode; a current source connecting the anode and cathode; and a programmable computer. The system is configured to control the current source to drive the battery with a current cycling profile, and to measure current signals between anode and cathode, and voltage signals derived from the voltage meters. An impulse response is then calculated for each of the anode and cathode, to dynamically estimate open-circuit potential and impedance of each of the anode and cathode. Battery aging, battery capacity fading, and other diagnostics are provided in real time. This invention can characterize each individual electrode of a battery, even when the battery is cycling away from equilibrium states, which is important for electric vehicles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery electrode comprising an active battery material enclosed in the pores of a conductive nanoporous scaffold. The pores in the scaffold constrain the dimensions for the active battery material and inhibit sintering, which results in better cycling stability, longer battery lifetime, and greater power through less agglomeration. Additionally, the scaffold forms electrically conducting pathways to the active battery nanoparticles that are dispersed. In some variations, a battery electrode of the invention includes an electrically conductive scaffold material with pores having at least one length dimension selected from about 0.5 nm to about 100 nm, and an oxide material contained within the pores, wherein the oxide material is electrochemically active.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a thermoresponsive adhesive material. The material comprises a linear, phase-separated polymer having fluorinated polymer units and hydrophobic polymer units. The fluorinated polymer units and the hydrophobic polymer units are randomly ordered along the polymer. The hydrophobic polymer units include a first hydrophobic polymer unit and a second hydrophobic polymer unit. The first hydrophobic polymer unit is chosen from acrylate units or methacrylate units each substituted with one or more linear alkyl groups, linear alkenyl groups or a combination thereof, where at least one of the linear alkyl groups or alkenyl groups has 16 to 20 carbon atoms. The second hydrophobic polymer unit is chosen from acrylate units or methacrylate units each substituted with one or more linear alkyl groups, linear alkenyl groups or a combination thereof, where at least one of the linear alkyl or alkenyl groups of the second hydrophobic polymer unit has 5 to 14 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Some variations provide a low-adhesion coating comprising a continuous matrix containing a first component, a plurality of inclusions containing a second component, and a solid-state lubricant distributed within the coating, wherein one of the first component or the second component is a low-surface-energy polymer, and the other of the first component or the second component is a hygroscopic material. The solid-state lubricant may be selected from graphite, graphene, molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, hexagonal boron nitride, or poly(tetrafluoroethylene) or other fluoropolymers. The solid-state lubricant particles may be coated with a metal selected from cadmium, lead, tin, zinc, copper, nickel, or alloys containing one or more of these metals. The solid-state lubricant is typically characterized by an average particle size from about 0.1 ?m to about 500 ?m. The solid-state lubricant is preferably distributed throughout the coating.

Abstract: This invention provides durable, low-ice-adhesion coatings with excellent performance in terms of ice-adhesion reduction. Some variations provide a low-ice-adhesion coating comprising a microstructure with a first-material phase and a second-material phase that are microphase-separated on an average length scale of phase inhomogeneity from 1 micron to 100 microns. Some variations provide a low-ice-adhesion material comprising a continuous matrix containing a first component; and a plurality of discrete inclusions containing a second component, wherein the inclusions are dispersed within the matrix to form a phase-separated microstructure that is inhomogeneous on an average length scale from 1 micron to 100 microns, wherein one of the first component or the second component is a low-surface-energy polymer, and the other is a hygroscopic material. The coatings are characterized by an AMIL Centrifuge Ice Adhesion Reduction Factor up to 100 or more.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve according to the present disclosure comprises a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame and a leaflet structure comprising a plurality of leaflets mounted within the frame. The frame in particular embodiments can have commissure attachment portions that are configured to support the commissures of the leaflets at locations spaced radially inwardly toward the longitudinal flow axis of the prosthetic valve relative to the frame portions circumscribing the moveable portions of the leaflets. When the leaflets open under pressure of blood flowing through the prosthetic valve, the moveable portions of the leaflets are retained at positions spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the frame to protect against abrasion of the leaflets.

Abstract: A coating includes at least one coating layer containing first particles, second particles, and third particles distributed throughout a cross-linked, continuous polymer matrix. An outer surface of the coating layer includes surfaces of at least first particles extending outward from a top periphery of the polymer matrix. The outer surface exhibits a property of delaying ice formation compared to the coating layer without the first particles. A method includes applying a coating composition in one application step. The one-step coating composition contains first particles, second particles, and third particles in a base containing a polymer. A coating composition includes first particles, second particles, and third particles distributed in a matrix precursor.

Abstract: In some variations, an apparatus provides real-time monitoring of voltage and differential voltage of both anode and cathode in a battery configured with at least one reference electrode. Voltage monitors are connected to a computer programmed for receiving anode voltage signals; receiving cathode voltage signals; calculating the derivative of the anode voltage with respect to time or with respect to capacity; and calculating the derivative of the cathode voltage with respect to time or with respect to capacity. Other variations provide an apparatus for real-time assessment of capacities of both anode and cathode in a battery, comprising a computer programmed for receiving electrode voltage signals; estimating first and second electrode open-circuit voltages at two different times, and correlating the first and second electrode open-circuit voltages to first and second electrode states of charge, respectively, for each of anode and cathode. The anode and cathode capacities may then be estimated independently.

Abstract: A coating includes at least one coating layer containing first particles, second particles, and third particles distributed throughout a cross-linked, continuous polymer matrix. An outer surface of the coating layer includes surfaces of at least first particles extending outward from a top periphery of the polymer matrix. The outer surface exhibits a property of delaying ice formation compared to the coating layer without the first particles. A method includes applying a coating composition in one application step. The one-step coating composition contains first particles, second particles, and third particles in a base containing a polymer. A coating composition includes first particles, second particles, and third particles distributed in a matrix precursor.

Abstract: Embodiments of a radially collapsible and expandable prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. A valve frame can have a tapered profile when mounted on a delivery shaft, with an inflow end portion having a smaller diameter than an outflow end portion. The valve can comprise generally V-shaped leaflets, reducing material within the inflow end of the frame. An outer skirt can be secured to the outside of the inflow end portion of the frame, the outer skirt having longitudinal slack when the valve is expanded and lying flat against the frame when the valve is collapsed. A diagonally woven inner skirt can elongate axially with the frame. Side tabs of adjacent leaflets can extend through and be secured to window frame portions of the frame to form commissures. The window frame portions can be depressed radially inward relative to surrounding frame portions when the valve is crimped onto a delivery shaft.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to laminated sealing members for prosthetic valves and methods of making the same. In a representative embodiment, an implantable prosthetic valve that is radially collapsible to a collapsed configuration and radially expandable to an expanded configuration comprises an annular frame having an inflow end and an outflow end, a leaflet structure positioned within the frame and secured thereto, and a laminate sealing member comprising an encapsulating material. The laminate sealing member has a main portion that encapsulates at least a portion of the frame and an end portion extending from the inflow end of the frame, and the end portion of the laminate sealing member is folded to form a cuff adjacent the inflow end of the frame and secured to the main portion of the laminate sealing member.

Abstract: Variations of the invention provide an improved aluminum battery consisting of an aluminum anode, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and a cathode comprising a metal oxide, a metal fluoride, a metal sulfide, or sulfur. The cathode can be fully reduced upon battery discharge via a multiple-electron reduction reaction. In some embodiments, the cathode materials are contained within the pore volume of a porous conductive carbon scaffold. Batteries provided by the invention have high active material specific energy densities and good cycling stabilities at a variety of operating temperatures.