Abstract: A heat pipe having a working chamber having an evaporator region operatively connected to a heat source, and a condenser region operatively connected to a heat sink. A working fluid is provided in the working chamber, and heat is transferred from the heat source to the heat sink by the working fluid in a first state of operation. The heat pipe is a switchable and/or programmable thermal diode or a switchable and/or programmable heat switch, at least one activatable functional material is provided, which is arranged and configured to keep the evaporator region free of the working fluid and/or to prevent the working fluid from evaporating in a second state of operation, in order to reduce and/or hinder heat transfer and/or to alter the preferential direction of heat conduction. A system and method for switching and/or programming heat transfer in a heat pipe are also provided.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is new membranes in which tailor-made membrane transport proteins (such as e.g. TCDB classified proteins) act as pore-forming proteins (e.g. FhuA) or peptides which act as pores in the membrane. The membranes can preferably be produced both by linking synthesised protein-polymer conjugates and by direct linking of the pore-forming proteins and peptides. Such membranes are distinguished by many outstanding features which existing membranes have not been able to offer to date.