METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR APPLYING FORCE AGAINST A SOLID OBJECT USING A SWELLABLE SOL-GEL DERIVED MATERIAL
Disclosed is a method and system for applying force against a solid object. A sol-gel derived sorbent material is placed against a solid object to be moved under conditions sufficient to contact the swellable sol-gel derived sorbent material with a sorbate and cause the sol-gel derived sorbent material to swell to at least I ½ times its volume in its unswollen slate to cause sol-gel derived sorbent material to expand and to apply force against the solid object.
1 . A method for applying force against a solid object comprising:
placing an expandable container with a swellable sol-gel derived sorbent material in its unswollen state in contact with a solid object and
introducing a sorbate into the container under conditions sufficient to contact the swellable sol-gel derived sorbent material with the sorbate, to cause the sol-gel derived sorbent material to swell to at least 1½ times its volume in its unswollen state, to expand the container and to apply force against the solid object.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable container is a telescoping cylinder.
3 . A method for applying force against a solid object comprising:
placing a swellable sol-gel derived sorbent material in its unswollen state in an opening in a solid object and
introducing a sorbate into the opening under conditions sufficient to contact the swellable sol-gel derived material with the sorbate, to cause the sol-gel derived sorbent material to swell to a least 1½ times its volume in its unswollen state and to deform or fracture the solid object.
4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising loading the sorbate into a balloon bladder, before introducing the sorbate into the opening.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sol-gel derived sorbent material is formed from
(a) about 5 to 100 mol percent of a first alkoxysilane precursor having the formula:
(RO) 3 —Si—(CH 2 ) n —Ar—(CH 2 ) m- —Si—(OR) 3
(b) from about 0 to about 95 mol percent of at least one second alkoxysilane precursor having the formula:
(RO) x —(R 2 ) y —Si—((R 1 )—Si—(R 2 ) y —(OR) x ) z
where n and m are individually an integer from 1 to 8, Ar is a single-, fused-, or poly-aromatic ring, x is 2, 3 or 4, y is 0, 1 or 2 and z is 0 or 1, the total of x+y+z is 4, each R is independently hydrogen or a C1 to C6 alkyl, R1 is an alkyl or aromatic bridging group and each R2 is individually an organic group and each R is independently hydrogen or a C1 to C6 alkyl, such as methyl or ethyl.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the sol gel derived sorbent material is formed from about 60 to about 40 mol percent (a) and from about 40 to about 60 mol percent (b).
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sorbate has a k ow of less than about −0.3.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sorbate is gasoline, diesel feel or acetone.
9 . The method of claim 1 where the sorbate is introduced using a carrier gas.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the carrier gas is carbon dioxide or compressed air.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sol-gel derived sorbent material swells to between about 2 to about 8 times its volume in its unswollen state when contacted with the sorbate.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sol-gel derived sorbent material generates a force greater than 80 N/g upon swelling.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the sol-gel derived sorbent material generates a force between about 80 N/g and about 120 N/g upon swelling.
14 . The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the sorbate from the swollen sol-gel material by heating the swollen sol-gel derived sorbent material to a temperature less than about 160 C.
15 . A system for applying a force against a solid object comprising
an expandable container:
a swellable sol-gel derived material in its unswollen state and loaded in the expandable container and
a sorbent inlet for introducing a sorbate into the expandable container.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the sol-gel derived sorbent material is swellable to a at least 1½ times its volume in its unswollen state when contracted with a sorbate.
17 . The system of claim 16 wherein the sol gel derived sorbent material is swellable to from about 2 to about 8 times its volume in its unswollen state when contacted with a sorbate.
18 . The system of claims 15 - 17 wherein the sol-gel derived sorbent material is formed from
(a) about 5 to 100 mol percent of a first alkoxysilane precursor having the formula:
(RO) 3 —Si—(CH 2 ) n —Ar—(CH 2 ) m- —Si—(OR) 3
and
(b) from about 0 to about 95 mol percent of at least one second alkoxysilane precursor having the formula:
(RO) x —(R 2 ) y —Si—((R 1 )—Si—(R 2 ) y —(OR) x ) z
where n and m are individually an integer from 1 to 8, Ar is a single-, fused-, or poly-aromatic ring, x is 2, 3 or 4, y is 0, 1 or 2 and z is 0 or 1, the total of x+y+z is 4, each R is independently hydrogen or a C1 to C6 alkyl, R1 is an alkyl or aromatic bridging group and each R2 is individually an organic group and each R is independently hydrogen or a C1 to C6 alkyl, such as methyl or ethyl.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the sol-gel derived sorbent material is formed from about 60 to 40 mol percent (a) and from about 40 to about 60 mol percent (b).
20 . The system of claims 15 through 19 wherein the expandable container is a telescoping cylinder.
21 . The system of claim 20 wherein the telescoping cylinder comprises:
at least two annular telescoping elements having first and second opposing ends,
a support surface disposed at the first end and a second support surface disposed at the second end.
22 . The system of claim 15 wherein the sorbate inlet port is a limited access port or a glass frit.