Particle removal using periodic piezoelectric coefficient material

1. A method to at least partially remove particles from a region, the method comprising:

applying an electric field to a material to produce tunable periodically distributed standing acoustic fields from the material by utilizing an acoustic Talbot effect, wherein each standing acoustic field of the standing acoustic fields comprises pressure maxima and pressure minima, and wherein the material has a periodic piezoelectric coefficient;

applying the standing acoustic fields to the region to produce a first agglomeration, wherein the first agglomeration includes at least two of the particles;

moving the material to modify a location of the pressure maxima and the pressure minima of each of the standing acoustic fields with respect to the region to produce second agglomerations in the region; and

at least partially removing at least one agglomeration from the region, wherein the at least one agglomeration that is at least partially removed includes the first agglomeration and/or one of the second agglomerations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the material comprises:

moving the material with respect to the region in a first direction to produce the second agglomerations in the region; and

moving the material with respect to the region in a second direction to move the second agglomerations toward an outside of the region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first agglomeration is produced in one of the pressure minima.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least partially removing the at least one agglomeration from the region includes at least partially removing the at least one agglomeration using a particle separator.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two of the particles has at least two physical dimensions that are within a range of about 1 nm to about 100 nm.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the particles originate from a combustion engine.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first agglomeration is between about 100 nm and about 1000 nm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the material includes moving material that includes periodically poled lithium niobate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the material includes moving material that includes at least one of periodically poled lithium tantalate, periodically poled potassium totanyl phosphate, periodically poled rubidium titanyl arsenate, periodically poled barium sodium niobate, or combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the electric field includes applying an electric field with a frequency of about 1 MHz to about 100 MHz.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein applying the electric field includes applying an electric field with a frequency of about 7.2 MHz, and wherein applying the standing acoustic fields includes applying an acoustic wave with a frequency of about 7.2 MHz.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

each of the at least two particles has at least two physical dimensions that are about 1 nm to about 100 nm,

moving the material includes moving material that includes at least one of periodically poled lithium niobate, periodically poled lithium tantalate, periodically poled potassium totanyl phosphate, periodically poled rubidium titanyl arsenate, periodically poled barium sodium niobate, or combinations thereof,

applying the electric field includes applying an electric field with a frequency in a range of about 1 MHz to about 100 MHz,

the first agglomeration is produced in one of the pressure minima,

moving the material comprises:

moving the material with respect to the region in a first direction to produce the second agglomerations in the region; and

moving the material with respect to the region in a second direction to move the second agglomerations toward an outside of the region, and

at least partially removing comprises:

removing the at least one agglomeration from the region using a particle separator.

13. A device effective to at least partially remove particles from a region, the device comprising:

an electric field source effective to produce an electric field;

a material in communication with the electric field source, wherein:

the material is effective to receive the electric field and produce periodically distributed standing acoustic fields in response,

the material has a periodic piezoelectric coefficient,

the standing acoustic fields are effective to be applied to the region to produce a first agglomeration, and

the first agglomeration includes at least two of the particles; and

a table in contact with the material, wherein the table is effective to:

move the material with respect to the region in a first direction to produce second agglomerations in the region; and

move the material with respect to the region in a second direction to move the second agglomerations toward an outside of the region.

14. The device of claim 13 , further comprising a housing, wherein the region is outside of the housing.

15. The device of claim 13 , further comprising:

a first electrode in communication with the material and in communication with the electric field source;

a second electrode in communication with the material and in communication with the electric field source; and

a support in contact with the second electrode.

16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the material includes at least one of periodically poled lithium niobate, periodically poled lithium tantalate, periodically poled potassium totanyl phosphate, periodically poled rubidium titanyl arsenate, periodically poled barium sodium niobate, or combinations thereof.

17. The device of claim 13 , wherein:

the standing acoustic fields include pressure minima and maxima, and

the first agglomeration is produced in one of the pressure minima.

18. A system effective to at least partially remove particles, the system comprising:

an electric field source effective to produce an electric field;

a material in communication with the electric field source, wherein the material is effective to receive the electric field and produce periodically distributed standing acoustic fields in response, and wherein the material has a periodic piezoelectric coefficient;

a region in acoustic communication with the material, wherein the region is effective to receive the standing acoustic fields, wherein the region includes the particles and at least one first agglomeration, and wherein the at least one first agglomeration includes at least two of the particles; and

a table in contact with the material, wherein the table is effective to:

move the material with respect to the region in a first direction to produce second agglomerations in the region; and

move the material with respect to the region in a second direction to move the second agglomerations toward an outside of the region.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a particle separator, wherein the particle separator is effective to at least partially remove at least one agglomeration from the region, and wherein the at least one agglomeration that is at least partially removed includes the at least one first agglomeration and/or one of the second agglomerations.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the material includes at least one of periodically poled lithium tantalate, periodically poled potassium totanyl phosphate, periodically poled rubidium titanyl arsenate, periodically poled barium sodium niobate, or combinations thereof.

21. A method to at least partially remove particles from a region, the method comprising:

applying an electric field to a material to produce periodically distributed standing acoustic fields from the material by utilizing an acoustic Talbot effect, wherein the material has a periodic piezoelectric coefficient;

applying the standing acoustic fields to the region to produce a first agglomeration, wherein the first agglomeration includes at least two of the particles;

moving a table in contact with the material to modify a location of pressure maxima and pressure minima of each of the standing acoustic fields with respect to the region to produce second agglomerations in the region, wherein the table is effective to:

move the material with respect to the region in a first direction to produce the second agglomerations in the region; and

move the material with respect to the region in a second direction to move the second agglomerations toward an outside of the region; and

at least partially removing at least one agglomeration from the region, wherein the at least one agglomeration that is at least partially removed includes the first agglomeration and/or one of the second agglomerations, and wherein:

the standing acoustic fields provide a standing acoustic wave pattern that is tunable,

the first agglomeration is produced in one of the pressure minima, and

the material includes a combination of at least two of periodically poled lithium niobate, periodically poled lithium tantalate, periodically poled potassium totanyl phosphate, periodically poled rubidium titanyl arsenate, and periodically poled barium sodium niobate.