Self-transforming structures
A self-transforming structure is formed from a flexible, fibrous composite having a weave pattern of fibers woven at intersecting angles, the weave pattern having a boundary and one or more axes for the fibers, and an added material coupled to the flexible, fibrous composite to form a structure, wherein the flexible, fibrous composite and the added material have different expansion or contraction rates in response to an external stimulus to cause the structure to self-transform, and wherein the added material has a grain pattern oriented relative the weave pattern of the flexible, fibrous composite. Applications of the self-transforming structures include aviation, automotive, apparel/footwear, furniture, and building materials. One particular example is for providing adaptive control of fluid flow, such as in a jet engine air inlet.
1. A self-transforming structure comprising:
a) a flexible, carbon fiber composite having a boundary and fibers along one or more axes; and
b) an added material having a boundary and a grain pattern, wherein the added material is selected from the group consisting of nylon, biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) and polypropylene, the grain pattern consisting of substantially parallel grains, the added material coupled to a surface of the flexible, carbon fiber composite to form a structure, the flexible, carbon fiber composite and the added material having different coefficients of expansion in response to an external stimulus to cause the structure to self-transform, the grain pattern of the added material oriented relative to the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite to enable predictable self-transformation of the structure responsive to the external stimulus.
2. The self-transforming structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented biaxially.
3. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the grain pattern of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
4. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the grain pattern of the added material is 45° to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
5. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the grain of the added material is oriented at a 45° angle to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
6. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the grain of the added material is orthogonal to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
7. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the length of the boundary of the added material is shorter than the length of the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
8. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the length of the boundary of the added material is the same as the length of the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
9. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 45° angles relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
10. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are orthogonal to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
11. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the flexible, carbon fiber composite is square, rectangular, or round.
12. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein the flexible, carbon fiber composite is rectangular.
13. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at 45° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is shorter than the length of the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 45° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
14. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at 45° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same as the length of the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 45° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
15. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal relative to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is orthogonal relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is shorter than the length of the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are orthogonal relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
16. The self-transforming structure of claim 2 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is oriented at a 45° angle relative to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is orthogonal relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at a 45° angle relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
17. The self-transforming structure of claim 13 , wherein substantially parallel grains of the added material are on opposite surfaces of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
18. The self-transforming structure of claim 5 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at 45° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same as the length of the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 45° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite, and wherein the added material provides equal forces in two directions, thereby providing bi-stability.
19. The self-transforming structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented triaxially.
20. The self-transforming structure of claim 19 , wherein the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
21. The self-transforming structure of claim 19 , wherein the grain of the added material is oriented at an angle of 0°, 60°, or 120° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
22. The self-transforming structure of claim 19 , wherein the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
23. The self-transforming structure of claim 19 , wherein the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 60° and 120° angles relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
24. The self-transforming structure of claim 19 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at a 0° angle relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 60° and 120° angles relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
25. The self-transforming structure of claim 19 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at a 60° angle relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 60° and 120° angles relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
26. The self-transforming structure of claim 19 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at a 120° angle relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are oriented at 60° and 120° angles relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
27. The self-transforming structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are uniaxial.
28. The self-transforming structure of claim 27 , wherein the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
29. The self-transforming structure of claim 27 , wherein the grain of the added material is oriented at an angle of 0°, orthogonal, or 45° relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
30. The self-transforming structure of claim 27 , wherein the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
31. The self-transforming structure of claim 27 , wherein the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are orthogonal relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
32. The self-transforming structure of claim 27 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at a 0° angle relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are orthogonal to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
33. The self-transforming structure of claim 27 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are orthogonal to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
34. The self-transforming structure of claim 27 , wherein: a) the grain of the added material is orthogonal to an axis of a fiber of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; b) the grain of the added material is oriented at a 45° angle relative to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; c) the length of the boundary of the added material is the same length as the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite; and d) the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite are orthogonal to the boundary of the flexible, carbon fiber composite.
35. The self-transforming structure of claim 1 , wherein the external stimulus can be exposure to a temperature change.
36. The self-transforming structure of claim 35 , wherein the temperature change can be caused by a laser, infrared light, or electrical resistive heating.
37. The self-transforming structure of claim 1 , wherein the external stimulus can be exposure to water or removal of exposure to water.
38. A method of making a self-transforming structure, the method comprising:
coupling an added material to a surface of a flexible, carbon fiber composite to form a structure, the flexible, carbon fiber composite having a boundary and fibers along one or more axes, wherein the added material is selected from the group consisting of nylon, biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) and polypropylene,
wherein the added material has a boundary and a grain pattern, the grain pattern consisting of substantially parallel grains,
wherein the flexible, carbon fiber composite and the added material have different coefficients of expansion in response to an external stimulus to cause the structure to self-transform,
and wherein the grain pattern of the added material is oriented relative to the fibers of the flexible, carbon fiber composite to enable predictable self-transformation of the structure responsive to the external stimulus.
39. The method of claim 38 , wherein coupling the added material to the flexible, carbon fiber composite comprises printing the added material onto the flexible, carbon fiber composite by additive manufacturing.
40. The method of claim 38 , wherein coupling the added material to the flexible, carbon fiber composite comprises laminating the added material onto the flexible, carbon fiber composite.