US 11,703,257 B2
Methods for torsional refrigeration by twisted, coiled, and supercoiled fibers and systems thereof
Zunfeng Liu, Tianjin (CN); Run Wang, Tianjin (CN); Jiuke Mu, Plano, TX (US); Zhong Wang, Dallas, TX (US); Shaoli Fang, Richardson, TX (US); Marcio Dias Lima, Richardson, TX (US); Ali E. Aliev, Plano, TX (US); Na Li, Milwaukee, WI (US); Carter S. Haines, Murphy, TX (US); and Ray H. Baughman, Dallas, TX (US)
Assigned to BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/36,018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/909,018, filed on Oct. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0116152 A1, Apr. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. F25B 23/00 (2006.01); D02G 3/44 (2006.01); F03G 7/06 (2006.01); H02N 10/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 23/00 (2013.01) [D02G 3/44 (2013.01); D10B 2401/06 (2013.01); F03G 7/0612 (2021.08); F03G 7/0615 (2021.08); F03G 7/06113 (2021.08); H02N 10/00 (2013.01); Y10T 428/2925 (2015.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
20. An article comprising a mechanocaloric cooler, wherein
(a) the mechanocaloric cooler comprises a cooling element selected from a group consisting of:
(i) cooling elements comprising a fiber or yarn that is in a highly twisted state, a partially or fully coiled state, or a partially of fully supercoiled state during one part of a cooling cycle and in a low twisted or non-twist state in another part of the cooling cycle;
(ii) cooling elements comprising a fiber or yarn array that is in a highly plied state in one part of the cooling cycle and in a largely non-plied state in another part of the cooling cycle;
(iii) cooling elements that are partially coiled, fully coiled, partially supercoiled, or fully supercoiled, which either cool when stretched or cool when stretch is released,
(b) the article is selected from a group consisting of (i) refrigerators, (ii) microfluidic circuits, (iii) thermochromic-coated fibers or textiles that undergo mechanothermochromic color changes when stretched, (iv) infrared emitting structures for attracting or repulsing infrared sensitive marine organisms, (v) infrared-emitting light sources for an insect trap, and (vi) remotely optically readable sensors for torsional strain, tensile strain, environmental conditions, or combinations thereof.