US Patent 8076829 - CNT artificial muscles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8076829.html

This patent from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) teaches a carbon nanotube composite forming an actuator requiring less power to operate than conventional actuating composites. Claim 1 reads:

1. An electrostrictive composite comprising:

a flexible polymer matrix in a sheet structure form; and

a plurality of one dimensional conductive materials dispersed in the flexible polymer matrix, the one dimensional conductive materials-cooperatively forming an electrically conductive structure in the flexible polymer matrix,

wherein the one dimensional conductive materials are carbon nanotubes oriented substantially along a preferred orientation and joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force.