ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCT HAVING A PLURALITY OF IMPLEMENTATIONS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology relates to a material that includes a matrix characterization of different crystals.

BACKGROUND

Technology has progressed more during the last 150 years than during any other time in history. Integral to this age of innovation has been the exploitation of the properties exhibited by both new and existing materials. For example, silicon, being a semiconductor, has been transformed into processors; and steel, having a high tensile strength, has been used to construct the skeletons of skyscrapers. Future innovations will similarly depend on exploiting the useful properties of new and existing materials.

A material's usefulness depends on its application. A material that exhibits a combination of useful properties is especially useful because it may enable or improve some technology. For example, computer processors rely on multitudes of transistors, each of which outputs a voltage equivalent to a binary 1 or 0 depending on its input. Few materials are suitable as transistors. But semiconductor materials have unique properties that facilitate a transistor's binary logic, making semiconductors especially useful for computer hardware.

Technology will continue to progress. Engineers and scientists will continue to create novel inventions. Implementing these ideas will depend on materials that can be configured to behave in new and desirable ways.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a molecular structure of a matrix characterization of crystals.

FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a molecular structure of two layers of a matrix characterization of crystals of an architectural construct.

FIG. 1C is another diagram showing a molecular structure of two layers of a matrix characterization of crystals of an architectural construct.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an architectural construct configured as a solid mass.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct configured as parallel layers.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an architectural construct configured as parallel layers.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct configured as parallel layers.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct configured as concentric tubular layers.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct configured as parallel layers.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a layer of an architectural construct.

FIG. 9 is another side view of a layer of an architectural construct.

FIG. 10 is a side view of an architectural construct configured as parallel layers.

FIG. 11 is another side view of an architectural construct configured as parallel layers.

FIG. 12A shows a three dimensional side view of uniformly spaced, parallel layers of an exemplary architectural construct.

FIG. 12B shows a three dimensional side view of an exemplary architectural construct with gas molecules adsorbed and confined between layers.

FIG. 13A shows a three dimensional top view of exemplary plane(s) of layer(s) of an architectural construct carrying a substance and self-healing.

FIG. 13B shows a three dimensional side view of exemplary planes of layers of an architectural construct carrying a substance and self-healing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview

Architectural constructs as described herein are configurable so that they may exhibit useful properties. An architectural construct includes a synthetic matrix characterization of crystals. These crystals can be primarily composed of carbon, boron nitride, mica, or another material. The matrix characterization of crystals can be configured as a solid mass, as flat or curvilinear layers that are as thin as an atom (e.g., graphene), or in other arrangements and variations. In some implementations, an architectural construct includes a matrix characterization of crystals incorporated in a noncrystalline matrix, such as a glass or polymer. In some implementations, an architectural construct includes a matrix characterization of crystals that has been loaded with a substance, such as hydrogen. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to have particular mechanical properties. The crystals of an architectural construct have matrix attributes or arrangements. The crystals of an architectural construct are specialized (e.g., arranged in a specific configuration) so that the architectural construct exhibits particular properties. Various distinctions, which may be applied individually or in numerous permutations provide five sets of properties of an architectural construct are especially exploitable technologically: (i) a construct's thermal properties; (ii) its electrical, magnetic, optical, and acoustic properties; (iii) its chemical and catalytic properties; (iv) its mechanical and capillary properties; and (v) its sorptive properties.

An architectural construct can be designed to utilize some or all of these properties for a particular application. As discussed in detail below, an architectural construct's behavior depends on its composition, the surface structures located on its layers, its layer orientation, completeness or incompleteness of lattice site occupancy, its edge characteristics, its dopants, and the coatings (including catalysts) that are applied to its surfaces. When it is configured as layers, its behavior also depends on the thicknesses of its layers, the spacers between its layers, the distances separating its layers, and the means used for supporting and/or separating its layers. An architectural construct can be a micro or macro-structure designed to facilitate micro-processing including nanoscale events. From a macroscopic standpoint, it can be configured to have a specific density, electrical conductivity, magnetic characteristic, specific heat, optical characteristic, modulus of elasticity, and/or section modulus. And it can be designed so that from a microscopic standpoint it acts as a molecular processor, magnetic domain support, charge processor, and/or bio processor.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and an enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various embodiments. The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention.

Architectural Constructs

An architectural construct includes a synthetic matrix characterization of crystals. The crystals are composed of carbon, boron nitride, mica, or another suitable substance. The configuration and treatment of these crystals will heavily influence the properties that the architectural construct will exhibit, especially when it experiences certain conditions. Many of these properties are described below and are discussed in relation to five categories of properties. These categories include the following: (i) thermal properties; (ii) electrical, magnetic, optical, and acoustic properties; (iii) chemical and other catalytic properties; (iv) capillary properties; and (v) sorptive properties. Although they are grouped in this way, properties from different sets are sometimes interrelated or associated with one another. Accordingly, an architectural construct can be configured to exhibit some or all of the properties discussed throughout this specification.

An architectural construct can be configured in many ways. A designer can arrange it as a solid mass (e.g., as multiple single-atom-thick layers stacked in various orientations upon one another), as multiple layers that are spaced apart and as thin as a representative atom, or in another configuration through which it will exhibit a desirable property. A designer can also dope the construct or coat selected portions of its surfaces with a substance or with surface structures, each of which will cause it to behave in a different way than it would have otherwise. For example, surfaces of an architectural construct can be coated or reacted in various ways with surface structures or coatings composed of carbon, boron, nitrogen, silicon, sulfur, and/or transition metals. These and other variations are detailed further below with reference to various implementations of architectural constructs.

FIG. 1A shows a molecular diagram of a layer of a matrix characterization of crystals 100 according to some implementations. The layer may include carbon, boron nitride, mica, or another suitable material. For example, the matrix characterization of crystals 100 may be a layer of graphene. A layer of a matrix characterization of crystals like that shown in FIG. 1A can be configured as an architectural construct by specializing the layer, such as by doping the layer or arranging the layer with other layers in a particular configuration so that the resulting construct including one or more edges exhibits one or more characteristics or a particular property.

Layers of a matrix characterization of crystals that combine to form an architectural construct can be configured and stacked together as a layer that is thicker than an atom (e.g., graphene stacked to form graphite) and/or spaced apart from one another by particular distances. Furthermore, layers of an architectural construct can be oriented with respect to one another in various ways. FIG. 1B shows a diagram of an architectural construct 105 that includes a first layer 110 of a matrix characterization of crystals arranged on a second layer 120 of a matrix characterization of crystals. The first layer 110 is offset and parallel relative to the second layer 120 so that when viewed from above some atoms of the first layer 110 align within the zone between atoms of the second layer. In the example shown, each atom of the first parallel layer is approximately centered within a hexagon formed by atoms of the second layer 120. In some implementations, the first and second layers of an architectural construct are configured so that the atoms of the first layer and the atoms of the second layer align vertically. For example, a structural diagram of an architectural construct where the atoms of two layers align vertically is represented by FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C shows a molecular diagram of an architectural construct 125 that includes a first layer 130 and a second layer 140 of a matrix characterization of crystals. In this embodiment, the first layer 130 is illustratively rotated 30 degrees relative to the second layer. In some implementations, the first layer of an architectural construct can include a first substance, such as carbon, and the second layer of the construct can include a second substance, such as boron nitride. Layers composed of or doped with different substances may not appear planar as larger molecules will warp or increase the separation of planar surfaces. As further detailed below, some properties of an architectural construct are influenced by the orientation of its layers relative to one another. For example, a designer can rotate or shift the first layer of a construct relative to the second layer so that the construct exhibits particular optical or catalytic properties, including a specific optical grating and/or chemical process improvement.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of an architectural construct 200 that is configured as a solid mass. The architectural construct 200 can include, for example, graphite or boron nitride. An architectural construct configured as a solid mass includes multiple single-atom-thick layers stacked together in various orientations including flat and curvilinear arrays. An architectural construct configured as a solid mass is specialized, meaning it has been altered to behave in a specific way. In some implementations, a solid mass is specialized by doping or by orienting its single-atom-thick layers in a particular way with respect to one another.

An architectural construct can be composed of a single substance (e.g., boron nitride) or it can be specialized through doped or reactions with other substances. For example, an architectural construct including graphene may have areas that have reacted with boron to form both stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric subsets. The graphene can be further specialized with nitrogen and can include both carbon graphene and boron nitride graphene with a nitrogen interface. In some implementations, compounds are built upon the architectural construct. For example, from a boron nitride interface, a designer can build magnesium-aluminum-boron compounds. In some implementations, the edges of a layer of an architectural construct are reacted with a substance. For example, silicon may be bonded on the edges to form silicon carbide, which forms stronger bonds between the construct and other matter. Other reactions could be carried out to change the construct's optical characteristics or another property such as specific heat. By specializing an architectural construct in such ways, a designer can create a construct that exhibits properties that are different than those of a construct composed of only one type of atoms.

Architectural constructs that include parallel layers spaced apart from one another are capable of yielding a wide range of properties and achieving many outcomes. FIGS. 3-11 show architectural constructs configured according to some implementations. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct 300 configured as parallel layers. The parallel layers of an architectural construct may be comprised of any of a number of substances, such as graphene, graphite, or boron nitride. Parallel layers may be rectangular, circular, or another shape. In FIG. 3, the layers are circular and include a hole through which a support tube 310 supports the architectural construct 300. The layers are each separated by a distance 320, which characterizes physical, chemical, mechanical, optical and electrical properties and conditions in zones 330 between the layers.

There are a number of approaches for creating architectural constructs like those shown in FIGS. 1-11. One is to deposit or machine a single crystal into a desired shape and heat treat or utilize other methods to exfoliate the single crystal into layers. As an example, the crystal is warm-soaked in a fluid substance, such as hydrogen, until a uniform or nonuniform concentration of the fluid diffuses into the crystal. The crystal may be coated with substances that catalyze this process by helping the fluid enter the crystal. Catalysts may also control the depth to which the fluid diffuses into the crystal, allowing layers that are multiple-atoms thick to be exfoliated from the crystal. Sufficient coatings include the platinum metal group, rare earth metals, palladium-silver alloys, titanium and alloys of iron-titanium, iron-titanium-copper, and iron-titanium-copper-rare earth metals along with various alloys and compounds that may contain such substances. A thin catalyst coating may be applied by vapor deposition, sputtering, or electroplating techniques. The coatings may be removed after each use and reused on another crystal after it has allowed the entry and diffusion of fluid into the crystal. In some implementations, dopants or impurities are introduced into the crystal at a particular depth to encourage the fluid to diffuse to that depth so that layers that are multiple-atoms thick can be exfoliated from the crystal.

The soaked crystal may be placed in a temporary container or encased in an impermeable pressure vessel. Pressure may be suddenly released from the container or vessel, causing the impregnated fluid to move into areas where the packing is least dense and form gaseous layers. Gas pressure causes the exfoliation such as of each 0001 plane. Additional separation can be created by repeating this process with successively larger molecules, such as methane, ethane, propane, and butane. The 0001 planes can be separated by a particular distance by controlling the amount and type of fluid that enters the crystal and the temperature at the start of expansion. The layers of the architectural construct can be oriented in a position with respect to one another (i.e., offset and/or rotated as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1A-C) by applying trace crystal modifiers, such as neon, argon, or helium, at the time of a layer's deposition through localized zone refinement and/or more general heat treatment that moves the structure to a particular orientation or by application of torque and/or vibration to the crystal during exfoliation.

In some implementations, before it is exfoliated, one or more holes may be bored in the crystal so that it will accommodate a support structure, like the support tube 310 that supports the architectural construct 300 illustrated in FIG. 3. A support structure may be configured within a crystal before it is exfoliated to support the architectural construct as it is created. The support structure can also be placed in the architectural construct after the crystal has been exfoliated. A support structure may also be used to fix the layers of an architectural construct at a particular distance from one another. In some implementations, a support structure may be configured along the edges of an architectural construct's layers (e.g., as a casing for an architectural construct that is comprised of parallel layers).

Layers of an architectural construct can be made to have any thickness. In FIG. 3, each of the parallel layers of the architectural construct 300 is an atom thick. For example, each layer may be a sheet of graphene. In some implementations, the layers of the architectural construct are thicker than one atom. FIG. 4 is a side view of an architectural construct 400 configured as parallel layers. In the section shown, the layers of the architectural construct 400 are each thicker than one atom. For example, as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1A-C, each layer may include multiple sheets of graphene stacked upon one another. An architectural construct may include parallel layers that are only one atom thick, a few atoms thick, or much thicker, such as including 20 atoms or more.

In some implementations, the layers are all the same thickness, while in other implementations the thickness of the layers varies. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct 500 configured as parallel layers that have various thicknesses. As discussed above, layers that are thicker than an atom or that differ from one another in terms of thickness may be exfoliated from a single crystal by controlling the depth to which a fluid is diffused into the crystal (e.g., by introducing impurities or dopants at the desired depth).

When an architectural construct is configured as parallel layers, the layers may be equally spaced or the layers may include variable spacing. Referring again to FIG. 3, an approximately equal distance 320 separates each of the parallel layers' characterizing zones 330. In FIG. 5, the distances between the layers of the architectural construct 500 vary. For example, the distance between the layers of a first set 510 of layers is greater than the distance between the layers of a second set 520 of layers, meaning that the zones between the layers of the first set 510 are larger than those of the second set 520.

A number of techniques can be used to arrange one layer a particular distance from another layer. As mentioned above, one method is to configure the parallel layers on a support structure and exfoliate each layer so that there is a certain distance between it and an adjacent layer. For example, a manufacturer can control both the volume of fluid and the distance that it is diffused into a single crystal when exfoliating a layer. Another method is to electrically charge or inductively magnetize each exfoliated layer and electrically or magnetically force the layers apart from each other. Diffusion bonding or using a suitable adherent can secure the layers in place on the central tube at a particular distance away from each other.

Another technique for establishing a particular distance between the layers is to deposit spacers between the layers. Spacers can be composed of titanium (e.g., to form titanium carbide with a graphene layer), iron (e.g., to form iron carbide with a graphene layer), boron, nitrogen, etc. Referring again to FIG. 4, the parallel layers 400 are separated with spacers 410. In some implementations, a gas is dehydrogenated on the surface of each layer, creating the spacers 410 where each particle or molecule is dehydrogenated. For example, after a layer of an architectural construct is exfoliated, methane may be heated on the surface of the layer, causing the methane molecules to split and deposit carbon atoms on the surface of the layer. The larger the molecule that is dehydrogenated, the larger the potential spacing. For example, propane, which has three carbon atoms per molecule, will create a larger deposit and area or space than methane, which has one carbon atom per molecule. In some implementations, parallel layers are configured on a central tube and the spacers are included between the layers. In some implementations, the spacers are surface structures, like nanotubes and nanoscrolls, which transfer heat and facilitate in the loading or unloading of substances into an architectural construct. Architectural constructs that include these types of surface structures are described below with respect to FIGS. 10 and 11.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct 600 configured as concentric tubular layers of a matrix characterization of crystals. For example, a first layer 610 of the architectural construct is tubular and has a diameter greater than a second layer 620 of the architectural construct, and the second layer 620 is configured within the first layer 610. An architectural construct configured as concentric tubes can be formed in many ways. One method is to dehydrogenate a gas, such as a hydrocarbon, within a frame to form the first layer 610 of the architectural construct 600, and to dehydrogenate a substance, such as titanium hydride, to form spacers (e.g., surface structures) on the inside surface of the first layer before dehydrogenating the first gas to form the second layer 620 on the spacers. Subsequent layers can then be deposited in a similar fashion. In some implementations, each tubular layer is formed by dehydrogenating a gas in its own frame. The dehydrogenated layers are then configured within one another in the configuration shown in FIG. 6. Spacers can be deposited on either the inside or outside surfaces of the layers to space them apart by a particular distance. In other instances, multiple wraps of a material such as polyvinyl fluoride or chloride are dehydrogenated to produce the desired architectural construct. In other instances, polyvinylidene chloride or fluoride is dehydrogenated to produce the desired architectural construct.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an architectural construct 700 comprised of parallel layers. The architectural construct 700 includes a first set 710 of layers where the layers are spaced apart by a shorter distance than they layers in a second set 720 of layers. The architectural construct 700 is discussed in further detail below with reference to some of the properties that it exhibits in this configuration. FIG. 8 is a side view of a layer 800 of an architectural construct. The layer 800 has a circular shape, and it includes a hole 810, through which a support structure may be used to support the layer 800. FIG. 9 is a side view of a layer 900 of an architectural construct that has a rectangular shape with rounded corners. As mentioned above, if a layer is exfoliated from a single crystal, it can be machined into a particular shape either before or after exfoliation. Multiple layers like the layer 900 can be arranged together via, for example, a support structure configured on its edges or spacers configured on their surfaces. In some implementations, the surface of an architectural construct is treated with a substance. For example, the surface of an architectural construct can be coated with at least one of carbon, boron, nitrogen, silicon, sulfur, transition metals, carbides, and borides, which will cause the architectural construct to exhibit a particular property including properties developed by solid solutions or compounds that may be formed. For example, as discussed below, the surface of an architectural construct can be treated so that it includes silicon carbide, which may change its electromagnetic and/or optical properties.

In some implementations, an architectural construct is semi-permanent or a constituent or donor is configured to be non-sacrificial. For example, as explained below, an architectural construct can be configured to load molecules of a substance into zones between layers of the construct. A non-sacrificial construct can load and unload substances or perform other tasks without sacrificing any of its structure. In other implementations, an architectural construct is configured to sacrifice atoms from its crystalline structure to facilitate a particular result. For example, an architectural construct that is composed of boron nitride may be configured to load nitrogen, whose reaction with hydrogen the boron nitride will facilitate in order to form ammonia and/or other nitrogenous substances. As a result, atoms from the construct will be sacrificed during the reaction with hydrogen, and when the product is unloaded from the construct, the architectural construct will have lost the sacrificed molecules of boron nitride. In some implementations, a construct that has sacrificed its structure can be restored or cyclically utilized in such reactions. For example, an architectural construct that is composed of boron nitride can be restored by presenting the construct with new nitrogen, boron, and/or boron nitride molecules and applying heat or another form of energy such as electromagnetic radiation. The new boron nitride structure may self-organize the replacement of the missing atoms into the original architectural construct.

An architectural construct can be designed to have certain properties such as a specific density, modulus of elasticity, specific heat, electrical resistance, and section modulus. These macroscopic characteristics affect the properties that an architectural construct exhibits. A construct's density is defined as its mass per unit volume. A number of different parameters affect an architectural construct's density. One is the composition of the matrix characterization of crystal. For example, a crystal of boron nitride generally has a higher density than a crystal of graphite depending upon factors such as those disclosed regarding FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C. Another is the distance separating the layers of an architectural construct. Increasing or decreasing the spacing between the layers will correspondingly increase or reduce an architectural construct's density. An architectural construct's density may also be greater in embodiments where its layers are spaced apart by denser surface structures relative to embodiments where the layers are similarly spaced but not by surface structures. An architectural construct's dopants can also change its density and thus various related properties as desired.

An architectural construct's modulus of elasticity is its tendency to be deformed elastically when a force is applied to it (defined as the slope of its stress-strain curve in the elastic deformation region). Like its density, an architectural construct's modulus of elasticity depends in part on the thicknesses of its layers, their spacing, and their composition. Its modulus of elasticity will also depend on how the layers are fixed relative to one another. If the layers are supported by a central tube, like the support tube 310 of the architectural construct 300 shown in FIG. 3, the individual layers can generally elastically deform by a greater amount than if they are fixed relative to each other using spacers, like the spacers 410 between the layers of the architectural construct 400 shown in FIG. 4. For the most part, when spacers fix two layers relative to one another, each layer will reinforce the other when force is exerted on either, dampening the deflection that results from a given force. The amount that each layer reinforces each other layer is contingent, in part, on the concentration of spacers between the layers and how rigidly the spacers hold the layers together.

An architectural construct's section modulus is the ratio of a cross section's second moment of area to the distance of the extreme compressive fiber from the neutral axis. An architectural construct's section modulus will depend on the size and shape of each layer of architectural construct. For example, the section modulus of a rectangular layer of architectural construct is defined by the following equation:

$\begin{matrix} S = \frac{{bh}^{2}}{6}, & (1) \end{matrix}$

where b is the base of the rectangle and h is the height. And the section modulus of a circle with a hole in its center is defined by the following equation:

$\begin{matrix} S = \frac{π (d_{2}^{4} - d_{1}^{4})}{32 d_{2}}, & (2) \end{matrix}$

where d₂is the diameter of the circle and d₁is the diameter of the hole in the circle.

An architectural construct's density, modulus of elasticity, and section modulus can be constant throughout the architectural construct or they can vary by section or cyclically. Just as a construct's density, modulus of elasticity, or section modulus can affect the properties the construct exhibits, varying these macroscopic characteristics either by section or cyclically can cause the architectural construct to behave differently at different parts of the construct. For example, by separating an architectural construct's layers in a first section by a greater amount than in a second section (thereby giving it greater density in the second section than in the first), the architectural construct can be made to preferentially load a first substance in the first section and a second substance in the second section. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to have particular mechanical properties. For example, an architectural construct can be configured as a support structure for an object. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to have at least one of a particular fatigue endurance strength, yield strength, ultimate strength, and/or creep strength. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to have a particular property, including these and the others discussed herein, including various anisentropic influences on the property.

I. Thermal Properties

An architectural construct can be configured to have specific thermal properties. Even when its crystalline layers readily conduct heat, an architectural construct can be configured to have either a high or low availability for conductively transferring heat. Illustratively, conduction that is perpendicular to the layers may be inhibited by the choice of spacing and spacers. It can also be configured so that radiative heat is transmitted through passageways or elsewhere within the construct, reflected away from the construct, or absorbed by the construct. This section describes various implementations of architectural constructs that are designed to have specific thermal behaviors.

A one-atom-thick graphene layer could be seen as mostly open space between defining carbon atoms. However, graphene provides extremely high thermal and electrical conductivity in directions within the plane of atoms, yet only about 2.3% of the white light that strikes it will be absorbed. Similarly about 2% to 5% of the thermal energy spectrum radiated orthogonally at the place of atoms is absorbed while radiative heat rays parallel to the separated architectural construct layers can be transmitted with even less attenuation. The net amount of light that an architectural construct absorbs depends in part on the orientation of successive layers relative to one another. Variations in the orientations of the layers of an architectural construct, as discussed above with reference to FIGS. 1A-C, can enable various new applications. For example, radiative energy can be delivered to subsurface locations via more absorptive orientations, such as the orientation shown in FIG. 1B. As another example, radiation can be polarized via orientations such as that shown in FIG. 1C; this orientation can be further modified by offsetting a layer in the direction of its plane by a certain amount, such as described above with respect to FIGS. 1A and 1B. For a further discussion of graphene's properties, optical and otherwise, see R. R. Nair, P. Blake, A. N. Grigorenko, K. S, Novoselov, T. J. Booth, T. Stauber, N. M. R. Prees and A. K. Geim, Fine Structure Constant Defines Visual Transparency of Graphene, 320 SCIENCE 1308 (2008); A. B. Kuzmenko, E. van Heumen, F. Carbone, and D. van der Marel, Universal Optical Conductance of Graphite, DPMC, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland (2008).

Some crystalline substances, like graphene, graphite, and boron nitride, readily conduct heat in certain directions. In some applications, an architectural construct composed of one of these substances is configured to transfer heat between two locations or away from or to a particular location. In other applications, the architectural construct is configured so that heat may be efficiently transferred into and out of the construct as needed. An architectural construct composed of a substance like graphene can be rapidly heated or cooled. Despite having a much lower density than metal, an architectural construct can conductively transfer a greater amount of heat in desired directions per unit area than solid silver, raw graphite, copper, or aluminum.

An architectural construct can be arranged so that it has a high availability for conductively transferring heat by configuring the construct to have a high concentration of thermally conductive pathways through a given cross section of the construct. An architectural construct can be arranged to have a low availability for conductively transferring heat by configuring the construct to have a low concentration of thermally conductive pathways through a given cross section of the construct. For example, FIG. 7 shows the architectural construct 700 configured as parallel layers that are rectangular and supported by a central support structure 703. The first set 710 of parallel layers is composed of layers that are more or less equally thick such as an atom thick and are spaced a first distance away from one another. The second set 720 of layers is composed of layers that may similarly be an atom thick and are spaced a second distance away from one another that is greater than the first distance. Because of the higher concentration of thermal passageways across the first set 710 of parallel layers than across the second set 720 of layers (the sets of layers span approximately the same distance), the first set has a higher availability for conductively transferring heat than the second set. It follows that the second set 720 does a better job than the first set 710 of thermally insulating an object located at a first side 701 of the construct from an object located on a second side 702 and for providing insulation against heat transfer parallel to the longitudinal axis of support 703.

In some implementations, an architectural construct configured as parallel layers is arranged to insulate a surface to which the layers are not orthogonal. For example, the architectural construct can be configured so its layers contact a flat surface at an angle such as 45 degrees by offsetting the edges of consecutive layers by a particular amount so that the layers achieve this angle with the surface when placed against it. In some implementations, an architectural construct can be arranged to have a higher availability for conductively transferring heat by configuring it to have thicker layers. For example, referring again to FIG. 5, there is a higher availability for thermally transferring heat through the second set 520 of layers than through the first set 510 because the second set of layers is thicker than the first and spaced closer together. In some implementations, an architectural construct includes surface structures, such as on the architectural construct 1000 shown in FIG. 10, which facilitates the conductive transfer of heat within the construct.

As discussed below with reference to an architectural construct's electromagnetic and optical properties, an architectural construct can be arranged to transmit, diffract, reflect, refract, or otherwise transform radiant energy. Accordingly, an architectural construct may be configured to interact in a specific way with radiant heat. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to transmit radiant heat through passageways within the construct. This transfer of radiant heat can enable endothermic or exothermic reactions that are facilitated by catalytic presentation of reagents and/or reactants by energy transfers at the speed of light. A construct's properties related to radiant heat transfer can be altered by including surface structures on the layers of the construct, which may absorb or reflect specific wavelengths.

Radiation gratings with various slot widths can be fabricated as spacings between layers or by electron beam lithography (e-beam) and their infrared transmission of the transverse magnetic mode (TM mode) provides for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). This provides the basis for systems that serve as infrared photodetectors, bio-chip sensors, and light-emitting diode polarizers. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/064,341, filed on Aug. 4, 2008 and titled “INFRARED COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND INFRARED COMMUNICATION METHOD,” the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes some exemplary systems.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the second set 720 of layers may be spaced apart at a particular distance, composed of a particular substance, and configured to have a particular thickness so that incident infrared energy that is parallel to the layers enters and is transmitted through the zones between the layers. For example, to transmit radiant energy of a particular frequency, an architectural construct can be comprised of layers of boron nitride that are spaced apart according to quantum mechanics relationships. Similarly, as previously noted, an architectural construct can also be configured to specifically absorb radiant energy. For example, the layers of the first set 710 of layers may be spaced apart at a particular distance, composed of a particular substance, and a particular thickness so that at least a portion of incident infrared energy is absorbed by the layers. Opacity of each individual layer or of a suspended layer is 2.3% of the orthogonal radiation as established by quantum electrodynamics. Opacity of a group of layers depends upon their spacings, the orientations of the architectural construct's layers, the interactions of relativistic electrons within the layers, and the selection of spacers, such as surface structures.

An architectural construct can also be arranged to insulate an object from radiative energy, including radiant heat. In some implementations, an architectural construct can insulate an object from radiant heat by reflecting the radiant energy or transmitting the radiant energy through passageways around or away from the object. For example, referring to FIG. 4, an architectural construct can be configured to insulate an object placed on the right side of the architectural construct 400 from a radiation source on the left side of the construct.

An architectural construct's thermal properties can also be changed by adding a coating to the surfaces of the construct or by doping the construct. For example, referring again to FIG. 4, the architectural construct 400 can be doped as it is self-organized or by diffusion or ion implantation to increase its thermal conductivity generally or in specific areas or directions. It can also be coated with metals, such as aluminum, silver, gold, or copper, to reflect specific frequencies or more radiant heat than it would have otherwise.

II. Acoustic, Electromagnetic, and Optical Properties

Architectural constructs can be made to exhibit specific properties in response to radiant or acoustic energy. They can be configured to acoustically and/or electromagnetically resonate at specific frequencies. They can also be constructed to have a particular index of refraction, and they can be designed to shift the frequency of incident electromagnetic waves. These properties can be controlled by arranging a construct to have a particular configuration, including a specific density, modulus of elasticity, and section modulus. As discussed above, these parameters can be adjusted by changing the composition of an architectural construct, its treatment, and its design.

An architectural construct's acoustic resonance frequency changes with a number of factors including the choices of various substances and related properties. A dense architectural construct will resonate at a lower frequency than one that is less dense but otherwise identical. Accordingly, when an architectural construct is configured in parallel layers, and according to the presence and locations and densities of pillars or separators, a thin layer may be configured to have a higher resonant frequency than a thicker layer. An architectural construct firmly supported on its edges will resonate at a lower frequency than one that is supported at its center. Additionally, an architectural construct with a high modulus of elasticity will resonate at a greater frequency than one with a low modulus of elasticity, and an architectural construct with a high section modulus will resonate at a lower frequency than an architectural construct with a smaller section modulus. For example, referring again to FIG. 5, the second set 520 of layers has an acoustic resonance frequency that is lower than that of the first set 510 of layers. This is because the layers of the second set are thicker than those of the first set and are spaced a shorter distance apart from one another though otherwise identical. The resonance frequency of any of the layers of the second set 520 or the first set 510 can be reduced by making the diameter of the layers larger. In some implementations, all the layers of an architectural construct are designed to resonate at the same frequency. An architectural construct's resonant frequency will also depend on its composition. Additionally, in some implementations, dopants and/or coatings can be added to an architectural construct to increase or reduce its acoustic resonance frequency. An architectural construct's resonance frequency can also be reduced by adding spacers between the layers, such as surface structures.

An architectural construct can also be configured to resonate electromagnetically at a particular frequency. For example, its density, modulus of elasticity, and section modulus can be chosen for each layer so that the construct or each layer has a particular resonance frequency. For example, referring again to FIG. 5, the second set 520 of layers may have a lower electromagnetic resonant frequency than the first set 510 of layers because the second set has thicker layers than the first set and those layers are closer together than the layers of the first set. In some implementations, an architectural construct is doped, and its electromagnetic resonance frequency will increase or decrease as a result of the doping.

An architectural construct may also be configured to absorb radiant energy that is at a particular wavelength. A number of factors influence whether an architectural construct will absorb radiant energy that is at a particular wavelength. For example, referring to FIG. 4, the ability of the architectural construct 400 to absorb radiant energy that is at a particular wavelength depends on the layers' thicknesses, spacing, composition, dopants, spacers (including surface structures), and coatings. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to transmit radiant energy that is at a first wavelength and absorb and re-radiate energy that is at a different wavelength from the received radiant energy. For example, referring again to FIG. 4, the architectural construct 400 may be configured so that the layers are parallel to some but not all incident radiant energy. The parallel layers can be configured to transmit radiant energy that is parallel to the layers through the construct and absorb nonparallel radiation. In some implementations, a re-radiative substance (e.g., silicon carbide, silicon boride, carbon boride, etc.) is coated on the surfaces of the architectural construct, such as by chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, or otherwise spraying the architectural construct with the substance. Then, when nonparallel radiation contacts the architectural construct, the re-radiative substance absorbs the nonparallel radiation and re-radiates the energy at a different wavelength than the energy was received at. For example, silicon carbide can be applied to an architectural construct by allowing the silicon to form solid solutions and stoichiometric compounds.

As mentioned in the previous example and discussed above with respect to radiant heat, an architectural construct can be configured to transmit radiant energy through radiant passageways in the construct (e.g., through zones between layers). As mentioned above, thermal radiation can be transferred at the speed of light in the areas between the layers. For example, the distance separating the layers of the architectural construct 300 shown in FIG. 3 creates zones 330 between the layers through which radiant energy can be transferred. In some implementations, the size of the zones between the layers can be increased to allow the transmission of more radiant energy. In some implementations, the layers of an architectural construct are spaced apart to polarize incident electromagnetic waves. Also, as discussed above, an architectural construct can be configured to insulate an object from radiation. In some implementations, an architectural construct insulates an object from radiation by reflecting the radiant energy. For example, referring to FIG. 4, the architectural construct 400 can be configured to insulate an object placed on the right side of the architectural construct 400 from radiation on the left side of the construct. For example, each layer can be composed of boron nitride, and be spaced apart to reflect electromagnetic radiation within specified wavelengths.

An architectural construct can also be configured to have a particular index of refraction (i.e., an index of refraction within a particular range or an exact value). An architectural construct's index of refraction is a function of, among other variables, the composition of the layers (e.g., boron nitride, graphite, etc.), the thicknesses of the layers, dopants, spacers (including surface structures), and the distances that separate the layers. Referring to FIG. 4, the distance 440 between the parallel layers 400, and the thicknesses of the layers, may be selected so that the parallel layers 400 have a particular index of refraction. For example, the layers can be comprised of graphite to have an index of refraction that is adjusted by the spacing between the layers and/or by the addition of adsorbed and/or absorbed substances within the spacings. Additionally, in some implementations, dopants are added to an architectural construct to change its index of refraction. For example, the layers of an architectural construct that is comprised of boron nitride may be doped with nitrogen, silicon or carbon to increase or decrease its index of refraction.

An architectural construct's index of refraction may change when a substance is loaded into the architectural construct. For example, an architectural construct existing in a vacuum may have a different index of refraction than when hydrogen is loaded into the construct and expressed as epitaxial layers and/or as capillaries between the epitaxial layers. In some implementations, the index of refraction of a first portion of an architectural construct is different from the index of refraction of a second portion of the architectural construct. For example, referring to FIG. 5, the first set 510 of layers may have a different index of refraction than the second set 520 of layers because the first set of layers is thinner and its layers are spaced apart by a greater distance than the layers in the second set of layers.

An architectural construct can be configured to have a particular diffraction grating by orienting its layers relative to one another in a particular way. As a result, incident electromagnetic waves will diffract through layers of the architectural construct in a predictable pattern. In some implementations, by passing light through layers of an architectural construct and observing how the light is diffracted and refracted (e.g., by observing the diffraction pattern that is produced, if any, and the angle that the light is refracted at), it can be determined what unknown substance has been loaded between the layers. For example, an architectural construct may be configured so that atoms from a first layer are aligned with atoms from a second layer when viewed from a position perpendicular to the construct, like in FIG. 1A, thus producing a predictable diffraction pattern when light is passed through the construct. As discussed above with reference to FIGS. 1A-C, layers of a construct (either spaced apart or stacked one on top of another) may be oriented in different ways by offsetting or rotating one layer relative to the other.

III. Catalytic Properties

An architectural construct can be configured to catalyze a reaction in a variety of ways. For example, an architectural construct comprised of parallel layers, like those of FIGS. 3-5, may catalyze a chemical reaction or a biological reaction at an edge of its layers by controlling the temperature of the reaction, having a particular configuration that catalyzes the reaction, or supplying a substance that catalyzes the reaction. An architectural construct can catalyze a reaction by speeding the reaction up, prolonging the presentation of reactants to promote a reaction, enabling the reaction by heat addition or removal, or facilitating the reaction in some other way.

A number of variables can be changed to catalyze a particular reaction. In some implementations, the thicknesses of the layers of an architectural construct are selected so that a reaction is catalyzed. In some implementations, the distances between the layers and/or the layers' compositions (e.g., boron nitride, carbon, etc.) are selected so that a reaction is catalyzed. In some implementations, dopants are added to an architectural construct or spacers of a particular chemistry (including surface structures) are added between the layers so that a particular reaction is catalyzed.

In some implementations, the parallel layers will catalyze a reaction by transferring heat to a zone where a reaction is to occur. In other implementations, the parallel layers catalyze a reaction by transferring heat away from a zone where a reaction is to occur. For example, referring again to FIG. 3, heat may be conductively transferred into the parallel layers 300 to supply heat to an endothermic reaction within the support tube 310. In some implementations, the parallel layers will catalyze a reaction by removing a product of the reaction from the zone where the reaction is to occur. For example, referring again to FIG. 3, the parallel layers 300 may absorb alcohol from a biochemical reaction within the support tube 310 where alcohol is a byproduct, expelling the alcohol to outer edges of the parallel layers, and thus improving the productivity and/or prolonging the life of one or more types of microbes involved in the biochemical reaction.

In some implementations, a first set of parallel layers is configured to catalyze a reaction and a second set of parallel layers is configured to absorb and/or adsorb a product of the reaction. For example, referring again to FIG. 5, the second set 520 of layers may be configured to catalyze a chemical reaction by enabling the reaction between two molecules and the first set 510 of layers may be configured to adsorb a product of the reaction, thus prolonging the length of the chemical reaction.

A reaction can be catalyzed in other ways as well. In some implementations, an architectural construct is electrically charged to catalyze a reaction proximate the construct. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to resonate acoustically at a particular frequency, causing molecules to orient themselves in a way that catalyzes a reaction. For example, the molecules may be oriented to enable a chemical reaction or their adsorption onto the layers. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to transmit or absorb radiant energy in order to catalyze a reaction. For example, referring to FIG. 5, the second set 520 of layers may be configured to absorb radiant energy and transform the radiant energy into heat that the first set 510 of layers uses to facilitate an endothermic reaction. Similarly, surface structures may be configured to absorb radiant energy to heat the construct and facilitate a reaction.

In some implementations, a catalyst is added to an architectural construct to catalyze a reaction proximate to the construct. The catalyst may be applied on the edges of the layers of the construct or on the surfaces of the construct. For example, chromia may be applied on the edges of an architectural construct, and the chromia may catalyze a chemical reaction between methane and ozone produced from the air using ionized ultraviolet radiation or an induced spark.

IV. Capillary Properties

An architectural construct configured as parallel layers may be arranged so that fluid such as a gas or liquid moves between its layers via intermolecular forces, surface tension, electrostatic and/or other influences of capillary action. Any of a number of variables can be changed so that the parallel layers can perform a capillary action with respect to a particular substance. In some implementations, the layers' composition, surface structures, dopants, and/or thicknesses are selected so that an architectural construct performs a capillary action with respect to a particular substance. In some implementations, specific distances between the layers are selected so that the architectural construct performs a capillary action with respect to a particular substance. For example, referring to FIG. 6, each concentric layer of the architectural construct 600 may be spaced a capillary distance apart from one another so that the architectural construct can force or otherwise deliver water through the construct via capillary action.

An architectural construct may be comprised of some layers that are spaced at a capillary distance for a first molecule and some layers that are spaced at a capillary distance for a second molecule. For example, referring to FIG. 5, the first set 510 of layers may be spaced at a capillary distance with respect to a first molecule, such as propane, and the second set 520 of layers may be sized to perform a capillary action with respect to a second molecule, such as hydrogen. In this example, hydrogen may be removed or adsorbed to the adjacent graphene layers and additional hydrogen may be absorbed between the boundary layers of hydrogen as provided for specific outcomes in processes such as conversion of propane to propylene by the architectural construct design. Additionally, in some implementations, an architectural construct is configured so that heat can be transferred into or out of the construct to facilitate capillary action or so that a charge can be applied to the layers of an architectural construct to facilitate the capillary action.

V. Sorptive Properties

An architectural construct that is arranged in parallel layers may be configured to load a substance into the zones between the layers. A molecule of a substance is loaded between parallel layers when it is adsorbed onto the surface of a layer or absorbed into the zones between the layers. For example, referring back to FIG. 3, the architectural construct 300 may load molecules of a substance that are presented at an inside edge 340 of the layers into the zones 330 between the layers. The support tube 310 may supply the substance through perforations 350.

A number of factors affect whether an architectural construct will load the molecules of a substance. In some implementations, the architectural construct is configured to transfer heat away from the zones where a molecule is loaded from. When an architectural construct is cooled, it may load molecules faster or it may load molecules that it was unable to load when it was hotter. Similarly, an architectural construct may be unloaded by transferring heat to the construct. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to load molecules at a faster rate or at a higher density after an electric charge has been applied to the construct. For example, graphene, graphite, and boron nitride are electrically conductive. An architectural construct composed of these materials may be configured to load molecules at a higher rate when an electric charge is applied to its layers. Additionally, as mentioned above, in some implementations, an architectural construct can be configured to acoustically resonate at a particular resonant frequency. An architectural construct may be configured to resonate at a specific frequency so that particular molecules proximate to the construct are oriented favorably and can be loaded into the zones between the layers.

In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to load or unload a substance when radiant energy is directed at the construct. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the distance 320 between each of the parallel layers 300 may be selected so that the architectural construct absorbs infrared waves, causing the layers to heat up and unload molecules of a substance that it had loaded. As discussed above, in some implementations, a catalyst can be applied to selected regions such as the outside edges of the layers to facilitate the loading of substances into the zones between the layers.

In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured to selectively load a particular molecule or molecules (e.g., by loading a first molecule and refraining from loading a second molecule). For example, referring again to FIG. 5, the first set 510 of layers may be configured so that they are a particular distance apart that facilitates the selective loading of a first molecule and not a second molecule. Similarly, the second set 520 of layers may be configured so that they are a particular distance apart to facilitate the loading of a third molecule but not the second molecule. Surface tension at the edges of the layers will also affect whether a molecule is loaded into an architectural construct. For example, if the first set 510 of layers has already loaded molecules of a first substance, the surface tension at the inside edges of the first set 510 of layers from which the molecules of the substance are loaded may prevent the first set 510 of layers from loading molecules of the second substance while allowing the first set 510 of layers to continue loading molecules of the first substance.

In some implementations, an architectural construct includes surface structures that are configured on its surfaces to facilitate the loading and unloading of substances into and out of the construct. Surface structures can be epitaxially oriented by the lattice structure of the layer to which they are applied. In some embodiments, they are formed by dehydrogenating a gas on the surface of a layer. In other embodiments, they are coated on a layer before the adjacent layers are configured on the construct. FIG. 10 shows an architectural construct 1000 that includes parallel layers that have surface structures 1010 configured thereon. The surface structures 1010 include nano-tubes, nano-scrolls, rods, and other structures.

Surface structures can enable an architectural construct to load more of a substance or load a substance at a faster rate. For example, a nano-flower structure can absorb molecules of a substance into an area within the structure and adsorb molecules of the substance on its surface. In some embodiments, the surface structures enable the architectural construct to load a particular compound of a substance. In some embodiments, the surface structures enable the architectural construct to load and/or unload molecules of a substance more rapidly. In some embodiments, a particular type of surface structure is preferred over another surface structure. For example, in some embodiments, a nano-scroll may be preferred over a nano-tube. The nano-scroll may be able to load and unload molecules of a substance more quickly than a nano-tube can because the nano-scroll can load and unload layers of multiple molecules of a substance at the same time while a nano-tube can only load or unload through a small area at the tube ends along the axis. In some embodiments, a first type of surface structure loads a first compound and a second type of surface structure loads a second compound. In some embodiments, the surface structures are composed of material that is electrically conductive and/or has a high availability for thermal transfer. In some embodiments, the surface structures are composed of at least one of carbon, boron, nitrogen, silicon, sulfur, transition metals, mica (e.g., grown to a particular size), and various carbides or borides.

As is shown in FIG. 10, in some embodiments, surface structures are oriented perpendicular to the surfaces of the architectural construct. In other embodiments, at least some of the surface structures are not oriented perpendicular to the surface that they are applied on. In FIG. 11, surface structures 1110 are oriented at different angles from the surfaces of an architectural construct 1100 other than 90-degrees. A surface structure may be oriented at a particular angle to increase the surface area of the surface structure, to increase the rate that molecules are loaded by the surface structure, to increase the loading density of the surface structure, to preferentially load a molecule of a particular compound, or for another reason. Surface structures can be configured, including inclination at a particular angle, by grinding, lapping, laser planning, and various other shaping techniques.

In some implementations, surface structures are configured on an architectural construct and are composed of a different material than the construct. In FIG. 10, for example, the layers of the architectural construct 1000 may be composed of graphene and the surface structures 1010 may be composed of boron nitride. The surface structures can be composed of other materials, such as boron hydride, diborane (B₂H₆), sodium aluminum hydride, MgH₂, LiH, titanium hydride, and/or another metal hydride or metallic catalyst, non-metal or a compound.

Further Implementations

An architectural construct can be designed at a macro level to utilize one or more of the properties discussed above to facilitate microprocessing on a nanoscale. Among the applications for which architectural constructs are useful include as a charge processor, a molecular processor, and a bio processor.

An architectural construct configured as a charge processor can be used to build microcircuits, detect the presence of a particular atom or molecule in an environment, or achieve another result. In some implementations, an architectural construct configured as a charge processor forms an electrical circuit. For example, parallel layers of graphene, like those shown in FIG. 4, can be spaced apart by dielectric materials so that the architectural construct stores an electric charge and functions like a capacitor. In some implementations, an architectural construct, like the architectural construct 400 shown in FIG. 4, is configured as a high-temperature capacitor by isolating parallel layers of the construct with a ceramic. In some implementations, an architectural construct, like the architectural construct 400 shown in FIG. 4, is configured as a low-temperature capacitor by isolating parallel layers with a polymer. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured for processing ions. For example, the architectural construct 400 can be configured with a semipermeable membrane covering the zones between the layers of the construct. The semipermeable membrane allows particular ions to penetrate the membrane and enter the architectural construct where they are detected for a particular purpose. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured as a solid-state transformer.

An architectural construct can also be configured as a molecular processor. As discussed above, in some implementations, material from the architectural construct participates in a chemical reaction. Additionally, in some implementations, an architectural construct can transform electromagnetic waves at a molecular level. For example, an architectural construct can be configured to transform an input such as 100 BTU of white light into an output such as 75 BTU of red and blue light. The white light is wave-shifted by chemically resonating the white light to transform it into other frequencies, such as the blue, green and red light frequencies. For example, the architectural construct 400 shown in FIG. 4 can be composed of carbon where certain selected zones have been converted to a solid solution or compound, such as a carbide with reactants such as boron, titanium, iron, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, and/or silicon, and the construct can be configured so that the layers are oriented to shift white light into desired wavelengths such as red and/or blue light and/or infrared frequencies.

An architectural construct configured as a bio processor may be used to create enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, or other substances. In some implementations, an architectural construct is configured as parallel layers and it removes a product of a biochemical reaction from a reaction zone so that the biochemical reaction can continue. For example, the architectural construct 300 shown in FIG. 3 may be configured to load a toxic substance, like alcohol, from a reaction zone within the support tube 310. By removing the toxic substance, a microbe involved in the biochemical reaction will not be inhibited or killed and the biochemical reaction can continue unabated. In other implementations, an architectural construct can be configured to remove and/or protect and/or orient and present a useful product such as hydrogenase of a biochemical process or reaction from a reaction site without having to interrupt the reaction. In another example, the support tube 310 within the architectural construct 300 shown in FIG. 3 may house a biochemical reaction that produces a useful lipid, which is loaded into the zones 330 between the layers of the construct and unloaded on the outside edges of the zones. Therefore, the biochemical reaction can continue while the useful product is removed.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

To the extent not previously incorporated herein by reference, the present application incorporates by reference in their entirety the subject matter of each of the following materials: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/921,134, filed on Aug. 29, 1997 and titled “COMPACT FLUID STORAGE SYSTEM” (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,065); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/370,431, filed on Aug. 9, 1999 and titled “COMPACT FLUID STORAGE SYSTEM” (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,584); and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/857,461, filed on Aug. 16, 2010 and titled “INTERNALLY REINFORCED STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES AND ASSOClATED METHODS OF MANUFACTURING”.

Functionalities and Implementations

Techniques, methods, materials, apparatuses and systems are described for architectural constructs to be utilized in a variety of implementations. An architectural construct can be designed to exhibit particular properties for various functionalities and outcomes and implemented in a variety of forms, uses, and end products and processes. Implementations of architectural constructs can include use as a substrate, sacrificial construct, carrier, filter, sensor, additive, and catalyst for other molecules, compounds, and substances. Implementations of architectural constructs can also include a means to store energy and generate power. In some implementations, an architectural construct can be used to capture and store substances and build materials. In some implementations, the architectural construct can sacrificially expend itself in the facilitation of chemical reactions with substances. In some implementations, an architectural construct can carry substances by loading and unloading the substances. In some implementations, the architectural construct can filter substances by selectively allowing or rejecting the passage of the substances through the architectural construct. In some implementations, an architectural construct can be used as a sensor to detect and transduce the presence of substances. In some implementations, an architectural construct can be used as an additive to another substance or material that can modify that substance's or material's properties. In some implementations, an architectural construct can be used as a catalyst to enable a chemical reaction between substances that is not consumed in the process. In some implementations, an architectural construct can be used to store and/or transfer energy as a power generator. These implementations of architectural constructs can be utilized in a variety of industries that include building materials and construction, durable goods, clean energy, filter technology, fuel technology, production of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, and biotechnology, among many others.

Functions and implementations of architectural constructs can be based on the design factors of the architectural construct. Such architectural construct design factors can include its composition, matrix characterization, dopants, edge atoms, surface coatings, and configuration of layers, e.g., their number, thickness, orientation, and geometry, the spacers used in between, and amount of space between the layers. For example, FIG. 12A shows uniformly spaced, parallel layers 1204 of an architectural construct 1200, which can be composed of atoms 1202 of an element such as carbon or it may be composed of atoms of two or more elements such as boron nitride. By configuring the size, quantity, orientation, spacing distance of layers in an architectural construct, new engineered materials can be produced, fabricated, and manufactured on a nano-, micro-, and macro-size scale. In addition to size, other design factors including composition, crystal structure, layer orientation, dopants, etc., can be determined before and during the fabrication of an architectural construct, in order to engineer it with desired properties and functionalities.

In one exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can be used to build new materials by binding atoms, molecules, compounds, or substances of a normal, standard, common, rare, and existing material. The bound substance can be of the same or another material as the material or materials that make up the composition of an architectural construct. An architectural construct can mechanically capture or be configured to bind substances through intermolecular attractive forces and exhibit adsorption properties to accumulate gases, liquids, and/or solutes on the surface of the layers, thereby capturing and storing and/or hosting the accumulated substance(s) in specialized zones of the architectural construct. For example, embodiment 1250FIG. 12B shows gas molecules 1252 that can be adsorbed and confined between layers of an architectural construct. FIG. 12B can be, for example, an architectural construct that is a matrix characterization of crystallized carbon, where the layers of carbon crystal are graphene layers that adsorb and confine a gas, like methane or hydrogen and localized zone refinement by laser, microwave, electron beam, or focused light may be individually or selected in various combinations for energy additions in nano-, micro-, or macro-scale regions.

In operation, one or more architectural constructs such as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12A, and/or 12B can provide capillary, diffusion, storage and/or heat transfer functionalities to enable separation of pure water, carbon dioxide and methane that are produced by anaerobic digestion or that have been produced by another anaerobic process such as thermal dissociation. Similarly such architectural constructs can facilitate heat transfer to dissociate methane clathrates and provide separation of construct with spacing such as 320 or 520 as methane is concentrated for transfer through another portion of a construct from another spacing 510.

Similarly concentration and delivery of carbon dioxide from a production source or from storage such as clathrates is provided by selective adsorption and capillary travel and transfer of carbon dioxide and water in distinguishing portions of a suitable construct. Illustratively a portion of an architectural construct with particular spacing and chemical functionalities such as 320 or 520 and/or 1010 can provide concentration of carbon dioxide as water is thus separated and transferred through another portion of a construct in a region with functionalities imparted by material and spacing properties 440, 510, and/or 1110.

Another portion or assembly of architectural constructs may provide heat transfers by methods such as radiation and/or conduction for separation of hydrogen and carbon from a source such as methane. An embodiment that hosts and performs this type of hydrogen separation may emit, deposit and grow additional architectural material of the same of another type or as carbon is donated. Highly activated carbon can be produced in instances that such carbon is emitted or presented to facilitate inorganic or organic reactions including conversion of methane to ethane or ethylene, or ethane or ethylene to propane or propylene or propylene to another compound of interest. Very inexpensive production of specialized architectural constructs can be provided by epitaxial growth and/or other carbon deposition characteristics.

The combination of the substance that may be bound to the architectural construct and the substance that is hosted by it can be engineered as a new material, which can have the same or similar functional material properties of the hosted substance or can even have enhanced functional material properties in order to be suitable for use in particular applications. For example, applications that desire less curb weight or less transport tare weight for fuel consumption improvement, as well as applications that desire both lighter weight and greater strength, such as building materials, can benefit from the use of architectural constructs hosting normal materials that are used to build new engineered materials. Illustratively increasing the spacing as disclosed regarding 320, 510, 520, 720 or the plane to plane distance in embodiments 1000 or 1100 reduces the density of the architectural construct and the combinational substance can be selected to engineer and develop enhanced strength, modulus of elasticity, insulation, or optical functionality.

In another exemplary aspect, an architectural construct can be used as a substrate to build new materials by capturing, binding, and hosting molecules, compounds, or substances. An architectural construct can be configured to exhibit high adsorption capacity, which can be exploited in the use of storing fuels, e.g., gas fuels such as natural gas fuel (e.g., petroleum-methane or bio-methane) and hydrogen gas fuel (e.g., petroleum-hydrogen or bio-hydrogen). For example, an architectural construct that is configured with a matrix characterization of self-organized, parallel layers of carbon can organize the input of methane, hydrogen and many other gases so that it exceeds the initial natural limits of pressure within a typical storage container. Thus, an architectural construct can be utilized in the fabrication of a variety of products related to fuel transport and storage, e.g., adsorptive natural gas storage tanks to enhance storage capacity and efficiency.

Another example of the binding and/or hosting functionality can be exhibited in the recycling of materials, such as rare earth metals, into new engineered materials. Rare earth metals are typically dispersed and found in low concentrations within minerals, making it both expensive and environmentally harmful to collect and process them into useful forms and products. An architectural construct acting as a substrate can harvest rare earth metals from waste streams, and products can then be manufactured by using rare earth material-hosted architectural constructs. Therefore, applications that require rare earth metals can use a newly engineered material made of a rare earth metal—an architectural construct that exhibits the same functional properties as the bulk rare earth metal, but with a lighter weight, greater strength, and that preserves those rare earth materials. Additionally, expended rare earth materials from a product or process that utilized the new engineered rare earth metal—architectural construct material can be recovered and recycled again through the binding properties of the architectural construct. Some examples of end products that can benefit from the use of an architectural construct as a substrate of rare earth metals include computers, light-emitting diodes, cell phones, wind blades, compressor sections of turbine engines, solar panels, pistons, sporting goods, etc.

In another exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can sacrificially expend itself in facilitation of chemical reactions with substances to achieve a particular result. For example, the sacrificial functionality of an architectural construct composed of a matrix characterization of crystallized carbon, such as graphene, and loaded with a fuel, such as methane, can involve the graphene structure donating carbon in a combustion reaction to consume the fuel by combusting carbon and releasing hydrogen. This functionality is different from when the architectural construct is used as a carrier because it can be used to densify hydrogen and reduce vapor pressure, or change the time of the hydrogen characterization, e.g., thermal chemical regeneration. The donation of structural elements from the architectural construct can be controlled through a time or temperature release. For example, carbon content from the architectural construct may be converted by reactions such as carbon and water to yield carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. This exemplary implementation can be used to prevent soot formation and tar formation. In the case of an architectural construct with a boron nitride structure loaded with a fuel such as hydrogen, the sacrificial functionality can involve donating nitrogen in a chemical reaction with hydrogen to form ammonia and/or other nitrogenous substances.

In another exemplary aspect of this functionality, an architectural construct can be sacrificed through mechanical means such as a shearing event. For example, an architectural construct that is arranged in parallel layers can be configured to shear along the parallel direction of the layers. The sheared functionality can make this an anti-friction event, and therefore enable the architectural construct material to be a lubricant.

In another exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can carry substances by loading and unloading the substances. The main difference between a sacrificial architectural construct and a carrier architectural construct is that the carrier can be recycled and reloaded while the sacrificial construct can be used up. An architectural construct that has sacrificed its structure can be restored by presenting the construct with molecules of its constituent structure. Therefore, an architectural construct can be self-healing. FIG. 13A shows an exemplary plane of a layer of an architectural construct that can carry a substance, such as a gas, by adsorbing it to the surface of the layer and self-heal after the atoms of its constituent structure (and carried substance) are consumed. For example, the architectural construct 1300 in FIG. 13A can be composed from carbon and capture and carry methane gas. In this exemplary case, after unloading substances, reacting with other substances, or otherwise being used up, the sacrificed matrix characterization of carbon can be self-healed by self-organization of graphite or graphene 1302, or diamond 1304. FIG. 13B shows an exemplary three-dimensional structure of many parallel oriented layers 1302 of the architectural construct featured in FIG. 13A that can carry a substance, sacrifice itself, and self-heal.

In another example, in the case where architectural constructs of a boron nitride structure donated nitrogen in a chemical reaction with hydrogen to form ammonia and/or other nitrogenous substances, new nitrogen molecules and the application of radiant energy, such as heat or electromagnetic radiation, can enable the boron nitride structure to self-organize the replacement of the missing atoms into the original architectural construct. Functionalities of an architectural construct implemented as a carrier can include at least one of timed release of a medication, timed or trigger release of X-ray and/or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) enhancers, and triggered release of X-ray blockers to protect normal tissue.

In another exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can filter substances by selectively allowing or rejecting the passage of substances through and/or by the architectural construct. By using an architectural construct as a filter, substances and materials can be isolated and classified by particle size or chemical nature. In one aspect, the filtration functionality of an architectural construct can be implemented through surface tension as determined by the surface composition of the architectural construct. For example, an architectural construct can be configured to have differentiating edge atoms to create a pretreated or preloaded filter. Edge atoms can also be zoned on the architectural construct so that one area of the material can be hydrophobic and the other hydrophilic. For example, to make a particular surface zone of an architectural construct hydrophobic, the designer can choose to compose its edge atoms of fluorine; to make to make another surface zone hydrophilic, the designer can choose to make its edge a hydride or hydroxyl layer.

In another exemplary aspect of this functionality, an architectural construct can be designed to provide a means to filter a particular substance or different substances using capillary forces based on the composition, surface structures, dopants, thicknesses, and/or spacing distance of the layers of the architectural construct. The degree of surface tension, ranging from non-wetting to wetting, can sometimes be determined by the pillar spacing for capillary action or the attraction/repulsion of the edge atoms or a combination of both. The filtration functionality implemented through capillary action and surface tension of architectural constructs can engineer a new material that behaves like a chamois filter cloth, where it could, for example, pass gasoline through but not water; or vice versa, passing water through, but not gasoline. According to certain embodiments of the disclosure, an architectural construct can be implemented in a filter technique, system, and apparatus, such as that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,235, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “DELIVERY SYSTEMS WITH IN-LINE SELECTIVE EXTRACTION DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF OPERATION”, in which the entirety of its subject matter is incorporated herein by reference.

In another exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can be used as a sensor that can collect, analyze, and clear known and unknown substances for the purpose of registering at least one of pressure, temperature, optical, electromagnetic, thermal, pH, radioactivity, and chemical volatilization (e.g., odor) data. For example, an architectural construct can be configured to collect radiant energy, such as heat, light, acoustic, and electromagnetic energy, which can later be used to determine one or more properties of a target sample. Events in a combustion chamber, for example, that include the introduction of a hydrocarbon such as methane can be sensed by determining the penetration and/or pattern of penetration and extinction of methane within such chamber through incorporation of a sensor comprising a configured architectural construct. This example can also apply to the detection of nitrogen, along with the determination of penetration and/or pattern of penetration and extinction of nitrous oxides, e.g., NO, N₂O, NO₂, etc. Additionally, an architectural construct configured in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure can be arranged to absorb, transmit, reflect, refract, conduct and/or re-radiate radiant energy to determine the presence of a target sample. For example, an architectural construct that is configured to transform electromagnetic waves can transform 100 BTU of white light into 75 BTU of red and blue light by wave-shifting white light by chemically resonating it to transform it into the blue and red light. According to certain embodiments of the disclosure, an architectural construct can be implemented in a sensor technique, system, and apparatus, such as that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,188, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING PROPERTIES OF TARGET SAMPLES”, in which the entirety of its subject matter is incorporated herein by reference.

In another exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can be used as an additive to another substance or material to modify that substance's or material's properties. For example, an architectural construct can be added to a polymer material, such as a thermoplastic and a thermoset, to add internal reinforcement and reduce density of the polymer material. The architectural construct can join between mer units in new polymerization or cross-linking functionalities. Other functionalities of an architectural construct as an additive can include at least one of use as a material stiffener, sealing material, colorant (such as blocking UV radiation), and a lubricant (such as in oil, grease, or fuel substances). For example, an architectural construct can change lubricity, viscosity, vapor pressure, and density along with imparting corrosion resistance of a fuel when added. Similarly an architectural construct can deliver an oxygen donor such as water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or oxygen to enable specific reactions and processes including timed or temperature specific reactions.

In another exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can be used as a catalyst or to enable a chemical reaction between substances while not being consumed in the process. An architectural construct can facilitate heat transfer, reagent presentation and replacement, and product removal. In one aspect of this implementation, an architectural construct can be configured by differentiating its edge atoms to create a catalytic material or chemical reaction host. This can be facilitated through surface tension. Specifically, edge atoms can also be zoned on the architectural construct so that one area of the material can be hydrophobic and the other hydrophilic. Chemical reactions can thereby be enabled in a hydrophilic zone, for example, and products can be expelled by the hydrophobic zone; this can continuously move products away from the reaction zone so that reactants can participate and yield more products. In this way, a reaction is no longer limited by diffusion. Therefore, architectural constructs can create new opportunities to increase the rates of reactions.

In another aspect, an architectural construct can be configured to exploit a catalytic function, where reagents can flow at an increased rate through its capillary channels so that products can be created and removed faster, e.g., this exemplary design can prevent polarization. If the reaction is exothermic, then the configurable capillary channels can also take heat away; if endothermic, heat can be supplied. Furthermore, an architectural construct can enable an exothermic step to give way to an endothermic step, e.g., A+B→C→D+E.

Also, by using an architectural construct as a catalyst or reaction host, chemical reactions can be time or temperature released. For example, using an architectural construct can further enable a reaction between oxygen donors in steam with carbon donors (such as from a structural constituent or external coating of the architectural construct) to produce carbon monoxide (CO). In this case, CO can be produced instead of producing carbon, or some other higher C to H ratio deposit. Therefore the architectural construct becomes a highly instrumental presenter of the reaction, where higher temperature steam can impinge the carbon and produce carbon monoxide. In doing so, the architectural construct can become a supplemental hydrogen source releasing what has been previously been loaded; in this form it is yielding hydrogen (including operating as a partially sacrificial reactant and storage system).

In another exemplary implementation, an architectural construct can be used to store and transfer energy as a power generator. Because different electrical properties can exist and be exploited based on different designs of architectural constructs, one exemplary architectural construct can be configured as an electric conductor by using graphene in its structural matrix, while another exemplary architectural construct can be configured as an electric insulator by using boron nitride. An architectural construct can be used as a storage device through chemical switching, similar to a semiconductor. In one aspect, an architectural construct can be configured to enable the harvesting (e.g., storing) of energy in the form of capacitance and the releasing of that energy (e.g., transferring energy or generating power). In one example, a non-electrolytic “dry” battery device can be fabricated using architectural constructs configured to host materials that can act as electrodes, which are rolled up in a spiral configuration (giving very compact storage). In another example, an electrolytic “wet” battery can be fabricated using architectural constructs configured to host materials that can act as electrodes, which are aligned in a parallel plate confirmation within electrolytic media.

In another aspect, an architectural construct can enable energy harvesting (e.g., capturing and storing of energy) in the form of kinetic and capacitance energy and the releasing of that energy (e.g., transferring energy or generating power) to other systems. In this aspect of implementation, an architectural construct can be configured to function as an angular velocity flywheel storage device that can store both kinetic and capacitance energy. For example, an architectural construct can be used as a stiffener where most of the mass is in the rim of the flywheel device, where the rim can be designed as oriented layers of architectural constructs; the architectural construct can provide the means to stiffen it, in turn not destroying the system by whirl and fatigue—rather high energy storage on the rim. Such an exemplary angular velocity flywheel storage device incorporating an architectural construct can exhibit attributes such as a fatigue resistance structure, stress resistance, and consistent use within hot or cold environments.

An architectural construct can be designed for processing on a nanometer, micrometer, or larger macro-level scale in order to exhibit particular properties for various functionalities and outcomes where the desired implementation exists exclusively on that scale or on more than one scale. Such functionalities can include an engineered material that can be used for thermal blocking and heat tolerance, heat transfer control, heat trigger points, pressure resistance, pressure yielding, pressure trigger points, piezoelectric effects (e.g., charge transfer upon compression of layers), optical transparency-conductivity and opacity (e.g., to certain radiant wavelengths), optical triggers, surface tension attraction and repulsion (e.g., include site receptors and rejecters on the architectural construct), chemically interactive zones or platforms, chemically inert zones or platforms, chemical trigger points, electron transport and electrically conductive purposes, electrically inert-insulative purposes, corrosion resistance, bio-proliferation resistance, chemical degradation purposes (e.g., degrade the structure and functionality of carcinogenic materials), kinetic energy storage and transfer, kinetic energy blocking, tensile strength, hardness, and lower or higher weight and density. Applications of new engineered materials by designed architectural constructs can exploit these functionalities in a variety of systems, such as fuel delivery systems, chemical delivery systems, drainage and irrigation systems, electrical delivery systems, energy harvesting systems, energy storage systems, and energy generation systems. New engineered materials by designed architectural constructs can be used in a variety of building materials and parts, such as car parts, tiles, roofing and flooring materials, fencing, framing members, pallets, and receptacles.

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments.

Only a few implementations and examples are described and other implementations, enhancements and variations can be made based on what is described and illustrated in this application. For example, the described techniques, systems and apparatus can be implemented to provide carbon extraction from any hydrogen and carbon containing material. Specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

To the extent not previously incorporated herein by reference, the present application also incorporates by reference in their entirety the subject matter of each of the following materials: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,235, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “DELIVERY SYSTEMS WITH IN-LINE SELECTIVE EXTRACTION DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF OPERATION”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,188, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING PROPERTIES OF TARGET SAMPLES”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,068, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “CARBON-BASED DURABLE GOODS AND RENEWABLE FUEL FROM BIOMASS WASTE DISSOCIATION”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,195, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “OXYGENATED FUEL”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,196, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “CARBON RECYCLING AND REINVESTMENT USING THERMOCHEMICAL REGENERATION”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,197, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “MULTI-PURPOSE RENEWABLE FUEL FOR ISOLATING CONTAMINANTS AND STORING ENERGY”; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/027,185, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 and titled “ENGINEERED FUEL STORAGE, RESPECIATION AND TRANSPORT”.

	Number	Date	Country
	61526185	Aug 2011	US
	61523261	Aug 2011	US

ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCT HAVING A PLURALITY OF IMPLEMENTATIONS

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