Doped chiral polymer metamaterials

US9550873B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Cheol Park · Yorktown, US
• Jin Ho Kang · Newport News, US
• Keith L. Gordon · Hampton, US
• Godfrey Sauti · Hampton, US
• Sharon E. Lowther · Hampton, US
• Robert G. Bryant · Poquoson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 12, 2013
• Grant date: Jan 24, 2017
• Expiry date: Mar 10, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/249921
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Some implementations provide a composite material that includes a first material and a second material. In some implementations, the composite material is a metamaterial. The first material includes a chiral polymer (e.g., crystalline chiral helical polymer, poly-γ-benzyl-L-glutamate (PBLG), poly-L-lactic acid (PLA), polypeptide, and/or polyacetylene). The second material is within the chiral polymer. The first material and the second material are configured to provide an effective index of refraction value for the composite material of 1 or less. In some implementations, the effective index of refraction value for the composite material is negative. In some implementations, the effective index of refraction value for the composite material of 1 or less is at least in a wavelength of one of at least a visible spectrum, an infrared spectrum, a microwave spectrum, and/or an ultraviolet spectrum.