Rapidly Reversible Organic Crystalline Switch for Conversion of Heat into Mechanical Energy

Solid-state thermoelastic behavior—a sudden exertion of an expansive or contractive physical force following a temperature change and phase transition in solid-state compound—is rare organic crystals, few are reversible systems, most these limited to dozen so cycles before the crystal degrades they reverse slowly over course many minutes even hours. Comparable thermosalience, wherein changes induce energetic jumping, thermomorphism produces work via consistent near-instantaneous predictable directional force. In this work, we show fully thermomorphic actuator that is stable at room for multiple years capable actuation more than 200 near-ambient temperature. Specifically, crystals shrink 90% their original length instantaneously upon heating beyond 45 °C expand back cooling below 35 °C. Furthermore, occurs instantaneously, with little obvious hysteresis, allowing us create real-time actuating thermal fuses cycle between on off rapidly.