MICROTENSIOMETER

WIPO Patent Application WO/2010/121176

A3

A microtensiometer is provided that includes a substrate layer having an enclosed reservoir formed therein. A porous membrane is disposed on a surface of the substrate layer. The membrane includes a liquid side fluidly coupled to the reservoir and a vapor side fluidly coupled to a vapor interface. The porous membrane includes a plurality of through holes fluidly coupling the liquid reservoir to the vapor interface, and a nanoporous filler material disposed within the plurality of through holes. The filler material includes a plurality of open pores having a maximum diameter in the range of 0.2 to 200 nanometers. In one embodiment, the microtensiometer includes a molecular membrane disposed adjacent to the vapor side of the porous membrane. In one example, the molecular membrane is a highly crystalline polytetrafluoroethylene polymer having a microstructure characterized by nodes interconnected by fibrils. In one application, the microtensiometer may be used to measure the average water potential within a network of plant or tree xylem. In another application, the microtensiometer may be useful in real-time determination of the water potential in soil.

STROOCK ABRAHAM D (US)
LAKSO ALAN N (US)
PAGAY VINAY (US)
ILIC BOJAN (US)
METZLER MEREDITH (US)

PCT/US2010/031454

February 24, 2011

April 16, 2010

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UNIV CORNELL (US)
STROOCK ABRAHAM D (US)
LAKSO ALAN N (US)
PAGAY VINAY (US)
ILIC BOJAN (US)
METZLER MEREDITH (US)

B81B7/02; B81B3/00; B82B3/00; G01N33/46; G01N33/483

US20080041170A1	2008-02-21
US6263726B1	2001-07-24
US4922945A	1990-05-08
US20020112531A1	2002-08-22
US20050120813A1	2005-06-09

MANNA, Barry, F. (250 South Clinton StreetSuite 30, Syracuse New York, US)

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