High actuation strain in silicone dielectric elastomer actuators with silver electrodes

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sze Hsien Low ◽  
Gih Keong Lau
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Silver Electrodes ◽  
Actuation Strain

scholarly journals Dielectric Elastomer Fiber Actuators with Aqueous Electrode

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 4310
Author(s):  
Keita Shimizu ◽  
Toshiaki Nagai ◽  
Jun Shintake
Keyword(s):  
Chloride Solution ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Driving Frequency ◽  
Silicone Tube ◽  
Linear Type ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Actuation Strain

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are one of the promising actuation technologies for soft robotics. This study proposes a fiber-shaped DEA, namely dielectric elastomer fiber actuators (DEFAs). The actuator consisted of a silicone tube filled with the aqueous electrode (sodium chloride solution). Furthermore, it could generate linear and bending actuation in a water environment, which acts as the ground side electrode. Linear-type DEFA and bending-type DEFA were fabricated and characterized to prove the concept. A mixture of Ecoflex 00–30 (Smooth-On) and Sylgard 184 (Dow Corning) was employed in these actuators for the tube part, which was 75.0-mm long with outer and inner diameters of 6.0 mm and 5.0 mm, respectively. An analytical model was constructed to design and predict the behavior of the devices. In the experiments, the linear-type DEFA exhibited an actuation strain and force of 1.3% and 42.4 mN, respectively, at 10 kV (~20 V/µm) with a response time of 0.2 s. The bending-type DEFA exhibited an actuation angle of 8.1° at 10 kV (~20 V/µm). Subsequently, a jellyfish-type robot was developed and tested, which showed the swimming speed of 3.1 mm/s at 10 kV and the driving frequency of 4 Hz. The results obtained in this study show the successful implementation of the actuator concept and demonstrate its applicability for soft robotics.

Effect of Crack Formation on Stretchable Silver Electrode for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

2012 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 26-31
Author(s):  
Sze Hsien Low ◽  
Gih Keong Lau
Keyword(s):  
Silver Film ◽  
Crack Formation ◽  
Metal Films ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Thin Metal Film ◽  
Thin Metal ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Micro Cracks ◽  
Silver Electrodes ◽  
Improve Reliability

Thin metal films are not commonly used electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators as it is a common presumption that they are too stiff to allow large actuated strains. However, using thin metal film electrodes can improve reliability due to their ability to self heal, as shown from their use in metalized plastic film capacitors. Typically, from literature, actuated area strains do not exceed 10% when using thin, un-patterned, metal films formed by sputtering. However, in this present work, large actuated area strains of up to 50% have been demonstrated. This was accomplished by using thin silver film electrodes formed by electroless deposition, and it has been noticed that micro-cracks were present in such electrodes. In this paper, micro-cracks in thin silver electrodes are studied and compared against sputtered silver electrodes. This includes the study of the manner in which they affect the magnitude of actuated strain and the repeatability of the actuator. It has been found that the cracks have helped to improve actuated strain, yet did not affect repeatability, as the cracks did not propagate in subsequent activations. Instead, the cracked electrodes had reached a sort of “steady-state”

A Co-Axial Dielectric Elastomer Actuator

2008 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 81-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hristiyan Stoyanov ◽  
Guggi Kofod ◽  
Reimund Gerhard
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Dip Coating ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuator ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Active Layers ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Actuation Strain

Dielectric elastomer actuators based on Maxwell-stress induced deformation, are considered for many potential applications where high actuation strain and high energy density are required. They usually rely on a planar actuator configuration, however, a string-like actuator would be less bulky, and more versatile for several applications. In this paper, a co-axial dielectric elastomer actuator that produces relatively high actuation strain is presented. The actuator is manufactured through alternating dip-coating steps with insulating and conductive thin layers. A soluble thermoplastic block-copolymer, SEBS(poly-(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), is used for the dielectric layers as well as for the host material of the compliant electrodes. Electrical conductivity of the electrodes is achieved by incorporation of conductive carbon-black particles in the elastomer matrix. Actuators with a single and with multiple active layers (up to three) have been successfully demonstrated. This geometry is advantageous in that it is compact and can be bundled easily, and should therefore be practical in applications such as “artificial muscles”.

Broadening the Actuation Temperature Range for Acrylic Dielectric Elastomers

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antony Jan ◽  
Wei Yuan ◽  
Paul Brochu ◽  
Han Zhang ◽  
Qibing Pei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glass Transition ◽  
Transition Temperature ◽  
Glass Transition Temperature ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Temperature Range ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Soft Polymer ◽  
Important Branch ◽  
Actuation Strain

Dielectric elastomer actuators are an important branch of electroactive polymers with a host of applications proposed. However, the temperature range over which these elastomers are active has been limited by the glass transition temperature and thermal stability. Acrylic elastomers, VHB adhesive films from 3M Company, exhibit high actuation strain and stress at room temperature, but become too rigid to actuate below 0 °C. By lowering their glass transition temperature with the addition of a plasticizer, we show that the soft polymer actuators can be made to function at −40 °C. The plasticized films have been able to achieve >100% areal strain at −40°C. This helps extend the scope of dielectric elastomer actuators to demanding automotive applications.

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