Electrical breakdown of dielectric elastomer actuator materials

2013 ◽  
pp. 719-722
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Breakdown ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuator

scholarly journals Effects of Off-Plane Deformation and Biased Bi-Axial Pre-Strains on a Planar Contractile Dielectric Elastomer Actuator

Actuators ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Runan Zhang ◽  
Pejman Iravani ◽  
Patrick Keogh
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Breakdown ◽  
Plane Deformation ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Contractile Force ◽  
Stability Study ◽  
Lateral Direction ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuator ◽  
Electrode Region ◽  
Rigid Frame ◽  
Voltage Application

Dielectric elastomers are in a special class of electro-active polymers known for generating expansion in plane and contraction in thickness under voltage application. This paper advances the understanding of a planar contractile dielectric elastomer actuator (cDEA) that is distinct from conventional multi-layer cDEAs but generates comparable contractile strains. Its structure has a rod-constrained rhombus-shaped electrode region, which undergoes simultaneous in-plane contraction and extension during actuation depending on the configuration of the rod-constraining. It is demonstrated that when the planar cDEA is driven by high voltages, off-plane deformation (i.e., wrinkling) in the direction of contraction causes the rod-constrained electrode region to lose tension and extend in the lateral direction, resulting in a significant increase in contraction strain. It also demonstrates that the contraction strain can be increased further by having biased bi-axial pre-strains. By incorporating both effects, the new cDEA generates a maximum contraction strain of 13%, twice that reported previously for planar cDEAs. A modified planar cDEA, having an additional rigid frame to maintain the pre-strain in the lateral direction to contraction was also developed to demonstrate contractile force actuation. Finally, a stability study shows that the planar cDEA has a primary failure mode of electrical breakdown close to the corners of the rod-constrained electrode region. Having inactive regions around the active cell is essential for generating contraction and eliminating buckling of the planar cDEA in the lateral direction.

Bistable dielectric elastomer actuator with directional motion

2021 ◽  
pp. 112889
Author(s):  
Junxing Meng ◽  
Yu Qiu ◽  
Chengyi Hou ◽  
Qinghong Zhang ◽  
Yaogang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuator ◽  
Directional Motion

Highly flexible and transparent dielectric elastomer actuators using silver nanowire and carbon nanotube hybrid electrodes

Soft Matter ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (37) ◽  
pp. 6390-6395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ye Rim Lee ◽  
Hyungho Kwon ◽  
Do Hoon Lee ◽  
Byung Yang Lee
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Silver Nanowires ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Silver Nanowire ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuator ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Transparent Dielectric ◽  
Optically Transparent ◽  
Highly Stretchable

Electrodes consisting of silver nanowires and carbon nanotubes enable a dielectric elastomer actuator to become highly stretchable and optically transparent.

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