Inhomogeneous deformation of circular dielectric elastomer: simulation and experiment

Yin Wang; Jinxiong Zhou; Xiaohong Wu; Ling Zhang; Na Ni; Fan Liu

doi:10.1117/12.2044364

8 March 2014 Inhomogeneous deformation of circular dielectric elastomer: simulation and experiment

Yin Wang, Jinxiong Zhou, Xiaohong Wu, Ling Zhang, Na Ni, Fan Liu

Proceedings Volume 9056, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2014; 90562Z (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044364
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

A variety of possible configurations have been developed to exploit the capabilities of the dielectric elastomers. Circular dielectric actuator is a simple flexible structure that can be used in many areas, for example, it can be employed to adjust the properties of the optical elements. The configurations of circular dielectric actuators range from one active dielectric region to multiple active dielectric regions. When the active dielectric regions subjected to a voltage, they will expand and compress the electrode-less regions. The circular actuator in this work consists of two electrode regions and two electrode-less regions. One electrode-less region is an annular elastomer sandwiched between the inner dielectric circle and the middle dielectric annulus. The other electrode-less region is between the middle dielectric annulus and the rigid frame. We study the properties of the actuator based on the ideal dielectric model and obtain the relationship between the applied voltage and the deformation. Additionally, the inhomogeneous deformation of the circular actuator has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally and a good correlation is achieved. The strategy presented here is generic and can be applied to other circular configurations with multiple regions. The results may contribute to the use of circular dielectric actuators in advance.

Citation Download Citation

Yin Wang, Jinxiong Zhou, Xiaohong Wu, Ling Zhang, Na Ni, and Fan Liu "Inhomogeneous deformation of circular dielectric elastomer: simulation and experiment", Proc. SPIE 9056, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2014, 90562Z (8 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044364

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