Experimental investigations on energy harvesting performance of dielectric elastomers

Yongquan Wang; Xuejing Liu; Huanhuan Xue; Hualing Chen; Shuhai Jia

doi:10.1117/12.2044896

8 March 2014 Experimental investigations on energy harvesting performance of dielectric elastomers

Yongquan Wang, Xuejing Liu, Huanhuan Xue, Hualing Chen, Shuhai Jia

Proceedings Volume 9056, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2014; 905633 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044896
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

In this paper, the emerging technology of energy harvesting based on dielectric elastomers (DE), a new type of functional materials belonging to the family of Electroactive Polymers (EAPs), is presented with emphasis on its performance characteristics and some key influencing factors. At first, on the basic principle of DE energy harvesting, the effects of some control parameters are theoretically analyzed under certain mechanical and electrical constraints. Then, a type of annular DE generator using the commercial elastomers of VHB 4910 (3M, USA), is specially designed and fabricated. A series of experimental tests for the device’s energy harvesting performance are implemented at different pre-stretch ratios, stretch amplitudes (displacements), and bias voltages in the constant charge (open-circuit) condition. The experiment results demonstrate the associated influence laws of the above control parameters on the performance of the DE generator, and have good consistent with those obtained from the theoretical analysis. This study is expected to provide a helpful guidance for the design and operation of practical DE energy harvesting devices/systems.

Citation Download Citation

Yongquan Wang, Xuejing Liu, Huanhuan Xue, Hualing Chen, and Shuhai Jia "Experimental investigations on energy harvesting performance of dielectric elastomers", Proc. SPIE 9056, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2014, 905633 (8 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044896

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