Synthesis and electromechanical characterization of a new acrylic dielectric elastomer with high actuation strain and dielectric strength

Wei Hu; Xiaofan Niu; Xinguo Yang; Naifang Zhang; Qibing Pei

doi:10.1117/12.2009374

9 April 2013 Synthesis and electromechanical characterization of a new acrylic dielectric elastomer with high actuation strain and dielectric strength

Wei Hu, Xiaofan Niu, Xinguo Yang, Naifang Zhang, Qibing Pei

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8687, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2013; 86872U (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2009374
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2013, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Dielectric Elastomers (DEs) can be actuated under high electric field to produce large strains. Most high-performing DE materials such as the 3M^™ VHB^™ membranes are commercial products designed for industrial pressure-sensitive adhesives. The limited knowledge of the exact chemical structures of these commercial materials has made it difficult to understand the relationship between molecular structures and electromechanical properties. In this work, new acrylic elastomers based on n-butyl acrylate and acrylic acid were synthesized from monomer solutions by UV-initiated bulk polymerization. The new acrylic copolymers have a potential to obtain high dielectric constant, actuation strain, dielectric strength, and a high energy density. Silicone and ester oligomer diacrylates were also added onto the copolymer structures to suppress crystallization and to crosslink the polymer chains. Four acrylic formulations were developed with different amounts of acrylic acid. This gives a tunable stiffness, while the dielectric constant is varied from 4.3 to 7.1. The figure-of-merit performance of the best formulation is 186 % area strain, 222 MV/m of dielectric strength, and 2.7 MJ/m³ of energy density. To overcome electromechanical instability, different prestrain ratios were investigated, and under the optimized prestrain, the material has a lifetime of thousands of cycles at 120 % area strain.

Citation Download Citation

Wei Hu, Xiaofan Niu, Xinguo Yang, Naifang Zhang, and Qibing Pei "Synthesis and electromechanical characterization of a new acrylic dielectric elastomer with high actuation strain and dielectric strength", Proc. SPIE 8687, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2013, 86872U (9 April 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2009374

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