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Dielectric elastomer membranes undergoing inhomogeneous deformation

J. Appl. Phys. 106, 083522 (2009); doi:10.1063/1.3253322

Published 29 October 2009

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Tianhu He,1,2 Xuanhe Zhao,2 and Zhigang Suo2
1Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science and Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Western Disaster and Environment, College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, People's Republic of China
2School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
Dielectric elastomers are capable of large deformation subject to an electric voltage and are promising for use as actuators, sensors, and generators. Because of large deformation, nonlinear equations of states, and diverse modes of failure, modeling the process of electromechanical transduction has been challenging. This paper studies a membrane of a dielectric elastomer deformed into an out-of-plane axisymmetric shape, a configuration used in a family of commercial devices known as the universal muscle actuators. The kinematics of deformation and charging, together with thermodynamics, leads to equations that govern the state of equilibrium. Numerical results indicate that the field in the membrane can be very inhomogeneous, and that the membrane is susceptible to several modes of failure, including electrical breakdown, loss of tension, and rupture by stretch. Care is needed in the design to balance the requirements of averting various modes of failure while using the material efficiently. ©2009 American Institute of Physics
History: Received 23 June 2009; accepted 22 September 2009; published 29 October 2009
Permalink: http://link.aip.org/link/?JAPIAU/106/083522/1
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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords
PACS
  • 81.40.Np
    Fatigue, embrittlement, fracture and failure
  • 62.20.mm
    Fracture in solids
  • 62.25.Mn
    Fracture and brittleness of nanoscale systems
  • 77.22.Jp
    Dielectric breakdown and space-charge effects
  • 77.84.-s
    Dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and antiferroelectric materials
  • 51.30.+i
    Thermodynamic properties of gases, equations of state
  • 81.40.Lm
    Deformation, plasticity, and creep
  • YEAR: 2009

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PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN:
0021-8979 (print)   1089-7550 (online)
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