High-stress dielectric elastomer actuators with oil encapsulation

Gih Keong Lau, Thanh Giang La, Desmond Di-Teng Tan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) can generate a large strain, but they are often short of strength and stress change for robotic applications. Their maximum actuation is limited by pre-mature electrical breakdown. This paper showed that dielectric oil encapsulation helps stop pre-mature breakdowns. Consequently, the oil encapsulated DEAs can sustain an ultra-high electrical breakdown field up to 835MV/m, which is 46% higher than 570MV/m in air without oil encapsulation. These oil-encapsulated DEA can produce muscle-like high stress change up to 1.05MPa, which is 75% higher than that produced by the DEA in air. Furthermore, oil encapsulation is also found effective to suppress electrical breakdown of tubular DEAs. These high-stress dielectric elastomer actuators show good potential to drive human-inspired robots.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2014 11th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots and Ambient Intelligence, URAI 2014
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages196-197
Number of pages2
ISBN (Electronic)9781479953325
DOIs
StatePublished - 9 Mar 1997
Event2014 11th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots and Ambient Intelligence, URAI 2014 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Duration: 12 Nov 201415 Nov 2014

Publication series

Name2014 11th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots and Ambient Intelligence, URAI 2014

Conference

Conference2014 11th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots and Ambient Intelligence, URAI 2014
Country/TerritoryMalaysia
CityKuala Lumpur
Period12/11/1415/11/14

Keywords

  • Artificial muscles
  • dielectric elastomer actuator
  • dielectric strength
  • electrical breakdown

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