Stronger multilayer acrylic dielectric elastomer actuators with silicone gel coatings

Gih Keong Lau; Thanh Giang La; Ervin Sheng Wei Foong; Milan Shrestha

doi:10.1088/0964-1726/25/12/125006

Stronger multilayer acrylic dielectric elastomer actuators with silicone gel coatings

Gih Keong Lau, Thanh Giang La, Ervin Sheng Wei Foong, Milan Shrestha

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Multilayer dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) perform worst off than single-layer DEAs due to higher susceptibility to electro-thermal breakdown. This paper presents a hot-spot model to predict the electro-thermal breakdown field of DEAs and its dependence on thermal insulation. To inhibit the electrothermal breakdown, silicone gel coating was applied as barrier coating to multilayer acrylic DEA. The gel coating helps suppress the electro-thermally induced puncturing of DEA membrane at the hot spot. As a result, the gel-coated DEAs, in either a single layer or a multilayer stack, can produce 30% more isometric stress change as compared to those none-coated. These gel-coated acrylic DEAs show great potential to make stronger artificial muscles.

Original language	English
Article number	125006
Journal	Smart Materials and Structures
Volume	25
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/25/12/125006
State	Published - 10 Nov 2016

Keywords

dielectric elastomer actuators
dielectric gel
electrothermal breakdown
hot spot
multilayer

Access to Document

10.1088/0964-1726/25/12/125006

Cite this

@article{6647ff33e4e2403d9a7089691cdb16ca,

title = "Stronger multilayer acrylic dielectric elastomer actuators with silicone gel coatings",

abstract = "Multilayer dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) perform worst off than single-layer DEAs due to higher susceptibility to electro-thermal breakdown. This paper presents a hot-spot model to predict the electro-thermal breakdown field of DEAs and its dependence on thermal insulation. To inhibit the electrothermal breakdown, silicone gel coating was applied as barrier coating to multilayer acrylic DEA. The gel coating helps suppress the electro-thermally induced puncturing of DEA membrane at the hot spot. As a result, the gel-coated DEAs, in either a single layer or a multilayer stack, can produce 30% more isometric stress change as compared to those none-coated. These gel-coated acrylic DEAs show great potential to make stronger artificial muscles.",

keywords = "dielectric elastomer actuators, dielectric gel, electrothermal breakdown, hot spot, multilayer",

author = "Lau, {Gih Keong} and La, {Thanh Giang} and Foong, {Ervin Sheng Wei} and Milan Shrestha",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.",

year = "2016",

month = nov,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1088/0964-1726/25/12/125006",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

journal = "Smart Materials and Structures",

issn = "0964-1726",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stronger multilayer acrylic dielectric elastomer actuators with silicone gel coatings

AU - Lau, Gih Keong

AU - La, Thanh Giang

AU - Foong, Ervin Sheng Wei

AU - Shrestha, Milan

PY - 2016/11/10

Y1 - 2016/11/10

N2 - Multilayer dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) perform worst off than single-layer DEAs due to higher susceptibility to electro-thermal breakdown. This paper presents a hot-spot model to predict the electro-thermal breakdown field of DEAs and its dependence on thermal insulation. To inhibit the electrothermal breakdown, silicone gel coating was applied as barrier coating to multilayer acrylic DEA. The gel coating helps suppress the electro-thermally induced puncturing of DEA membrane at the hot spot. As a result, the gel-coated DEAs, in either a single layer or a multilayer stack, can produce 30% more isometric stress change as compared to those none-coated. These gel-coated acrylic DEAs show great potential to make stronger artificial muscles.

AB - Multilayer dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) perform worst off than single-layer DEAs due to higher susceptibility to electro-thermal breakdown. This paper presents a hot-spot model to predict the electro-thermal breakdown field of DEAs and its dependence on thermal insulation. To inhibit the electrothermal breakdown, silicone gel coating was applied as barrier coating to multilayer acrylic DEA. The gel coating helps suppress the electro-thermally induced puncturing of DEA membrane at the hot spot. As a result, the gel-coated DEAs, in either a single layer or a multilayer stack, can produce 30% more isometric stress change as compared to those none-coated. These gel-coated acrylic DEAs show great potential to make stronger artificial muscles.

KW - dielectric elastomer actuators

KW - dielectric gel

KW - electrothermal breakdown

KW - hot spot

KW - multilayer

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84995395689&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0964-1726/25/12/125006

DO - 10.1088/0964-1726/25/12/125006

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84995395689

SN - 0964-1726

VL - 25

JO - Smart Materials and Structures

JF - Smart Materials and Structures

IS - 12

M1 - 125006

ER -

Stronger multilayer acrylic dielectric elastomer actuators with silicone gel coatings

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this