Compliant Natural Rubber Latex Electrodes for Electrostrictive Polyurethane Actuation

Abstract

Improvement of the electrostrictive polymer with natural rubber (NR) compliant electrodes can potentially offer advantages for enhancement electromechanical efficiency of elastomer actuators. The NR elastomers are capable of advantageous features such as a high productivity, elasticity, and ease of processing. In this work, the NR composites filled with carbon black (CB) nanopowders at high conductivity was used as compliant electrodes on polyurethane electrostrictive polymer. The compliant NR composites electrodes were fabricated by using spin coating technique. The morphology of the NR composites was observed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical, electrical and electromechanical properties of NR composites were investigated. The electric field-induced strain of sample with compliant NR composites electrodes, and comparison with metallic electrodes was determined by using the photonic displacement apparatus. The results show that the thickness strain of polyurethane electrostriction with compliant NR was higher that with metal electrodes, depending not only on compliance between sample and electrodes, but also good conductivity and adhesion of electrodes. Correlation of the electromechanical properties and the mechanically coupled in stretching and compressing to volume incompressibility of polymer are also discussed.