Dielectric Actuators Research Articles

Optimized design and performance testing of hydraulic electrostatic actuator

ABSTRACT Hydraulic electrostatic actuators have become a research hotspot for their inherent flexibility and safety of human-machine interaction. This paper aims to combine the characteristics of dielectric elastomers and fluid actuators, enhancing the dielectric constant and breakdown field strength by modifying Al2O3 on the surface of nanostructured BaTiO3 and in order to develop a hydraulic electrostatic actuator with silicone rubber as the matrix material. Single-factor experiments were firstly conducted to confirm the range of three factors affecting the actuation strain of the actuator: BaTiO3@Al2O3 content, thickness of the silicone rubber elastomer film, and pre-stretching ratio coefficient. The response surface methodology was used to study the interactive influence of the above three influencing factors on the actuation strain. It was obtained that A has an insignificant influence on the actuation strain, AB has a significant influence on the actuation strain, and B, C, AC, and BC have a highly influence on the actuation strain. Maximizing actuation strain as the optimization objective yielded the combination results of each factor: BaTiO3@Al2O3 content of 2.57%, thickness of 0.60 mm, and pre-stretching ratio coefficient of 2.50. Actuation strain tests were conducted with optimized parameters under no-load. The experimental results of the actuation strain test show that the relative error between the test value and the model prediction value of 16.47% is less than 5%, and the optimization model results are reliable. The optimized hydraulic electrostatic actuator was tested for actuation strain and electrical performance under different loads. The experiment showed that the maximum actuation strain of the hydraulic electrostatic actuator was 17.20% under a load of 100 g. The critical breakdown current of the actuator ranged from 115 μA to 130 μA, and the maximum electromechanical conversion efficiency of the actuator under different loads was 67.93%. Finally, a joint actuating device was developed based on the structure of the actuator, amplifying the output displacement of the actuator to 30 mm, and the linear displacement of the soft electro-fluid actuator can be converted into a 20° rotation angle through the gear steering mechanism, thus validating the effectiveness of the hydraulic electrostatic actuator.

Deformation and enclosed volume change of axisymmetric non-linear dielectric elastomer membrane pump: a theoretical study

Abstract This work investigates the change in the enclosed volume of an axisymmetric non-linear hyper-elastic membrane pump subjected to dielectric actuation. The equilibrium equations in cylindrical coordinates, coupled with non-linear constitutive relations, are solved numerically to obtain the deformed membrane geometry under pressure loading (using Variational Calculus). The effect of dielectric actuation is then incorporated by considering the change in material properties and deformation induced by the applied electric field. The deformed geometry under dielectric actuation is determined, and the change in enclosed volume is calculated by comparing the deformed states with and without the applied electric field. The proposed approach enables quantifying the volumetric change in non-linear hyper-elastic membrane pumps due to dielectric actuation for potential applications in soft robotics, adaptive optics, and microfluidics. By non-dimensionalizing variables, key dimensionless parameters governing the problem are identified for broader applicability. Furthermore, this methodology can estimate volume changes for different electric actuations when a specific material is chosen with experimentally derived parameter trends, facilitating material selection or synthesis to meet targeted volumetric requirements.

Emerging innovations in electrically powered artificial muscle fibers

ABSTRACT This review systematically explores the inherent structural advantages of fiber over conventional film or bulk forms for artificial muscles, emphasizing their enhanced mechanical properties and actuation, scalability, and design flexibility. Distinctive merits of electrically powered artificial muscle fiber actuation mechanisms, including electrothermal, electrochemical and dielectric actuation, are highlighted, particularly for their operational efficiency, precise control capabilities, miniaturizability and seamless integration with electronic components. A comprehensive overview of significant research driving performance enhancements in artificial muscle fibers through materials and structural innovations is provided, alongside a discussion of the diverse design methodologies that have emerged in this field. A detailed comparative assessment evaluates the performance metrics, advantages and manufacturing complexities of each actuation mechanism, underscoring their suitability for various applications. Concluding with a strategic outlook, the review identifies key challenges and proposes targeted research directions to advance and refine artificial muscle fiber technologies.

Soft Gel Filler Embedded Elastomer with Surfactant Improved Interface for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators.

Stretchable materials are the foundation of dielectric actuators (DEAs) for artificial muscle. However, the inadequate dielectric constant of stretchable materials has always greatly limited the performance of artificial muscle. Recently, soft fillers have been proposed to improve the dielectric property and preserve the stretchability for softness, aiming to avoid the stiffening effect of traditional rigid fillers. As composites, an amount of interfacial region is generated, which remarkably affects composites' performance from dielectrics to mechanics. Herein, we demonstrate that the size effect, interfacial binding, and compatibility have a great impact on soft filler doped composites. Particularly, according to the liquid characteristics of soft fillers, we explore an interfacial modification method using surfactants. Composite breakdown strength is thus enhanced 2.2-fold from that in the control group due to the reduction of mismatch between fillers and matrix. Moreover, surfactants alleviate the well-known stiffening effect in small fillers. The area strain of the composites reaches 10.3 ± 0.4% at a low electric field of 7 MV/m, and a soft micropump is successfully assembled. These findings demonstrate a unique and combined interfacial influence of soft filler doped elastomer, which promotes the advancements of the dielectric elastomer artificial muscle.

Dielectric Elastomer-Based Actuators: A Modeling and Control Review for Non-Experts

Soft robotics are attractive to researchers and developers due to their potential for biomimicry applications across a myriad of fields, including biomedicine (e.g., surgery), the film industry (e.g., animatronics), ecology (e.g., physical ‘animats’), human–robot interactions (e.g., social robots), and others. In contrast to their rigid counterparts, soft robotics offer obvious actuation benefits, including their many degrees of freedom in motion and their potential to mimic living organisms. Many material systems have been proposed and used for soft robotic applications, involving soft actuators, sensors, and generators. This review focuses on dielectric elastomer (DE)-based actuators, which are more general electro-active polymer (EAP) smart materials. EAP-based soft robots are very attractive for various reasons: (a) energy can be efficiently (and readily) stored in electrical form; (b) both power and information can be transferred rapidly via electrical phenomena; (c) computations using electronic means are readily available. Due to their potential and benefits, DE-based actuators are attractive to researchers and developers from multiple fields. This review aims to (1) provide non-experts with an “easy-to-follow” survey of the most important aspects and challenges to consider when implementing DE-based soft actuators, and (2) emphasize current solutions and challenges related to the materials, controls, and portability of DE-based soft-actuator systems. First, we start with some fundamental functions, applications, and configurations; then, we review the material models and their selection. After, we outline material limitations and challenges along with some thermo-mechano-chemical treatments to overcome some of those limitations. Finally, we outline some of the control schemes, including modern techniques, and suggest using rewritable hardware for faster and more adaptive controls.

Semi-analytical modeling of electro-strictive behavior in dielectric elastomer tube actuators

Dielectric elastomer tube actuators (DETAs) facilitate versatile soft robotic motions when activated by electric fields. However, optimizing their performance necessitates understanding complex deformation behaviors under different electrical loading patterns. While prior analytical models provide valuable insights, many rely on assumptions like infinite-length and uniform conditions, limiting their ability to capture experimentally-observed nonuniform deformations. This paper presents a semi-analytical approach permitting both radial and longitudinal electrostatic effects by modeling a dielectric tube of effectively infinite-length. It also incorporates the crucial compression-torsion behavior for soft actuator designs. We validate the model against finite element simulations, achieving excellent agreement. Our efficient technique successfully predicts intricate deformation phenomena in DETAs under combined electrical, mechanical, and geometric effects. Results show the model effectively captures axial and twisting deformations, overcoming limitations of linear twist angle assumptions. This analytical framework offers a powerful tool for optimizing next-generation soft actuators across diverse cutting-edge engineering and robotic applications.

Dynamic Modeling and Analysis of Soft Dielectric Elastomer Balloon Actuator with Polymer Chains Crosslinks, Entanglements and Finite Extensibility

Soft dielectric elastomers (SDEs) represent a category of intelligent electroactive materials utilized in electro-mechanical actuation technology. The dynamic performance of these materials during actuation is notably affected by intrinsic factors like crosslinks, entanglements and the limited extensibility of polymer chains. In this paper, we provide a theoretical framework for modeling the dynamic behavior of a balloon actuator made up of soft dielectric elastomer. To account for the inherent characteristics of polymer chain networks, we employ a physics-based nonaffine material model proposed by Davidson and Goulbourne. The governing equation for dynamic motion is established using Euler–Lagrange’s equation of motion for conservative systems. The reported dynamic modeling framework is then utilized to explore the transient response, stability, periodicity and resonance properties of a dielectric elastomer balloon (DEB) actuator for varying levels of polymer chain crosslinks, entanglements and finite extensibility parameters. To assess the periodicity and stability of the nonlinear vibrations exhibited by the DEB actuator, we present Poincaré maps and phase-plane plots. The results demonstrate that changes in the density of polymer chain entanglements lead to transitions between quasi-periodic and aperiodic vibrations. These findings represent an essential initial step toward the design and production of intelligent soft actuators with diverse applications in future technologies.

Repeatedly Programmable Liquid Crystal Dielectric Elastomer with Multimodal Actuation.

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are actuatable under an electric field, whose large strain and fast response speed compare favorably with natural muscles. However, the actuation of DE-based devices is generally limited to a single mode and cannot be reconfigured after fabrication, which pales in comparison to biological counterparts given the ability to alter actuation modes according to external conditions. To address this, liquid crystal dielectric elastomers (LC-DEs) that can alter the dielectric actuation modes based on the thermally triggered shape-changing are prepared. Specifically, the two shapes through the LC phase transition possess different bending stiffness, which leads to distinct actuation modes after an electric field is applied. Moreover, the two shapes can be individually programmed/reprogrammed, that is, the one before the transition is regulated through force-directed solvent evaporation and the one after the transition is via bond exchange-enabled stress relaxation. As such, the multimodal dielectric actuation behaviors upon temperature change can be readily diversified. Meanwhile, the space charge mechanism endows LC-DEs with the significantly reduced driving e-field (8 V µm-1) and bidirectional actuation manners. It is believed this unique adaptivity in the actuation modes under a low electric field shall offer versatile designs for practical soft robots.

A tunable acoustic absorber using reconfigurable dielectric elastomer actuated petals

Dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA)-based unimorphs that actively bend in one direction, can mimic the blooming motion of flower petals. Here we explore an application of such reconfigurable DEA to create tunable acoustic absorber capable of adapting to fluctuations in dominant noise frequency. The DEA-unimorphs consist of alternate layers of dielectric elastomers and compliant electrodes bonded to a Mylar sheet and were micro-slotted to form triangular petal-like structures that bend upon voltage activation. When arranged in an array, the micro-slotted dielectric elastomer bending actuators (MSDEBA) can open like flower petals, actively reconfiguring their open-ratio. Integrated with a base resonator comprising a micro-slotted panel (MSP) and a parallelly arranged varying-depth (VD) back-cavity, the MSDEBA forms a tunable acoustic absorber effective in the low-mid acoustic frequency range at inactive state. Meanwhile, upon voltage activation, it increased the absorber’s open-ratio and tuned the absorber to target a higher frequency. A 5 kV activation reconfigured the MSDEBA to shift its transmission loss peak by 72.74% (i.e., from 697 Hz to 1204 Hz). This acoustic spectrum tuning capability doubled the 15 dB absorption bandwidth of these absorbers from a bandwidth of ~435 Hz to 820 Hz. Such absorbers have the potential to tune the absorption spectrum to match the noise frequency in real-time to ensure optimal acoustic attenuation.

A multi-electrode electroelastomer cylindrical actuator for multimodal locomotion and its modeling

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have received widespread attention in human-robot interaction and biomedical engineering due to their merits of large deformation, fast response, and excellent biocompatibility. The cylindrical DEA is one of the preferred structures, combining flexibility and compactness. However, the inherent non-linear behavior between the voltage and the actuator makes predicting the output performance during the design process difficult and encumbers its application, especially for multiple degrees of freedom. Herein, a dielectric elastomer spring-roll bending actuator capable of multimodal spatial locomotion using three pairs of electrodes is proposed in this paper. The electromechanical coupling behavior of the actuator under unidirectional bending deformation is described by analyzing the stress process between the spring and the film. The system's damping and excitation frequency relationship is obtained via a semi-analytical method. The experimental results validate the actuator design and show good consistency with the theoretical model. A prototype soft robot capable of running and turning is successfully demonstrated. The actuator also achieves various spatial trajectory paths via the cooperation between electrodes. Thus, the proposed scheme and modeling shed new light on the design and control of dielectric elastomers for multimodal deformation.

Robust Control of Dielectric Elastomer Smart Actuator for Tracking High-Frequency Trajectory

Dielectric elastomer smart actuator (DESA) has shown great potentials in soft robot applications. The control of the DESA is one of key issues for soft robots. However, the precise control of the DESA is a challenge work, especially when tracking high-frequency trajectories and guaranteeing a certain robustness. To this end, this paper presents a robust tracking control method for a DESA to track various high-frequency trajectories. Firstly, to characterize the complex nonlinear properties (including the quadratic input, asymmetric and rate-dependent hysteresis, as well as creep) of the DESA, its dynamic model is built by combining a square function module, a modified Prandtl-Ishlinskii (P-I) hysteresis model and a linear system. Subsequently, by combining the inverse of the modified P-I hysteresis model with a square root function module, the quadratic input and asymmetric hysteresis properties of the DESA are compensated to reduce tracking the control error. Since model uncertainties and external disturbances are unavoidable in practical applications, a robust controller is designed to achieve the tracking control of the DESA, the controller also guarantees the robustness of the control system. In the end, the effectiveness of the proposed control method is demonstrated through a series of tracking control experiments with different high-frequency trajectories, whose maximal frequency is 8 (Hz). The root- mean-square errors of all experimental results are lower than 1.5%, which proves that the presented method is remarkable from the respective of the practical application.

Bulging of dielectric elastomer tubes considering residual stress and viscoelasticity

This paper investigates the impacts of residual stress and viscoelasticity on the bifurcation and post-bifurcation behaviors of dielectric elastomer tube actuator (DETA) with finite thickness. A theoretical model with residual stress is developed to analyze the electromechanical (EM) behavior of a DETA under a combined effect of voltage, internal pressure, and axial force loadings. A mathematical derivation of the bifurcation condition for the DETA under EM coupling loadings is presented, and a coexistence phase transition condition for steady bugle propagation is established. The effects of voltage, axial force, and residual stress on the bifurcation and coexistence phase transition conditions are studied. To validate the theoretical predictions, finite element (FE) simulations are performed on a closed-ended DETA subjected to the EM loadings. The results reveal a competitive relationship between the localized bugling and electric breakdown (EB). The large residual stress can inhibit the localized bugling and enhance the stability of the tube. Additionally, we explore the bifurcation behavior of the viscoelastic DETA, revealing that the viscoelastic effect significantly influences the critical pressure of bifurcation and the loading/unloading paths. It is observed that snap-back instability can occur during the unloading process under high loading rates or voltages. This work provides valuable insights into the finite deformation and bifurcation behaviors of the DETA under complex EM coupling loadings.

3D printing dielectric elastomers for advanced functional structures: A mini‐review

AbstractThree‐dimensional (3D) printed bionic products play an important role in intelligent robotics, microelectronics, and polymers. The printing and manufacturing process of 3D printers is conducive to obtaining soft structures that meet specific requirements, and saves time and cost. Soft intelligent robotics, an emerging research field, has always been developed based on soft materials and actuators with their biological properties. This article reviews the current understanding of 3D bioprinting technologies for dielectric elastomers (DEs), DE actuators (DEAs) and soft robots, such as inkjet, extrusion, laser‐induced and stereolithography bioprinting. 3D printers for fabricating soft materials are presented and classified. The approaches to exploit 3D bioprinters for DEs/DEAs are as follows: (1) 3D printing DEAs utilize ionic hydrogel–elastomer hybrids that are analogous to human muscles, and the DEAs usually have flexible structures and large deformations with multiple functionalities. (2) An electrohydrodynamic (EHD) 3D printer confers high printing resolution and high production efficiency, which offers advantages such as full automation and flexible design. The optimal printing conditions are mainly determined by the effects of printing voltages and ink properties, which are related to the formation of the liquid cone and the printed line width. Furthermore, the advantages of 3D bioprinting technologies have accelerated their development and applications.

Ultrathin internal dielectric electrostatic actuator for reduced pull-in voltage and bidirectional actuation

Direction and analog deflection control, as well as low voltage digital switching are the most desirable attributes in electrostatic actuators for current MEMS applications. In this work we show how internal dielectric transduction can be used to reduce pull-in voltages without reducing the air gap, and to effect bi-directional actuation. The actuator is a metal–dielectric–metal sandwich. For hybrid actuation to achieve reduced pull-in, the device has a thick bottom metal and a thin top metal, while for the upward actuator the device has a thick top metal and a thin bottom metal. An out-of-plane deflection of 108 nm is achieved using 5 V applied voltage for the upward actuator, while the hybrid actuator shows over 50% reduction in pull-in voltage from 1.26 V to 0.62 V.

Flow Structures and Charge Behaviors of Electroconvective Silicone Flows Induced by a Surface Dielectric Barrier Injection Actuator Subjected to Bipolar Pulsed DC Signals

Surface dielectric barrier injection (SDBI) actuators have received increasing interest due to the presence of dielectric barriers, which can greatly improve the applied voltage. The success of SDBI actuators in driving silicone oil makes silicone flow a very promising application in the field of microfluidics. However, polarity-dependent flows that are different from conventional cases are observed experimentally under bi-polar pulsed DC signals. To interpret this specific phenomenon, a new model of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) wall jet considering both electrochemical injection and the initial presence of an electrical double layer (EDL) at the dielectric solid/liquid interface is developed for the first time based on the finite element method. The results show that the flow field in the simulation is consistent with the experimental bidirectional flow field. The silicone vortex movement is accompanied by charge injection, migration and accumulation in the near-wall region. Through studies of the effect of signal parameters on flow behavior, including voltage amplitude, duty cycle, frequency and waveform, a square wave signal with a frequency of 0.2 Hz proves to be the most efficient in generating a high-velocity silicone flow.

Soft dielectric actuator produced by multi‐material fused filament fabrication 3D printing

AbstractDielectric elastomer actuators rely on Coulomb forces for their actuation. They are promising candidates when it comes to the manufacture of electrically driven soft and lightweight robotic devices, which can undergo large movement. However, their commercial availability and hence their technological relevance are still rather limited due to several reasons: in‐depth material knowhow in terms of electrical and mechanical behavior required; materials have to be available in thin sheets; complicated and error prone fabrication; limited design freedom. In order to change this, this paper presents a soft dielectric actuator fully produced by fused filament fabrication. Additive manufacturing with conventional fused filament fabrication machines offers the potential for the production of personalized dielectric actuators which are easily accessible and comparably cheap. The only requirement is a fused filament fabrication printer with multi‐material capability. Focusing on a mass customization of the 3D printed actuators, exclusively commercially available devices and filaments without any modifications are used. In particular, the 3D printed prototypes are characterized in terms of the maximum displacement depending on the electrode printing direction. As a showcase example, a soft dielectric gripper made of two 3D printed actuators is developed. Comparable with other dielectric elastomer actuators, a maximum displacement of 42% is reached.

Design principles for a single-process 3D-printed stacked dielectric actuators — Theory and experiment

Fully 3D-printed smart structures have attracted a lot of research interest; new technologies, materials, and methods for 3D-printed functional structures such as sensors, actuators, generators, and batteries are being researched. Recently, a fully 3D-printed, dynamic dielectric actuator fabricated in a single process with multi-material thermoplastic filament extrusion was presented. However, the effects of design parameters on the dynamic electromechanical properties of the printed actuator were not yet researched.To achieve the required performance and dynamic properties of an individualized, 3D-printed actuator, the electromechanical properties must be related to the theoretical design parameters. This requires research into the properties of 3D-printed materials and the electromechanical modeling of the 3D-printed actuator.In this research, an analytical, electromechanical model is introduced, consisting of electrical and mechanical models, and electromechanical coupling. The model consists of basic electrical and dynamic lumped elements, which facilitates the reproducibility and extensibility of the model. The electrical and electromechanical model have been experimentally validated in a free-displacement and a blocked-force boundary condition.This research leads to the identification of design principles and the ability to customize and adapt the 3D-printed actuators to specific dynamic applications.

Operation analysis of dielectric liquid actuator based on dielectric spectrum under high voltage

Operation analysis of dielectric liquid actuator based on dielectric spectrum under high voltage

Crosslinking Methodology for Imidazole-Grafted Silicone Elastomers Allowing for Dielectric Elastomers Operated at Low Electrical Fields with High Strains.

For improved actuation at low voltages of dielectric elastomers, a high dielectric permittivity has been targeted for several years but most successful methods then either increase the stiffness of the elastomer and/or introduce notable losses of both mechanical and dielectric nature. For polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based elastomers, most high-permittivity moieties inhibit the sensitive platinum catalyst used in the addition curing scheme. In contrast to the classical addition curing pathway to prepare PDMS elastomers, here, an alternative strategy is reported to prepare PDMS elastomers via the crosslinking reaction between multifunctional imidazole-grafted PDMS with difunctional bis(1-ethylene-imidazole-3-ium) bromide ionic liquid (bis-IL). The prepared IL-elastomer entails uniformly dispersed IL and presents stable mechanical and dielectric properties due to the covalent nature of the crosslinking as opposed to previously reported physical mixing in of ILs. The relative permittivity was improved up to 200% by including the bis-IL in the elastomer, and Young's modulus was around 0.04 MPa. As a result of the excellent combination of properties, the dielectric actuator developed exhibits an area strain of 20% at 15 V/μm. The novel strategy to prepare PDMS elastomers provides a new paradigm for achieving high-performance dielectric elastomer actuators by a simple methodology.

Influence of environmental conditions and voltage application on the electromechanical performance of Nafion-Pt IPMC actuators

Ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) are a class of ionic-type electroactive polymers which can be configured as capacitor actuators with very low voltage requirements (⩽5 V AC or DC). Their compact, portable, and lightweight properties, coupled with a biomimetic bending actuation response, makes them ideal for human–machine integrated technologies such as medical implants, active skins, and artificial muscles. Unfortunately, IPMC actuator’s hydration-related sensitivity inhibits practical application in industry and makes experimental research difficult. Therefore, this research sought to quantify the hydration-related parameters of IPMC actuators by applying a wide range of experimental tests to characterize the material’s hydration-dependent features. This included saturation, dielectric, and bending actuation measurements. The IPMC’s degree of saturation properties were classified to establish sample rehydration, preparation, and preservation techniques. IPMC electrical-solvent properties were measured to estimate IPMC actuation performance based on capacitance and dissipation measurements. Maximized actuation was identified for samples tested in 95% RH (i.e. percentage relative humidity). This condition produced an optimized displacement range and retained quality. Through statistical analysis, the work showed large electroactive performance variability (up to 50% deviation), which is a primary obstacle inhibiting this technology from practical application. Finally, an array of electrical field bias applications (i.e. cycled, constant, and post voltage removal monitoring) at intensities ranging from 0.75 to 1.2 V (direct current voltage) were used to quantify actuation rate, maximum displacement, as well as voltage application and removal back-relaxation behavior.