Electromechanical Instability Research Articles

Microscopic in situ observation of electromechanical instability in a dielectric elastomer actuator utilizing transparent carbon nanotube electrodes.

Electromechanical instability (EMI) restricts the performance of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), leading to premature electrical breakdown at a certain voltage. However, macro-level observations using traditional carbon grease electrodes have failed to capture the detailed features of EMI. In this study, we investigated EMI at the microscopic scale by fabricating transparent and conductive single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) electrodes. Our findings reveal that EMI predominantly occurs in highly localized regions with dimensions on the order of tens of micrometers. This snap-through instability is likely induced by pre-existing defects within the elastomer, such as air voids or conductive particles, which reduce the critical voltage required for EMI in the flawed areas. From the perspective of phase transition principles, these defects act as heterogeneous nucleation sites for new phase embryos, thereby lowering the energy barrier for the electromechanical phase transition (i.e., EMI) compared to homogeneous nucleation in an ideally impurity-free elastomer. This study clarifies the longstanding discrepancy between theoretically predicted deformation bursts and the experimentally observed macroscopic continuous expansion of DEAs under low pre-stretch conditions. Additionally, it underscores the critical importance of material purity in mitigating electromechanical instability.

A Stretchable Soft Pump Driven by a Heterogeneous Dielectric Elastomer Actuator

AbstractElectrically driven soft pumps act as ideal “hearts” for flexible fluidic systems in soft robots and wearable devices. Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are promising for soft pump fabrication owing to their features of fast response, large strain, high energy density, and low power consumption. However, conventional dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) using single DE material usually exhibit poor pumping performance due to electromechanical instability or insulating problems. Herein, a multilayer structured heterogeneous dielectric elastomer actuator (H‐DEA) is fabricated based on thin films of processable, high‐performance dielectric elastomer (PHDE) and silicones, and is integrated onto silicone pump body to build a fully soft pump. The pump achieves a flow rate of 3.25 mL min−1 and a blocked pressure of 2.75 kPa with a mass of less than 1 g and a power consumption of 0.21 W. It maintains pumping functions when being bent or stretched and after twisted. It works for viscous liquids and is demonstrated to drive a soft robotic fluidic circuit.

Dielectric Elastomer Network with Large Side Groups Achieves Large Electroactive Deformation for Soft Robotic Grippers

AbstractDielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) face an acknowledged challenge: On the one hand, the majority of elastomers only achieve small electroactive deformation (<20%) in the absence of prestretch; on the other hand, rare elastomers capable of showing large electroactive deformation require relatively complicated processing and chemistry. This work addresses this challenge by fabricating an elastomer with a network of large side groups, which achieves a very large electroactive deformation (218%) without pre‐stretch. This elastomer can be rapidly and massively fabricated within a few min, by polymerizing a commercial monomer with a large alkyl side group. The large side groups in the polymer network repel each other and extend the load‐bearing strands, which results in a pronounced strain‐hardening behavior. This behavior helps the elastomer to get rid of electromechanical instability during actuation and hence to exhibit a large electro‐active deformation, a high energy density (>> human muscle), and a large output force (≈500 times self‐weight). the elastomer capable of manufacturing a soft electroactive gripper is demonstrated with large deformation, large force, and rapid response, which enables grasping fragile objects of various complex shapes in an agile away.

Highly efficient inverse lumped modeling for the pre-strained circular dielectric elastomer

The equi-biaxially pre-strained circular dielectric elastomer actuator (PCDEA) is a classical actuator configuration to demonstrate the electromechanical deformation mechanism of dielectric elastomer. Till now, there still lacks an effective method to analyze the non-uniform voltage-induced deformation of PCDEA with both high accuracy and low computational cost. Besides, the inverse problem that determines the voltage input for a desired deformation is also a hard problem for the current modeling approaches. In this work, a novel shape function approximation method is proposed to model the non-uniform deformation of PCDEA in a highly accurate lumped-parameter way. The method can solve both the inverse problem and forward problem of the PCDEA, making it possible to position the onset of electromechanical instability (EMI) of this configuration. Detailed comparisons are made between this method and high-resolution finite element analysis to verify its accuracy. This method also features low computational cost, providing opportunities for developing model-based real-time control and proprioception techniques. Further investigation is also carried out on how material types and configurational parameters interact with PCDEAs’ performance, along with checking the findings with experiment observation. Guidelines for DE material development and actuator design are also summarized accordingly.

Modeling and control of planar dielectric elastomer energy harvester

Dielectric Elastomer Generators (DEGs) have been used as mechanical-electrical transducers in energy harvesting systems. However, material safety assurance control, which prevents dielectric elastomer (DE) failures, is not fully investigated. Since various DEG configurations share common failure modes, incorporating these modes into the system is crucial for extending DEG lifetime and improving output power capacity of DE energy harvesters. This paper develops a physics-based model for a planar DE energy harvester and material failure modes identified through analytical analysis of the model. A real-time algorithm for internal safety control is developed to allow operation within a broader feasible region while preventing electrical breakdown (EB), electromechanical instability (EMI), loss of tension (LT), or rupture by stretch (RS). The algorithm prioritizes safety control when the feasible space is violated and allows primary control when operating within the safe space. As a step towards prototyping of an energy harvester using a DE, a prototype concept model is outlined. By using the safety control algorithm, energy harvesting output power is maximized without violating material safety rules, making it applicable to various energy source conversions like human motion, tidal wave, and wind energy.

Polarization Coupling between Ferroelectric Liquids and Ferroelectric Solids: Effects of the Fringing Field Profile

Recent experiments devoted to characterizing the behavior of sessile ferroelectric liquid droplets on ferroelectric solid substrates have shown the existence of a droplet electromechanical Rayleigh-like instability. The instability is induced by the bulk polarization of the ferroelectric fluid, which couples to the polarization of the underlying substrate through its fringing field and solid–fluid interface coupling. With the aim of characterizing this phenomenon, namely the coupling between the polarizations of a fluid and a solid material, we studied the behavior of ferroelectric liquid droplets confined between two solid substrates, arranged in different configurations, realized to generate fringing fields with different profiles. The results show that the features of the droplets instability are indeed affected by the specific fringing field shape in a way dominated by the minimization of the electrostatic energy associated with the bulk polarization of the ferroelectric fluid.

Large deformation of soft dielectric cylindrical tubes under external radial electric field

We study the nonlinear deformation of a soft dielectric tube subjected to an external electric field induced by two outer fixed electrodes. The tube follows an electro-elastic, ideal dielectric, neo-Hookean free energy and is longitudinally either constrained or free; in general, it deforms by shrinking and finding an equilibrium configuration closer to the inner electrode. The non-homogeneous system of governing equations is solved numerically with details given for each type of boundary conditions. The notion of contraction limit is introduced and emergence of electromechanical instability for both problems is noted with the relevant modes studied at some relevant points of the stretch–voltage actuation curve.

Fluid jets and polar domains, on the relationship between electromechanical instability and topology in ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal droplets.

Ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals are a class of recently discovered fluid materials formed by highly polar molecules that spontaneously align along a common direction, giving rise to a macroscopic polarization P. Since the polarization vector is locally collinear to the optical axis n, the study of the spatial patterns of n enables deducing the structure of P. We have carried on such topological study on ferroelectric nematic droplets confined between two solid ferroelectric substrates both when the droplet is in equilibrium and during a jet-emission phase that takes place when the solid surfaces become sufficiently charged. We find that in equilibrium the droplet splits in striped domains in which P has alternating directions. When these domains extend close to the droplets' perimeter, P adopts a π-twisted structure to minimize accumulation of polarization charges. As the substrate surface charge is increased above threshold, fluid jets are emitted with a quasi-periodic pattern, a behaviour suggesting that their location is governed by an electrofluidic instability on the droplets' rim, in turn indicating the absence of specific trigger points. Soon after their emission, the jet periodicity is lost; some jets retract while other markedly grow. In this second regime, jets that grow are those that more easily connect to polar domains with P along the jet axis. Occasionally, ejection of isolated spikes also occurs, revealing locations where polarization charges have accumulated because of topological patterns extending on length scales smaller than the typical domain size.

Dielectric Breakdown Strength of PDMS Elastomers after Mechanical Cycling

PDMS-based composites such as silicone elastomers are commonly found in high-voltage engineering, especially in outdoor insulation as coatings or structural elements or at interfaces between network elements, such as cable sealing ends (CSE). They are also promising prospects for dielectric elastomer generators (DEG), which are retrieving electrostatic energy from large strain amplitudes. The upper limit of energy conversion from these transducers is determined by the dielectric breakdown strength (DBS). Therefore, developing reliable systems that operate under high electric fields and variable repeated strains requires a thorough understanding of the mechanisms behind electrical breakdown and its coupling to mechanical cycling. In this study, the effect of Mullins damage and mechanical fatigue on silicone elastomers has been investigated. An electro-mechanical instability model that considers cyclic softening allows for predicting the evolution of the breakdown strength depending on the loading history. The results highlight the importance of the “first cycle,” where up to a 30% reduction in the mean DBS was measured. However, subsequent mechanical fatigue only marginally contributes to the degradation, which is a promising perspective for the long-term performance of any silicone elastomer as long as the precise impact of the first cycle is known.

Effect of Electrode on the Dynamics of Electroactive Membrane

Abstract The dynamics of the electroactive membranes are being studied extensively due to their vast application at the current time. However, the effect of the mechanical behavior of the compliant electrode needs to be addressed. This article presents the nonlinear analysis of an electrically actuated membrane, considering the inertia of the electrode. The membrane is modeled as a hyperelastic material and is assumed to be incompressible, homogeneous, and isotropic. The proposed analysis is discussed in a generalized way for both the compression and suspension phases. Since the membrane is vulnerable to pull-in instability, the conditions to prevent electromechanical instability are defined. Further, an analytical relation is established for breakdown voltage and is validated with experimental data. The analytical solution of axial vibration is presented in the form of elliptic integrals and by the use of multiple scale method in a generalized way for both the phases. The resultant motions and their various physical aspects under suspension and compression phases for general initial conditions are described through graphical results to comprehend the proposed analysis. Also, parameter values are quantified analytically, for which the system executes reverse behavior in a given configuration.

On the Electromechanical Instability of Polar Elastomers

Abstract Based on a continuum theory that accounts for the underlying molecular physics of polar elastomers (PEs), a typical boundary value problem (BVP) is developed to analyze the electromechanical instability (EMI) of PEs with randomly distributed dielectric particles. Through extensive numerical simulations, the effects of various parameters such as particle volume fraction, particle size, and enhancement factor related to polar groups on the critical voltage leading to EMI of PEs are investigated. The results are presented in 3D phase diagrams, which may better help researchers to understand EMI of PEs and guide them in synthesis, design, and application of PEs in the fields of chemistry, physics, bio-engineering, etc.

Dramatic Amplification of the Flexoelectric Effect in Snapping Surfaces

Abstract Flexoelectricity exists in all inhomogeneously deformed dielectric materials and is of great interest in engineering science, especially in microelectromechanical systems. However, the flexoelectricity is relatively small compared to the commonly known piezoelectricity. How to produce a considerably large flexoelectric effect and how to apply the effect to a large scale have concerned people for a long time. In this paper, we creatively amplify the flexoelectric effect without decreasing the structure scale by harnessing the electromechanical instability—the snap-through instability—of a curved dielectric plate subjected to a concentrated load. We formulate the electrostatic energy of the system and obtain the governing equations by taking the first variation of the free energy. In the analysis, we find that the thickness of the plate and the initial configuration affect the onset of the snap-through. Beyond that, we notice that flexoelectricity can lower the critical load of the snap-through instability. Importantly, we find that a large flexoelectricity can be generated by harnessing the instability. For a dielectric plate with thickness 2 × 10−7 m, the effective electromechanical coefficient is equal to 35 pC/N in the beginning; however, by using the instability, the effective coefficient can be increased to as high as 740 pC/N, which is 21 times higher after the instability. In the end, we tune the electromechanical behaviors by designing the curved plate’s thickness and configuration. This paper contributes to our understanding of the amplification of flexoelectric effects by harnessing snapping surfaces.

Thermo-electrostrictive unequal-biaxial deformation instability of electro-active polymeric composites

Existing studies on electro-active polymers (EAP) have largely ignored the unequal-biaxial deformation instability, focusing instead on the equi-biaxial deformation instability of such a material class. The present study develops the first thermo-electrostrictive unequal-biaxial deformation instability model for particle-reinforced EAP composites filled with suitably added filler, which enhances its performance. The model first calibrates the particle-reinforced electromechanical material-oriented data in conjunction with previously released experiments. Later, the model demonstrates several unstable failure modes of the composites, namely thermal absorption, tension loss, electrical breakdown, electromechanical instability, and stretch rupture. Analytical findings of the model solution also manifest the stable and unstable zones of studied polymeric composites undergoing thermo-electromechanical unequal-biaxial deformation in conjunction with all unstable failure modes. Such findings of the proposed model have significant implications for soft robotics, particularly in forecasting the behavior of EAP-based smart composites used in the design of more advanced and efficient soft robotic systems.

Optical control of mass ejection from ferroelectric liquid droplets: A possible tool for the actuation of complex fluids

We report on the optical control of the recently observed electromechanical instability of ferroelectric liquid droplets exposed to the photovoltaic field of a lithium niobate ferroelectric crystal substrate. The ferroelectric liquid is a nematic liquid crystal in which almost complete polar ordering of the molecular dipoles generates an internal macroscopic polarization locally collinear to the mean molecular long axis. Upon entering the ferroelectric phase, droplets irradiated by unfocused beam undergo an electromechanical instability and disintegrate by the explosive emission of fluid jets. We show here that the regions of jets emission can be controlled by focusing the light beam in areas close to the droplet’s edge. Once emitted, the fluid jets can be walked by moving the beam up to millimeter distance from the mother droplet. Reverting the lithium niobate substrate, jets become thinner and show the tendency of being repelled by the beam instead of being attracted, thus offering an additional tool for their optical manipulation. These observations may pave the way to intriguing applications of ferroelectric nematic fluids related to manipulation, actuation, and control of soft, flexible materials.

Hybrid Fabrication of Prestrain-Locked Acrylic Dielectric Elastomer Thin Films and Multilayer Stacks.

Dielectric elastomers based on commercial acrylic dielectric elastomers (VHB adhesive films) are widely investigated for soft actuators due to their large electrically driven actuation strain and high work density. However, the VHB films require prestretching to overcome electromechanical instability, which adds fabrication complexity. In addition, their high viscoelasticity leads to a low response speed. Interpenetrated polymer networks (IPNs) are developed to lock the prestrain in VHB films, resulting in free-standing films that are capable of large-strain actuation. In this work, a prestrain-locked high-performance dielectric elastomer thin film (VHB-IPN-P) by introducing 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate to create an IPN in the VHB network and a plasticizer to enhance the actuation speed is reported. VHB-IPN-P based actuators exhibit stable actuation at 60% strain up to 10Hz and reach a peak energy density of 102 Jkg⁻1 . In addition, a hybrid process is also developed for the fabrication of multilayer stacks of VHB-IPN-P with strong inter-layer bonding and structural integrity. Four-layer stacks fabricated preserve the strain and energy density of single-layer VHB-IPN-P films but with linearly scaled force and work output.

On the Behavior of Ferroelectric Liquid Droplets in the Vicinity of a Ferroelectric Solid

We analyzed the behavior of sessile ferroelectric liquid droplets in the vicinity of a pyroelectrically charged ferroelectric crystal, an experimental configuration that allows testing the recently observed coupling between the polarizations of the fluid and solid materials, in conditions of no direct contact. Results demonstrate that polarizations’ coupling also exists in this configuration and has two distinct effects. Specifically, it gives rise both to an electromechanical instability of the liquid droplets consisting in the sudden ejection of interfacial fluid jets, and to a slow droplet motion toward the ferroelectric solid driven by a dielectrophoretic force. The two effects can possibly be separated, depending on the droplet size.

On-Demand Cross-Linkable Bottlebrush Polymers for Voltage-Driven Artificial Muscles.

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) generate motion resembling natural muscles in reliability, adaptability, elongation, and frequency of operation. They are highly attractive in implantable soft robots or artificial organs. However, many applications of such devices are hindered by the high driving voltage required for operation, which exceeds the safety threshold for the human body. Although the driving voltage can be reduced by decreasing the thickness and the elastic modulus, soft materials are prone to electromechanical instability (EMI), which causes dielectric breakdown. The elastomers made by cross-linking bottlebrush polymers are promising for achieving DEAs that suppress EMI. In previous work, they were chemically cross-linked using an in situ free-radical UV-induced polymerization, which is oxygen-sensitive and does not allow the formation of thin films. Therefore, the respective actuators were operated at voltages above 4000 V. Herein, macromonomers that can be polymerized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization and subsequently cross-linked via a UV-induced thiol-ene click reaction are developed. They allow us to fast cross-link defect-free thin films with a thickness below 100 μm. The dielectric films give up to 12% lateral actuation at 1000 V and survive more than 10,000 cycles at frequencies up to 10 Hz. The easy and efficient preparation approach of the defect-free thin films under air provides easy accessibility to bottlebrush polymeric materials for future research. Additionally, the desired properties, actuation under low voltage, and long lifetime revealed the potential of the developed materials in soft robotic implantable devices. Furthermore, the C-C double bonds in the polymer backbone allow for chemical modification with polar groups and increase the materials' dielectric permittivity to a value of 5.5, which is the highest value of dielectric permittivity for a cross-linked bottlebrush polymer.

Dielectric elastomer artificial muscle materials advancement and soft robotic applications

AbstractConventional robotic systems are built with rigid materials to deal with large forces and predetermined processes. Soft robotics, however, is an emerging field seeking to develop adaptable robots that can perform tasks in unpredictable environments and biocompatible devices that close the gap between humans and machines. Dielectric elastomers (DEs) have emerged as a soft actuation technology that imitates the properties and performance of natural muscles, making them an attractive material choice for soft robotics. However, conventional DE materials suffer from electromechanical instability (EMI), which reduces their performance and limits their applications in soft robotics. This review discusses key innovations in DE artificial muscles from a material standpoint, followed by a survey on their representative demonstrations of soft robotics. Specifically, we introduce modifications of DE materials that enable large strains, fast responses, and high energy densities by suppressing EMI. Additionally, we examine materials that allow variable stiffness and self‐healing abilities in DE actuators. Finally, we review dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) applications in soft robotics in four categories, including automation, manipulation, locomotion, and human interaction.

Composite elastomers with on-demand convertible phase separations achieve large and healable electro-actuation.

Phase separation has been widely exploited for fabricating structured functional materials. Generally, after being fabricated, the phase structure in a hybrid material system has been set at a specific length scale and remains unchanged during the lifespan of the material. Herein, we report a strategy to construct on-demand and reversible phase switches among homogenous, nano- and macro-phase separation states in a composite elastomer during its lifespan. We trigger the nanophase separation by super-saturating an elastomer matrix with a carefully selected small-molecule organic compound (SMOC). The nanoparticles of SMOC that precipitate out upon quenching will stretch the elastomer network, yet remain stably arrested in the elastomer matrix at low temperatures for a long time. However, at elevated temperatures, the nano-phase separation will transform into the macro-one. The elastic recovery will drive the SMOC onto the elastomer surface. The phase-separated structures can be reconfigured through the homogeneous solution state at a further elevated temperature. Taking advantage of the reversible phase switches leads to a novel strategy for designing high-performance dielectric elastomers. The in situ formed nanoparticles can boost the electro-actuation performance by eliminating electro-mechanical instability and lead to a very large actuation strain (∼146%). Once the actuator broke down, SMOC could on-demand be driven to the breakdown holes and heal the actuator.

Electrochemical Digitization of Biological Fluids Samples

Digital medicine based on the integration of all medical data from a particular patient has become a reality today, thanks to information technology. Traditional medical examinations can be supplemented by assessment results of the oxidative-anti-oxidative (OAO) status of the body. Electrochemical sensors are able to not only determine the integral indicators of the OAO system of the body but also to depict details of the processes occurring in the system. The main obstacle to the widespread use of electrochemical sensors in medical diagnostics is the extremely small amount of received information in comparison to the tens of thousands of known human diseases. The problem can be eliminated only by rethinking the purpose of electrochemical measurement within the framework of thermodynamics of information processes and information theory. In the information paradigm of electrochemical analysis of biological fluids, a sample is considered an electrochemical message created by a sensor. The purpose of electrochemical measurement is to obtain information in a volume sufficient to identify the sample composition within the range of possible concentrations of its components. The fundamentals of the thermodynamics of information processes are considered and conclusions that are of practical importance for the development of electrochemical sensors and analyzers are derived. It is shown that the potentiostatic control of the sensor is physically impacted by the electromechanical instability of the electrical double layer, which is the main source of sensor signal noise. Estimates of a minimum amount of analytical signal information required for the identification of a sample of known composition, such as a biological fluid, are provided. Examples of highly informative analytical signals for flowing and stationary samples are presented. Problems related to the visualization of such signals are noted.