Modeling of the dynamic characteristic of viscoelastic dielectric elastomer actuators subject to different conditions of mechanical load

• Published in: Journal of applied physics Vol. 117; no. 8
• Main Authors: Zhang, Junshi, Tang, Liling, Li, Bo, Wang, Yanjie, Chen, Hualing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 28.02.2015
• Subjects: Applied physics; Boundary conditions; Deformation; Dielectrics; Dynamic stability; Elastomers; Euler-Lagrange equation; Mathematical models; Resonant frequencies; Viscoelasticity
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4913384

Subject to a mechanical load or a voltage, a membrane of a dielectric elastomer deforms. As for the deformation mode, the dynamic performance and stability are strongly affected by how mechanical forces are applied. In the current study, by using the Euler-Lagrange equation, an analytical model is developed to characterize the dynamic performance of a homogeneously deformed viscoelastic dielectric elastomer under the conditions of equal-biaxial force, uniaxial force, and pure shear state, respectively. Numerical results are shown to describe the electromechanical deformation and stability. It is observed that the resonant frequency (where the amplitude-frequency curve peaks) has dependencies on the deformation mode, the level of mechanical load, and the applied electric field. When a dielectric elastomer membrane is subject to equal-biaxial force or pure shear state, it undergoes a nonlinear quasi-periodic vibration. An aperiodic motion of the dielectric elastomer system is induced by the boundary condition of a uniaxial force.