Dielectric Elastomers: An Investigation in the Electromechanical Response to Different Ratios of Active and Passive Regions of Dielectric Elastomers

Dielectric elastomers can exhibit load deformation of more than 1692% percent. The deformation is made possible when an external electric field interacts with the dielectric elastomer material, this leads to electrical polarization within the bulk media of the material and charge accumulation on a compliant electrode. This action causes a compressive force that squeezes the film thickness and expands the surface area leading to actuation of the material. The geometric configuration of the complaint electrode on the surface area of the dielectric elastomer can directly influence the electromechanical response of the film. The surface of the dielectric elastomer can be divided into two regions: the active region, which is the surface area of the film that is covered by the compliant electrode, and the passive region, which is the area of the film that remains uncovered. The purpose of this research is to determine the optimal ratio of active vs passive regions and its impact on the electromechanical performance (actuation, dielectric and electromechanical breakdown).