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The dielectric elastomer minimum energy structure (DEMES) can realize large angular deformations by a small voltage-induced strain of the dielectric elastomer (DE), so it is a suitable candidate to make a rotary joint for a soft robot. However, the payload capacity of a DEMES joint is small compared with other types of dielectric elastomer actuators. Stacking layers of pre-strained DE thin films can increase the output torque of DEMES, but greater driving power will be needed, limiting application in mobile or flying soft robots. In this paper, based on static analysis, a design of DEMES is proposed that has larger torque than the traditional design with the same number of layers of dielectric elastomer. As an experimental example, the torque of the film with the improved design is larger than 1.7 times that of the traditional design. Experiments validate the theoretical analysis and demonstrate the improvement of DEMES output torque. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromechanical instability may occur in dielectric elastomer films due to the coupling between mechanical forces and electric fields. According to Zhao and Suo [Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 061921 (2007)], free-energy in any form, which consists of elastic strain energy and electric energy, can be used to analyze the electromechanical stability of dielectric elastomer. By taking the permittivity as a variable depending on the deformation in a free energy function, a relationship is established among critical nominal electric field, critical real electric field, nominal stress, and principal stretch ratios. The accurate expressions of these parameters are presented for a special equal biaxial stretch case. All the results obtained by utilizing the single material constant neo-Hookean elastic strain energy model coincide with the conclusions by Zhao and Suo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We would like to thank Díaz-Calleja et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 101902 (2008)] for their insight and help on “On electromechanical stability of dielectric elastomers;” unstable domain of electromechanical coupling system of neo-Hookean-type silicone was analyzed by Díaz-Calleja et al. Different from that given in the paper of Díaz-Calleja, in the current work, the elastic strain energy function with two material constants was used to analyze the stable domain of electromechanical coupling system of Mooney–Rivlin-type silicone, and the results seem to support the theory of Díaz-Calleja. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We would like to thank Zhao and Suo [Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 061921 (2007)] for their insights and help on “Method to analyze electromechanical stability of dielectric elastomers;” Suo provided the theory of stability of dielectric elastomers. In this Comment, the nonlinear electromechanical theory for deformable dielectrics described in Suo’s paper is applied to analyze the stability of dielectric elastomers. Different from that given in Suo’s paper, in the current work, elastic strain energy functional with two material constants is used for the stability analysis. Dielectric materials with different values of k are analyzed, and the results seem to support Suo’s theory. These results can be applied in the design of dielectric elastomer actuator and in larger application spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]