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Nonlinear electromechanical coupling in graded soft materials: Large deformation, instability, and electroactuation.
Lingling Chen1, Xu Yang1, Binglei Wang1
1Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China.
Physical Review. E
|September 18, 2020
Summary
Graded dielectric materials can achieve large deformations and high electric field tolerance, overcoming limitations of homogeneous dielectrics. Modifying material properties in specific regions enhances electroactuation performance in dielectric devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Soft dielectrics deform significantly under electric fields due to electrostatic Maxwell stress.
- Nonlinear electromechanical coupling in dielectrics leads to failure modes like pull-in instability, limiting applications.
- Understanding these behaviors is crucial for designing advanced dielectric devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate large deformation, pull-in instability, and electroactuation in graded circular dielectric plates.
- Analyze electromechanical behaviors under combined in-plane mechanical and thickness-wise electric loads.
- Compare graded dielectrics with homogeneous ones to reveal effects of material inhomogeneity.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of a graded circular dielectric plate model.
- Examination of electromechanical coupling under mechanical and electric loads.
- Comparison of simulation results for homogeneous and graded dielectric configurations.
Main Results:
- Graded dielectric plates can exhibit enhanced performance compared to homogeneous ones.
- By altering the modulus in outer regions, graded plates achieve high electric field tolerance and large deformation.
- Maximum electroactuation stretch increased from 1.26 to 1.5 in specific graded configurations.
Conclusions:
- Material inhomogeneity significantly impacts dielectric device performance.
- Graded dielectric plates offer a design strategy to achieve superior electromechanical behavior.
- Findings provide insights for optimizing dielectric actuators and energy harvesters.
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