Multilayer Dielectric Elastomer with Reconfigurable Electrodes for Artificial Muscle

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Robotics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) show promise as artificial muscles but face challenges with limited lifespan and scalability due to fabrication constraints.
• Existing multilayer DEAs often have non-modifiable structures, hindering their practical application and longevity.
• Developing DEAs with enhanced durability and adaptability is crucial for advancing artificial muscle technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop reusable multilayer DEAs with detachable and reconfigurable structures.
• To address the limitations of short lifespans and scalable preparation in conventional DEAs.
• To demonstrate the potential of these novel DEAs in wearable assistive devices.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of scalable compliant electrodes using the continuous spatial confining forced network assembly (CSNA) method.
• Integration of electrodes with VHB dielectric elastomer using vacuum lamination (VL) for detachable attachment.
• Utilizing a flexible roller-based CSNA for large-area electrode preparation with polydimethylsiloxane and conductive nanoparticles.

Main Results:

• The developed DEAs exhibit a detachable and reconfigurable structure, enhancing reusability.
• Compliant electrodes demonstrated over 10,000 cycles of continuous operation at 40% strain without surface degradation.
• A lower limb assistive device prototype using these DEAs achieved 3.1 degrees of knee joint movement at 7 kV.

Conclusions:

• Detachable and reconfigurable multilayer DEAs offer a solution to the lifespan and scalability issues of traditional DEAs.
• The CSNA and VL methods enable the creation of robust, reusable compliant electrodes for advanced actuator fabrication.
• These advancements pave the way for practical applications of DEAs in wearable assistive technologies, particularly for mobility support.