Mechanical, dielectric, and electromechanical properties of silicone dielectric elastomer actuators

ABSTRACT: Silicone elastomer actuators were investigated to develop a simple and industrially scalable product with improvedmechanical properties, such as a low modulus, high tearing strength, and goodresilience, and enhanced electromechanicalactuation properties. Silicone elastomers were fabricated via a hydrosilylation addition reaction with a vinyl-end-functionalizedpoly(dimethyl siloxane) (V), a multivinyl-functionalized silicone resin, and a crosslinker in the presence of a platinum catalyst.For the larger electromechanical actuation response, the silicone dielectric elastomer actuator had to have a larger molecularweight of poly(dimethyl siloxane), a smaller hardener content, and a resin-free composition. However, the silicone elastomeractuators needed to include a small amount of resin to improve the tearing strength. V C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym.Sci. 2014, 131, 40030. KEYWORDS: crosslinking; dielectric properties; elastomers; sensors and actuatorsReceived 31 May 2013; accepted 2 October 2013DOI: 10.1002/app.40030INTRODUCTION