Affiliations: [a] College of Engineering, Zhejiang Normal University,
Jinhua Zhejiang, China
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Doctor, Jian-Bo Cao, 49#, College of
Engineering, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua Zhejiang, 321004, China. Tel.:
+86 579 82286151; Fax: +86 579 82288020; E-mail: caojianbo2008@163.com
Abstract: The strain characteristics and power generation mechanism of
electroactive acrylic elastomer (EAE) was studied by experiments based on
theoretical analysis. The strain characteristics and generator mode theory
fundamentals of EAE were discussed and studied. The mathematical model of EAE
was established. A power conversion control system for EAE was designed.
Electroactive strain values were measured for different pre-strain and driving
voltages. The power generation process of EAE was tested under different
influencing factors. The experimental results show that the inflexion of
electroactive strain was found for different pre-strain values, and the
electroactive strain value increased with the augmentation of the driving
voltage when the pre-strain level was below the inflexion, otherwise, the
electroactive strain value decreased with the augmentation of the driving
voltage. The hysteresis loop due to the viscoelasticity charateristic of EAE
was measured. The energy generated as nearly incompressible elastomer layers
increase in area and decrease in thickness when EAE stretched, and power
generated when EAE relaxed. The voltage of power generation increased with the
augmentation of the bias voltage, pre-strain level and compression speed. The
experimental results accorded with analytical model and lay the foundation for
actuators, generator and sensors of EAE.
Keywords: Electroactive acrylic elastomer, strain characteristics, power generation, pre-strain
