Affiliations: [a] State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China | [b] School of Aerospace Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China | [c] Xi’an Modern Chemistry Research Institute, Xi’an, China
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Shilin Xie, State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, China. E-mail: slxie@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Abstract: Dielectric electro-active polymer (DEAP) is a new kind of smart material, which has a strong application potential in intelligent control field due to the large mechanical deformation under electrical stimulation. Based on the actuation performance of this material, the DC voltage is necessary for reciprocating actuation. Thus, it is essential to study the actuation performance under DC voltage. In this article, the actuation performance of a DEAP actuator under DC voltage is discussed, the electromechanical coupling model is firstly given considering the frequency-dependent characteristic of the dielectric elastomeric materials. Then the drive displacement performance under DC voltage is studied numerically and experimentally. The simulation results are consistent well with the experimental ones and both demonstrate that this actuator have good displacement output capacity. Moreover, the influence of voltage on the dynamic stiffness of actuator and vibration isolation performance are investigated as well. The dynamic stiffness model of actuator is derived based on the electromechanical coupling model and the vibration isolation performances of a signal degree of freedom system under different DC voltages have been examined. The simulation and experiment results show that the DC voltage has little effect on the vibration isolation performance although the dynamic stiffness of actuator is related to voltage. Therefore, the dynamic characteristics of DEAP actuator can be regarded as to be invariable within a certain range of voltage. This feature of actuator are beneficial to vibration control application in the future.
