MICROFABRICATION AND MODELLING OF DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATORS

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dc.contributor.advisorSmela, Elisabethen_US
dc.contributor.authorBalakrisnan, Bavanien_US
dc.contributor.departmentMechanical Engineeringen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-07-07T06:19:11Z
dc.date.available2012-07-07T06:19:11Z
dc.date.issued2012en_US
dc.description.abstractDielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are a class of polymeric actuators that have gained prominence over the last decade. A DEA is comprised of a polymer sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. When voltage is applied between the two electrodes, electrostatic attraction between the electrodes compresses the elastomer in that direction and stretches it in the other two directions. DEAs produce dimensional changes (strains) up to 300% upon application of an electric field. DEAs have tremendous potential for applications requiring large displacements and have been demonstrated for many macro-scale (centimeter and larger) applications such as robots, loudspeakers, and motors. There are potentially many useful applications for micro-scale DEAs (less than millimeter-sized devices with micron-sized actuators) in the fields of micro-robotics, micro-optics, and micro-fluidics. However, miniaturization of DEAs is challenging because many of the materials and DEA fabrication methods used on the macro-scale cannot be adapted for micro-scale fabrication of DEAs. This thesis explores the feasibility of developing fabrication strategies for micro-scale DEAs by adapting micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. In addition, fabrication protocols for micro-scale DEAs have been developed. The other aspect of this thesis is the design of bending DEAs. Benders are useful because for a given actuation strain, greater deflection can be observed by controlling the stiffnesses and thicknesses of different layers. A general guideline for designing bending DEA configurations such as unimorph, bimorph, and multilayer stacks was developed using a multilayer analytical model. The design optimization is based on the effect of thickness and stiffness of different layers on curvature, blocked force, and work. Complaint electrodes and their design are important for DEAs to enable the elastomer to stretch unrestricted. Thus, design criteria for the fabrication of crenellated electrodes and crenellated elastomers with electrodes were investigated. This guideline enabled design of structures with appropriate axial or bending stiffnesses based on the amplitude, angle, length, and thickness. Simple analytical equations for axial and bending stiffness for crenellated electrodes with different shapes were derived. In addition, numerical simulations of crenellated elastomer with stiff electrode were performeden_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/12755
dc.subject.pqcontrolledMechanical engineeringen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledMaterials Scienceen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledMechanicsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledActuatorsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledcompliant meandersen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledDielectric Elastomer Actuatorsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledMEMSen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledPolymeren_US
dc.titleMICROFABRICATION AND MODELLING OF DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATORSen_US
dc.typeDissertationen_US

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