In this paper, we investigated the temperature-dependent viscoelastic behavior of dielectric elastomers (DEs) and the effects of viscoelasticity on the electro-actuation behavior. We performed dynamic thermomechanical analysis to measure the master curve of the stress relaxation function and the temperature dependence of the relaxation time of VHB 4905, a commonly used DE. The master curve was applied to calculate the viscoelastic spectrum for a discrete multiprocess finite deformation viscoelastic model. In addition, we performed uniaxial creep and stress relaxation experiments and electrical actuation experiments under different prestretch conditions. The measured spectrum was applied to predict the experimental results. Generally, the model produced good quantitative agreement with both the viscoelastic and electro-actuation experiments, which shows the necessity of using a multiprocess relaxation model to accurately capture the viscoelastic response for VHB. However, the model underpredicted the electro-actuated creep strain for high voltages near the pull-in instability. We attributed the discrepancies to the complex boundary conditions that were not taken into account in the simulation. We also investigated the failure of VHB membrane caused by viscoelastic creep when prestretched and subjected to constant voltage loading. The experimental time to failure for the specimens decreased exponentially with voltage, which agreed well with the predictions of the model.
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September 2015
Research-Article
The Temperature-Dependent Viscoelastic Behavior of Dielectric Elastomers
Jingkai Guo,
Jingkai Guo
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: jguo19@jhu.edu
The Johns Hopkins University
,Baltimore, MD 21218
e-mail: jguo19@jhu.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Rui Xiao,
Rui Xiao
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: rxiao4@jhu.edu
The Johns Hopkins University
,Baltimore, MD 21218
e-mail: rxiao4@jhu.edu
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Thao D. Nguyen
Thao D. Nguyen
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: vicky.nguyen@jhu.edu
The Johns Hopkins University
,Baltimore, MD 21218
e-mail: vicky.nguyen@jhu.edu
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Jingkai Guo
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: jguo19@jhu.edu
The Johns Hopkins University
,Baltimore, MD 21218
e-mail: jguo19@jhu.edu
Rui Xiao
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: rxiao4@jhu.edu
The Johns Hopkins University
,Baltimore, MD 21218
e-mail: rxiao4@jhu.edu
Harold S. Park
Thao D. Nguyen
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: vicky.nguyen@jhu.edu
The Johns Hopkins University
,Baltimore, MD 21218
e-mail: vicky.nguyen@jhu.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Applied Mechanics Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS. Manuscript received May 4, 2015; final manuscript received June 12, 2015; published online June 25, 2015. Editor: Yonggang Huang.
J. Appl. Mech. Sep 2015, 82(9): 091009 (9 pages)
Published Online: September 1, 2015
Article history
Received:
May 4, 2015
Revision Received:
June 12, 2015
Online:
June 25, 2015
Citation
Guo, J., Xiao, R., Park, H. S., and Nguyen, T. D. (September 1, 2015). "The Temperature-Dependent Viscoelastic Behavior of Dielectric Elastomers." ASME. J. Appl. Mech. September 2015; 82(9): 091009. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4030850
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