Dynamic Modeling and Analysis of Soft Dielectric Elastomer Balloon Actuator with Polymer Chains Crosslinks, Entanglements and Finite Extensibility

Abstract

Soft dielectric elastomers (SDEs) represent a category of intelligent electroactive materials utilized in electro-mechanical actuation technology. The dynamic performance of these materials during actuation is notably affected by intrinsic factors like crosslinks, entanglements and the limited extensibility of polymer chains. In this paper, we provide a theoretical framework for modeling the dynamic behavior of a balloon actuator made up of soft dielectric elastomer. To account for the inherent characteristics of polymer chain networks, we employ a physics-based nonaffine material model proposed by Davidson and Goulbourne. The governing equation for dynamic motion is established using Euler–Lagrange’s equation of motion for conservative systems. The reported dynamic modeling framework is then utilized to explore the transient response, stability, periodicity and resonance properties of a dielectric elastomer balloon (DEB) actuator for varying levels of polymer chain crosslinks, entanglements and finite extensibility parameters. To assess the periodicity and stability of the nonlinear vibrations exhibited by the DEB actuator, we present Poincaré maps and phase-plane plots. The results demonstrate that changes in the density of polymer chain entanglements lead to transitions between quasi-periodic and aperiodic vibrations. These findings represent an essential initial step toward the design and production of intelligent soft actuators with diverse applications in future technologies.