The characterization of silicone type dielectric elastomer filled with nano sized BaTiO₃particles

Abstract

In this paper, the characterization and electromechanical stability behavior of nano sized BaTiO3 particle filled dielectric elastomer has been analyzed experimentally and theoretically. The free energy function involving a new dielectric energy density function and Mooney-Rivlin elastic strain energy function has been used to carry out the analysis. To give a comprehensive dielectric energy function, the influence of the BaTiO3 weight fraction on the dielectric property of the dielectric elastomer has been considered. The analytical results show that with the increasing weight fraction of BaTiO3 or the electrostrictive factor, the critical electric field of silicone elastomer decreases, i.e. the elastomer's stability is reduced. Meanwhile, with the increasing material constant ratio k which is the ratio of the two material constants appeared in the Mooney-Rivilin elastic strain energy function, the critical nominal electric field will increase. These results are useful in not only helping us to understand the influence of the filled nano-BaTiO3 particles on the electromechanical stability of silicone dielectric elastomer, but also giving great guidance to obtain specific dielectric elastomer actuators to meet the demand of users by changing the dielectric property of the elastomer.