Electric Field-Driven Dielectrophoretic Elastomer Actuators

Dielectrophoresis is the electro-mechanical phenomenon where a force is generated on a dielectric material when exposed to a non-uniform electric field. It has potential to be exploited in smart materials for robotic manipulation and locomotion, but to date it has been sparsely studied in this area. Herein, a new type of dielectrophoretic actuator exploiting a novel electroactive polymer is described, termed as dielectrophoretic elastomer (DPE), which undergoes electric field-driven actuation through dielectrophoresis. Unique deflection and morphing behavior of the elastomer induced by controlling the dielectrophoretic phenomenon, such as out-of-plane deformation and independence of electric field polarity, are illustrated. The dielectric and mechanical properties of the DPE are studied to gain insight into the influence of materials composition on deformation. Actuation performance using different electrode parameters is experimentally investigated with supplementary analysis through finite element simulation, revealing the relationship between electric field inhomogeneity and deflection. The applications of DPE actuators in a range of robotic devices is demonstrated, including a pump, an adjustable optical lens, and a walking robot. This diverse range of applications illustrates the wide potential of these new soft-and-smart electric field-driven materials for use in soft robotics and soft compliant devices.