A series of isometric,radially expanding tubular units,made of dielectric elastomer with compliant electrodes,constitute a soft linear peristaltic pump with distributed actuation for transport of incompressible fluids...A series of isometric,radially expanding tubular units,made of dielectric elastomer with compliant electrodes,constitute a soft linear peristaltic pump with distributed actuation for transport of incompressible fluids.Based on the Gent strain energy model,this paper theoretically analyzes the homogeneous large deformation of the peristaltic unit.We discuss the effects of axial prestretch on the actuation of the actuator.We then predict the maximum actuation strain of this actuator which is limited by dielectric strength of the polymer.The results presented here extend the previous study based on linear elasticity,and can predict the electromechanical behaviors of the novel actuator at large deformations.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11102149,10872157,11072185,and 10972174)
文摘A series of isometric,radially expanding tubular units,made of dielectric elastomer with compliant electrodes,constitute a soft linear peristaltic pump with distributed actuation for transport of incompressible fluids.Based on the Gent strain energy model,this paper theoretically analyzes the homogeneous large deformation of the peristaltic unit.We discuss the effects of axial prestretch on the actuation of the actuator.We then predict the maximum actuation strain of this actuator which is limited by dielectric strength of the polymer.The results presented here extend the previous study based on linear elasticity,and can predict the electromechanical behaviors of the novel actuator at large deformations.
