Dielectric elastomers exhibit the most promising properties that mimic natural muscle for use in advanced robotics and smart materials, as well as in haptic and microfluidic devices. Elastomers derived from homopolymers such as acrylics and silicones have received considerable attention as dielectric electroactive polymers.
Silicone elastomer actuators were investigated to develop a simple and industrially scalable product with improved mechanical properties, such as low modulus, high tearing strength and good resilience, and enhanced electromechanical actuation property. Silicone elastomers were fabricated via hydrosilylation addition reaction using vinyl end?functionalized poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), multi-vinyl functionalized silicone resin and a cross-linker in presence of platinum catalyst. For the larger electromechanical actuation response, silicone dielectric elastomer actuator had to have larger molecular weight of PDMS, smaller hardener content, resin-free composition, and composite with silicone grafted multi wall carbon nanotube(MWCNT)s. Electromechanical properties of silicone elastomers depended on the molecular weight, multi-vinyl functionalized silicone resin and crosslinker contents. As the molecular weight and filler of MWCNTs increased, electromechanical actuation strain increased. In contrast, when resin and crosslinker contents increased, electromechanical actuation decreased. This actuation behavior may be explained from electromechanical responses that were observed reciprocal to the tensile modulus of the silicone elastomers and dielectric properties. Modulus decreased with increasing the molecular weight, while decreased with increasing the amounts of resin and crosslinker in the products. And dielectric constant increased with increasing the MWCNTs until certain concentration.