Electric field concentration in hydrogel-elastomer devices

Vaicekauskaite, Justina1,2; Yang, Canhui2,3; Skov, Anne Ladegaard1; Suo, Zhigang2

2020

10.1016/j.eml.2019.100597

Extreme Mechanics Letters   影响因子和分区

23524316

Hydrogels and elastomers are being integrated to make stretchable, transparent, electromechanical devices. In such a device, a dielectric elastomer functions as an electric insulator, and a salt-containing hydrogel functions as an electric conductor. Here we report several experimental observations associated with electric field concentration along the edges of the hydrogels. We apply cyclic voltage to a large number of samples, and record the numbers of cycles when the elastomer suffers electric breakdown. In most samples, the elastomer breaks down at the edges of the hydrogels. Before the elastomer breaks down, we observe salting out, localized heating, and plasma along the edges of the hydrogels. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the concentrated electric field at the edges of the hydrogels breaks down the air when the elastomer is intact. Remarkably, the breakdown of air makes the electric field less concentrated, and protects the elastomer. When the sample is coated with an elastomer, air no longer breaks down, but the elastomer breaks down at a reduced applied voltage. We discuss the significance of these observations in applications.
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd

Hydrogel-elastomer devices Dielectric elastomers Hydrogels Electric field concentration Localized heating Salting out

SCI ; EI

英语

其他

[DMR-14-20570] ; Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University[Y01326219] ; Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond[] ; Sigma-Aldrich Corporation[846-80G]

Engineering ; Materials Science ; Mechanics

Engineering, Mechanical ; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary ; Mechanics

WOS:000510479300007

Elsevier Ltd

20194807748087

Electric fields ; Electromechanical devices ; Hydrogels ; Insulator contamination ; Plastics

Electricity: Basic Concepts and Phenomena:701.1 ; Chemical Products Generally:804 ; Polymer Products:817.1 ; Elastomers:818.2

Web of Science

1.The Danish Polymer Centre, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
2.John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Kavli Institute for Bionano Science and Technology, Harvard University, MA; 02138, United States
3.Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong; 518055, China

Vaicekauskaite, Justina,Yang, Canhui,Skov, Anne Ladegaard,et al. Electric field concentration in hydrogel-elastomer devices[J]. Extreme Mechanics Letters,2020,34.

Vaicekauskaite, Justina,Yang, Canhui,Skov, Anne Ladegaard,&Suo, Zhigang.(2020).Electric field concentration in hydrogel–elastomer devices.Extreme Mechanics Letters,34.

Vaicekauskaite, Justina,et al."Electric field concentration in hydrogel–elastomer devices".Extreme Mechanics Letters 34(2020).