Electroelastic plate instabilities based on the Stroh method in terms of the energy function Ω*(F, DL)

The stability of an electroelastic dielectric elastomer plate with compliant electrodes on its major surfaces under an applied potential difference is examined on the basis of the incremental theory of electroelastic fields. The Stroh method of analysis of the governing equations is used with the material constitutive law given in terms of the energy function Omega*(F, D-L), where F is the deformation gradient and D-L is the Lagrangian electric displacement field. For a particular class of energy functions, explicit bifurcation equations are obtained for antisymmetric and symmetric modes of instability and the results are illustrated for a Gent electroelastic material model with different values of the Gent parameter. This work confirms previous results obtained in terms of the energy function Omega(F, E-L), where E-L is the Lagrangian electric field. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.