An electro-viscoelastic micromechanical model with non-constant relaxation time

An electro-viscoelastic constitutive model based on non-constant relaxation time is proposed in this paper. We start by deriving the viscoelastic model from the well-known generalized Maxwell model (GMM) provided with stress-stretch-dependent relaxation time. Here, we consider relaxation time no longer as a constant but a variable that depends on dissipation or viscous process in polymer chains due to electroelastic stress-stretch. Comparison with the electro-viscoelastic experiments shows that our proposed model can capture well dielectric elastomer viscoelastic behaviors under time- and rate-dependent electric loadings for different pre-stretch values.

Automated summary

This paper proposes an electro-viscoelastic constitutive model based on non-constant relaxation time. The model is derived from the well-known generalized Maxwell model with stress-stretch-dependent relaxation time. Comparison with experimental results shows that the proposed model effectively captures dielectric elastomer viscoelastic behaviors under time- and rate-dependent electric loadings.