Development of enhanced synthetic elastomer for energy-efficient polymer actuators

In this paper, a new material, called a synthetic elastomer, is presented as a means of actuation. The material displays enhanced performances in terms of electrical as well as mechanical aspects such as dielectric constant, elastic strength and stress relaxation. We begin by developing synthesis procedures for the material, which result in its general recipe with chemical composition. In addition, the effects of respective chemical constituents are studied with regard to the electrical and mechanical characteristics of the actuator. Finally, experimental tests are performed to evaluate the actuation performance of the material, and its advantages are clarified by conducting comparative studies with other existing materials.