Abstract

In this paper, a diaphragm-type dielectric elastomer energy transducer is theoretically and numerically investigated by considering the viscoelastic behaviors of the material. The transducer is designed in the shape of a circular membrane. The buckling mode of the membrane is therefore harnessed to transform energy between its mechanical form and electrical form. It is shown that viscous dissipation has a significant impact on the electromechanical instability (EMI) of the transducer when it works as an actuator. It is found that, during the actuation, a smaller modulus ratio is easier to incur EMI. It is expected that there is a critical modulus ratio, beyond which a steady state can be achieved by circumventing the stress relaxation-induced EMI. When the transducer works as an energy harvester, viscous effect affects the efficiency of the energy harvester significantly. It is discovered that the efficiency is a function of both the modulus ratio of the material and the pressure ratio from the environment. For a fixed pressure ratio, the efficiency initially drops and then turns upward as the modulus ratio increases from 0 to 1. It is also shown that for the material state with a relatively small modulus ratio, the efficiency decreases as the pressure ratio increases. While for the material state with a relatively large modulus ratio, the efficiency rises along with the pressure ratio.

中文翻译：

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膜片式粘弹性介电弹性体能量传感器的建模

摘要

在本文中，通过考虑材料的粘弹性行为，对膜片型介电弹性体能量传感器进行了理论和数值研究。换能器被设计成圆形膜的形状。因此，利用膜的屈曲模式在其机械形式和电子形式之间转换能量。结果表明，粘性耗散对换能器作为致动器的机电不稳定性（EMI）产生重大影响。已经发现，在致动期间，较小的模量比更容易引起EMI。可以预期存在一个临界模量比，通过克服该临界模量比，可以避免应力松弛引起的EMI，从而达到稳态。当换能器充当能量收集器时，粘性效应会显着影响能量采集器的效率。发现效率是材料的模量比和来自环境的压力比的函数。对于固定的压力比，效率首先下降，然后随着模数比从0增加到1而上升。对于具有相对较小模数比的材料状态，效率随压力比的增加而降低。而对于具有相对较大模量比的材料状态，效率随着压力比而增加。效率开始下降，然后随着模数比从0增加到1而上升。对于模数比相对小的材料状态，效率随着压力比的增加而降低。而对于具有相对较大模量比的材料状态，效率随着压力比而增加。效率开始下降，然后随着模数比从0增加到1而上升。对于模数比相对小的材料状态，效率随着压力比的增加而降低。而对于具有相对较大模量比的材料状态，效率随着压力比而增加。