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Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuators

Research Group of Laboratory for Materials and Engineering Gabor Kovacs, Silvain Michel, Christian Drager, Urs Hintermller, Alfred Schmidlin, Michael Wissler, Patrick Lochmatter and Rui Zhang Main Project Partners ETH Zurich, Institute of Mechanical Systems (IMES): Centre of Mechanics and Centre of Structure Technologies ETH Zurich, Institute of Machine Tools and Manufacturing EMPA, Laboratory for Functional Polymers Swiss National Science Foundation: National Centre of Competence in Research CO-ME

Electroactive Polymer Technology


Electroactive polymers (EAP) are promising as actuators in intelligent material systems, where large deformations are required. Electromagnetic, piezoelectric or shape memory alloy actuators are either too heavy, too complex or too slow for such applications. EAP however are relatively lightweight, rather simple and fast enough. In particular, dielectric electroactive polymers were shown to have good overall performances. Since their capabilities correspond to the performance of natural muscles, dielectric EAP actuators are often referred to as artificial muscles.

Arm wrestling competition: EAP-activated robot versus human at the SPIE Symposium in March, 2005.

Working Principle of Dielectric Electroactive Polymers


Deactivated Activated

d Q=0 U Co Ao do U C -Q +Q A

A dielectric EAP actuator is basically a compliant capacitor, where a thin elastomer film is sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. When a high DC voltage (kV) is applied to the electrodes, the arising electrostatic pressure squeezes the elastomer film in thickness and thus the film expands in planar directions. When the voltage is switched off, the elastic film returns to its original shape.

Dielectric EAP actuator in deactivated (left) and activated state (right).

Configurations and Characteristics of Dielectric Electroactive Polymers


Possible Actuator Configurations
Various actuator designs are possible such as: Single-layer or multilayer planar actuators Spring roll actuators (electroactive polymer wrapped around a coil spring) Shell-like actuators (bending actuators)

Bending actuator in deactivated (left) and activated state (right).

Characteristics of Empa spring roll actuators


Free strain: 35 % Blocked force: 7 N Specific work output: 4.3 mJ/g Activation cycles: 500

Spring roll actuator.

10 mm

Contact:

Gabor Kovacs

gabor.kovacs@empa.ch +41 (0)44 823 40 63

Silvain Michel

silvain.michel@empa.ch +41 (0)44 823 45 88

Modeling and Simulation of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators


Michael Wissler1,2, Dr. Gabor Kovacs1, Prof. Dr. Mehdi Farshad1, Prof. Dr. Edoardo Mazza2,1
1Empa, 2ETH

Laboratory for Materials and Engineering, CH-8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland Zurich, Center of Mechanics, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland

Goal
The goal is to model the electromechanical behavior of dielectric elastomer actuators in agreement with experiments. The models will allow simulating the behavior of geometrically complex actuators, to optimize the design and to ensure their reliability. New materials may be synthesized based on results generated with this model.

Research Approach
Mechanical behavior: Characterization and modeling of the passive mechanical properties of the film (constitutive equations) Characterization of the electrical properties of the film Electromechanical coupling: Experimental and numerical investigation of planar actuators Analyzing geometrical complex actuators (spring roll actuators)

Experiments and Finite Element Models


Several experiments at different prestrain levels have been performed. A constant voltage between 2 and 3.5 kV has been applied. The constitutive mechanical model is a quasilinear visco-hyperelastic model. This model is implemented in a finite element model (see figure 2) for calculation of the behavior of the circular actuator.

Voltage on

Voltage off

Voltage on

Voltage off

Figure 1: Experimental setup of the circular actuator.

Figure 2: Finite element model of the circular actuator.

Results and Conclusion Results and Conclusion


25 20 15 10 2.5 kV 5 0 0 250 500 750 1000 2 kV 3.5 kV 3 kV
In figure 3 the radial strain is plotted against time for a circular actuator with a biaxial prestretch of 3x3. The experiments are indicated as red curves and the simulations as blue curves. For the hyperelastic part of the constitutive model the Yeoh strain energy form is used. For the viscoelastic part the Prony series (exponential series) are applied. The results show an excellent agreement between simulation and experiment for 2 and 2.5 kV, a good agreement for 3 kV and a satisfactory agreement for 3.5 kV.

Radial Strain [%]

Time [s]
Figure 3: Comparison between experiments and simulations.

References
[1] [2] [3] [4] M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Modeling of a pre-strained circular actuator made of dielectric elastomer actuators, Sensors and Actuators A, vol. 120, pp. 184 192, 2005 M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Modeling and simulation of dielectric elastomer actuators, Smart Materials and Structures, vol. 14, pp. 1396 1402, 2005. M. Wissler et al, Circular pre-strained dielectric elastomer actuator: modeling, simulation and experimental verification, Proc. SPIE, vol. 5759, pp. 182 193, 2005. M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Modeling and Finite Element Simulation of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators, NAFEM Seminar, 2005, Wiesbaden, Germany.

Contact: Michael Wissler

michael.wissler@empa.ch

+41 (0)44 823 47 87

Spring Roll Dielectric Elastomer Actuators for a Portable Force Feedback Device
Rui Zhang1, Dr. Gabor Kovacs1, Dr. Andreas Kunz2, Prof. Dr. Konrad Wegener2
1 Empa, 2 ETH

Laboratory for Materials and Engineering, CH-8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland Zurich, Institute of Machine Tools and Manufacturing, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland

Goal
The aim of this project is to develop a force feedback device, which provides satisfying touch sensations to the operator, moreover, which is portable, powerful, lightweight, and nonobstructive. The focus is mainly on the development of dielectric elastomer (DE) actuators and further, on their implementation into a force feedback interface.
3D simulation and collision detection 3D Graphics Visual feedback

Actuator controlling

Force feedback

Force feedback device

Fingerposition measuring Fingerposition signal CyberGlove R

Human operator in Virtual Reality

Fig. 1 Schematic of a force feedback interface. Red rectangular area includes the focus of this thesis.

Concept Study of the Force Feedback Device


On the dorsal side

To generate a resultant force on the fingertips, the actuators can be either located on the dorsal side, in the palm, between or around the fingers. Our evaluation of 22 concepts showed that actuator between the fingers is the most promising concept since it has a compact and effective design, a realistic force distribution, which is normal to the fingertips, and no unnecessary counter forces acting on the hand.

6% Around the fingers 6% the fingers Between

Fdevice

Actuator Force transmission

Attachment A Actuator Attachment B

32% On the palmar side

Fig. 2 Arts of the actuator attachment on the hand are divided into four categories.

Fig. 3 The envisioned device approach is to attach DE actuators between the fingers.

Development of the DE Actuators


Design The spring roll DE actuator consists of a biaxially pre-stretched DE film, which is wrapped around a fully compressed spiral spring. By implementing a telescopic guidance the actuator is able to execute linear movements and to hold axial compressive loads introduced by the fingers.
Compressed coil spring Biaxially prestretched, coated DE film

Working direction

Cast-end

Telescopic guidance

Fig. 4 Construction of the spring roll push-pull actuator. Experiments Isometric tests were carried out to characterize the actuator force-displacement behavior under activation. The actuator executed a maximum blocking force of 7.2 N and a maximum elongation of 5 mm under a driving voltage of 3.5 kV. Due to the high driving voltage, electrical safety issues have been studied in order to provide sufficient safety to human operators. To demonstrate the proposed application, the actuator was finally implemented into a force feedback interface as described in figure 1. Fig. 6 Specification of the spring roll pull-push DE actuator.

Fig. 5 Desktop demonstrator, by which a user can feel the actuator.


20

Specification Material Dimensions Layers Weight Production time Electrode area

Value VHB 4910 (3M) =12 mm, L=45 mm about 60 8g 1 hour 16 1840 mm

15 2 kV 10 Force [N] 0 kV 5 0 Electrical Voltage -5 -10 1 kV 3 kV

3 4 5 6 Displacement [mm]

Fig. 7 The actuator characteristics under isometric tests.

References and Funding


[1] A. Mazzone, R. Zhang, Virtual Reality Software and Technology Conference, Osaka Japan, 2003, pp. 196 204 [2] R. Zhang, A. Kunz, The 4th European Conference on Haptics, Munich Germany, June 2004, pp. 300-307 [3] R. Zhang, A. Kunz, P. Lochmatter, G. Kovacs, 14th Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems, part of IEEE Virtual Reality 2006 Arlington, Virginia, USA, pp. 347-353 [4] R. Zhang, P. Lochmatter, A. Kunz, G. Kovacs, 8th SPIE Conference - EAP Actuators & Devices (EAPAD), 2006, San Diego, CA, USA (accepted) The study is part of the National Centre of Competence in Research CO-ME, which is funded by Swiss National Science Foundation.

Contact: Rui Zhang rui.zhang@empa.ch +41 (0)44 823 46 25

Development of a Shell-like Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuator


Patrick Lochmatter1,2, Dr. Gabor Kovacs1, Prof. Dr. Paolo Ermanni2
1Empa, 2ETH

Laboratory for Materials and Engineering, CH-8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland Zurich, Centre of Structure Technologies, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland

Goal
Control and Energy Supply The goal of this PhD thesis is to build a shelllike actuator based on dielectric elastomers (DE), which is capable to perform complex out-of-plane deformations. The aimed shapes of the actuator should be maintained by a control system even when external loads act upon its surface. F(x,t) 30 cm

off on 30 cm Shell-like Actuator Figure 1: The deactivated shell-like actuator (left) takes a specific shape when activated (right).

Potential Applications
Ropeway Gondolas Shell-like actuators may be used as adaptive elements to generate a specific interaction between the structure and the environment, e.g. for drag / oscillation-reduction of fluid-exposed structures (left), propulsion of vehicles through fluids (center), continuous adjustment of surfaces (right). Active Blimp Aerospace

Propulsion

Figure 2: Numerous promising applications are possible for shell-like actuators.

Results
Modeling A novel model for the visco-hyperelastic behavior of the acrylic film VHB 4910 (3M) was developed. Therewith, the performance (energy density, efficiency) of selected planar DE actuator configurations was estimated. DE Actuator (Capacitor) Voltage Source Overall Resistance
Lx ( t )
V

z ( t ) = pel ( t )
p (t )

y (t )
Lz ( t ) Ly ( t )

x (t )

Figure 3: DE actuator in an electrical circuit (left) and viscoelastic film model (right).

4 kV Experimental Inspired by the biological agonist-antagonist principle of operation uni- and biaxial bending actuators based on dielectric elastomers were manufactured and will be characterized.

4 kV

4 kV Figure 4: Uni- (left) and biaxial (right) bending actuator based on dielectric elastomers.

4 kV

References
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] P. Lochmatter, and G. Kovacs, Concepts for the reduction of the wind-induced oscillation of continuous aerial ropeway gondolas, submitted to Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics. P. Lochmatter, S. Michel, and G. Kovacs, in Smart Structures and Materials 2006: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), 2006, San Diego, USA. P. Lochmatter, G. Kovacs, and S. Michel, Characterization of DE actuators based on an elastic film model, submitted to Sensors and Actuators A. P. Lochmatter, G. Kovacs, and M. Wissler, Characterization of DE actuators based on a viscoelastic film model, submitted to Smart Materials and Structures. Swiss Patent No. 6602005, S. Michel, G. Kovacs, and P. Lochmatter, Antrieb fr einen Leichter-als-Luft-Flugapparat.

Contact: Patrick Lochmatter patrick.lochmatter@empa.ch +41 (0)44 823 43 27

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