Open-access dielectric elastomer material database

Dielectric Elastomer Transducers (DETs) are deformable capacitors that can be used as sensors, actuators and generators. The design of effective and optimized DETs requires the knowledge of a set of relevant properties of the employed Dielectric Elastomer (DE) material, which make it possible to accurately predict their electromechanical dynamic behavior. In this context, an open-access database for DE materials has been created with the aim of providing the practicing engineer with the essential information for the design and optimization of new kinds of DET. Among the electrical properties, dielectric susceptibility, dielectric strength and conductivity are considered along with their dependence on mechanical strain. As regards mechanical behavior, experimental stress-strain curves are provided to predict hyperelasticity, plasticity, viscosity, Mullins effect and mechanical rupture. Properties of commercial elastomeric membranes have been entered in the database and made available to the research community. This paper describes the instrumentations, experimental setups and procedures that have been employed for the characterization of the considered DE materials. To provide an example, the experimental data acquired for a commercially available natural rubber membrane (OPPO Band Red 8012) are presented.