Abstract
The strain characteristics and power generation mechanism of electroactive acrylic elastomer (EAE) was studied by experiments based on theoretical analysis. The strain characteristics and generator mode theory fundamentals of EAE were discussed and studied. The mathematical model of EAE was established. A power conversion control system for EAE was designed. Electroactive strain values were measured for different pre-strain and driving voltages. The power generation process of EAE was tested under different influencing factors. The experimental results show that the inflexion of electroactive strain was found for different pre-strain values, and the electroactive strain value increased with the augmentation of the driving voltage when the pre-strain level was below the inflexion, otherwise, the electroactive strain value decreased with the augmentation of the driving voltage. The hysteresis loop due to the viscoelasticity charateristic of EAE was measured. The energy generated as nearly incompressible elastomer layers increase in area and decrease in thickness when EAE stretched, and power generated when EAE relaxed. The voltage of power generation increased with the augmentation of the bias voltage, pre-strain level and compression speed. The experimental results accorded with analytical model and lay the foundation for actuators, generator and sensors of EAE.