Nonlinear Analysis Techniques for Elastomeric Transducers

电弹性体是一种大应变电活性聚合物，它彻底改变了智能材料的研究，有可能推动假肢设备、内窥镜手术、柔性机器人和自适应结构等领域的发展。本研究的主要目标是开发新的非线性分析技术和建模工具来研究大变形聚合物驱动材料的动态响应。提出了具有蠕动运动和抓握仿生能力的新型驱动器。各种应用都需要轻、柔顺、无损的结构，可以渗透到难以到达的模糊区域。知识优势：本研究旨在开发一种结合麦克斯韦-法拉第静电学和非线性弹性学的连续体模型，以描述用于蠕动运动和夹持/抓握的电弹性体的动态响应，并表征新合成的丙烯酸共聚物的本构响应，以改进机电驱动。更广泛的影响：支持的学生将沉浸在理论和实验环境中，并将通过与弗吉尼亚理工大学化学系的直接合作获得跨学科的经验。电活性聚合物领域智能材料研究的进步将为实现重要的健康相关目标提供手段，这些目标以前被认为是在矫形/假肢，内镜手术和机器人技术中无法实现的。

Electro-elastomers are large strain electroactive polymers that have revolutionized smart materials research with the potential to advance the areas of prosthetic devices, endoscopic surgery, compliant robots, and adaptive structures. The primary objective of the proposed research is to develop new nonlinear analysis techniques and modeling tools to study the dynamic response of large deformation polymeric actuation materials. New actuators with the novel biomimetic capabilities of peristaltic motion and gripping/grasping are proposed. Light, compliant, nondestructive constructs that can permeate obscure hard to reach areas are needed for a variety of applications. Intellectual Merit: This research seeks to develop a continuum model that combines Maxwell-Faraday electrostatics and nonlinear elasticity to describe the dynamic response of electro-elastomers configured for peristaltic motion and gripping/grasping, and to also characterize the constitutive response of newly synthesized acrylic copolymers for improved electromechanical actuation. Broader Impacts: Supported students will be immersed in both theoretical and experimental environments and will gain an interdisciplinary experience through direct collaboration with the Chemistry Department at Virginia Tech. The advancement of smart materials research in the area of electroactive polymers will provide the means to attain significant health-related goals that were thought previously unattainable in orthotics/prosthetics, endoscopic surgery, and robotics.