Abstract
Many of the electroactive polymers are dielectric and often demand high operating voltages for actuation (>>10 MV/m). These EAP-based actuators require metallic electrode layers on the surface to apply the voltage. Due to high operating voltage, heat is produced at the surface of electrodes due to resistive heating and dielectric losses in polymer material. In the case of actuators based on active and passive layer configurations with metallic electrodes, this heat could affect the performance, as the generated heat is transferred between the layers. In the present work, a PVDF terpolymer and Kapton tape-based bilayer actuator is developed, and simulation and experimental study are carried out to check the effect of DC high voltages on heat production within layers. The contribution of this heat to the bending of the actuator is also analyzed. It is found that significant heat is generated that can affect deflection process of the EAP actuator. The total electromechanical bending deflection produced at the E-field of 20 MV/m is ~80 degrees whereas deflection due heat generated at this voltage is ~15 degrees. Hence, the total deflection produced can be claimed as a combination of thermal and electro-mechanical effects.