A multi-physical model of actuation response in dielectric gels

Actuation deformation of a dielectric gel is attributed to: the solvent diffusion, the electrical polarization and material hyperelasticity. A multi-physical model, coupling electrical and mechanical quantities, is established, based on the thermodynamics. A set of constitutive relations is derived as an equation of state for characterization. The model is applied to specific cases as effective validations. Physical and chemical parameters affect the performance of the gel, showing nonlinear deformation and instability. This model offers guidance for engineering application.