Method to Control Dynamic Snap-Through Instability of Dielectric Elastomers

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are a category of soft materials that are capable of large deformation, however, the actuation performance is affected by snap-through instability. In this article, a dynamics model is developed to investigate the dynamic snap-through instability of DEs by applying the triangle and sinusoidal voltages. The DE materials with different limiting stretches are considered. When the DE is under a triangle voltage or a sinusoidal voltage, the snap-through behavior may emerge during the response in time domain, and the DEs with a large value of limiting stretch are susceptible to dynamic snap-through instability. By tuning the mechanical tensile force, the occurrence of dynamic snap-through instability can be controlled. With the increase of tensile force, the dynamic snap-through behavior initially does not emerge during vibration, then accompanies the vibration, and eventually disappears. Phase paths and Poincaré maps are utilized to explore the dynamic stability evolution of the DE systems.