Voltage-induced wrinkle performance in a hydrogel by dielectric elastomer actuation

Hydrogel is a type of soft smart material and is responsive to stimuli. In the development of actuation in hydrogel, electrical actuation features a fast and universal strategy which is favored in the engineering system. Due to the difficulty in direct electrical actuation in hydrogel, in this study, an indirect actuation was attained via a dielectric elastomer. An aligned wrinkle pattern was obtained in the hydrogel upon a direct-current voltage, and it is reversible. The morphology and nonlinear mechanics of the electro-wrinkling deformation was characterized and analyzed. The optical property of the wrinkle in hydrogel was investigated, demonstrating a tunable blurring effect in optics. The electro-wrinkling performance offers a potential application with soft and tunable optical property in hydrogel-based actuators.