A flexible morphing wing by soft wing skin actuation utilizing dielectric elastomer: Experiments and electro-aerodynamic model

The morphing wing has been studied for its advantage in tunable aerodynamics. In this paper, a soft wing skin that utilizing dielectric elastomer is designed to actuate a rigid airfoil for morphing performance. Quasi-linear and consistent actuation is achieved thanks to the silicone electrodes and pure shear configuration. An electro-aerodynamics model is established, based on simulation and multi-field coupling theory, where stability behavior is analyzed for stable deformation in the morphing process. Experiments verify a large bending angle over 30° in the clockwise direction, along with a blocking force exceeding 500 mN under 6500 V actuation.