A model for conditional polarization of the actuation enhancement of a dielectric elastomer

Elastic dielectrics are able to produce large deformations as dipoles align in the direction of an electric field. We proposed a model to study the polarization mode, named conditional polarization, and to characterize the behavior when the dipolar alignment is constrained by deformation. Combined with experimental measurements, we applied the model to investigate the electromechanical deformation of a dielectric membrane. The conditional polarization would modify the final state as well as the path to instability during actuation due to the mechanism of induced electrostriction, indicating a new route to optimize the performance of elastic dielectrics.