INSTABILITIES IN DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATORS

Abstract

Dielectric elastomer actuators, one class of soft actuators, are widely being utilized for developing soft robots and devices. They display a myriad of instabilities owing to their high non-linearity. In this thesis, we focus on these instabilities and devise formal studies to realize and understand them in order to widen the range of applications of dielectric elastomer actuators. We first devise a technique to safely harness snapthrough instability in a dielectric elastomer membrane subject to constant pressure coupled with a fluid. The second part of the thesis studies the various types of phase transitions involving flat and wrinkled states. The third part deals with the various modes of morphological instabilities in dielectric elastomer membranes. Finally, we highlight the practical applications of dielectric elastomer actuator by developing a soft underwater robot inspired by jellyfish and suggest techniques for harnessing instabilities to enhance its performance.