Examination of factors to improve the performance of dielectric elastomer transducers and their applications

Actuators, sensors, and generators using dielectric elastomers (DEs) are inexpensive and light, and can be easily to structured, multilayer-able, and very efficient. They are ideal for an eco-energy society. In the latest technology, an only 0.15 g DE can lift an 8 kg weight by 1 mm or more in just 88 ms. The near future, it can be applied to efficient drive systems of humanoid robots, systems that assist in driving the motors of electric vehicles, and various industrial machinery. It is highly likely that very thin and miniaturized DE sensors would also support the driving of motors. In addition, DE generators, which can be applied to various external forces, have attracted significant attention as a renewable energy source. In this paper, we discuss the R&D status of DEs using mainly commercially available elastomer materials, give examples of issues, and discuss and their potential applications, and usefulness. The excellent performance of the DEs mentioned above is largely due to their carbon-based electrodes. In this study, various carbon materials (including carbon grease, carbon black, MWCNT, and SWCNT) and their DE performances were compared.