Dielectric Actuator Behavior and Space-charge Distribution of Silicone Composites Containing Polar Groups

In order to develop a silicone actuator driven by an electric field in air, the silicone composite films of silicone and polar group-containing material were prepared. The polar group-containing materials were a cyanoethylsucrose containing a cyanoethyl group having a large polarity in its molecule, a side-chain fluoroalkyl-modified silicone oil and a side-chain carboxyl-group-modified silicone oil. The space-charge distribution and the deformation behavior under the electric field of these silicone composite films were measured. Hetero charge accumulation was observed in the silicone composite film in the vicinity of the anode interface, however, no accumulation of hetero charge was observed in the silicone composite film in the vicinity of the cathode. The asymmetry of the space-charge distribution of the silicone/polar group-containing material composite was confirmed. The larger the hetero charge peak value inside the silicone composite film in the vicinity of the anode interface, the larger the deformation. The amount of deformation of the cyanoethylsucrose composite was 280 μm at 3 kV/mm, which was about 20 times as large as that of silicone having no polar group. (silicone composite film size: 168 μm thick, 12 mm long)