Oscillation of Dielectric Elastomers Resonator with Strain-Stiffening Effect

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) vibrate with nonlinear dynamics that result from an electromechanical coupling. When excited with an alternating voltage, the DE oscillates. This paper presents an analysis of the nonlinear characters of a DE as a Resonator (DER) in the in-plane directions. By changing the elastic properties and geometry of the elastomer, the performance of DERs can be tuned. A theoretical model is developed to characterize and predict the fundamental frequency and the time-domain response. The results presented in this paper provide a guide to the design and application of DERs in various dynamic devices.