Electrical properties and electromechanical responses of acrylic elastomers and styrene copolymers: effect of temperature

The electrical properties and electromechanical responses of acrylic elastomers and styrene copolymers were investigated towards electroactive applications such as artificial muscle and/or MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) devices. The effect of temperature, between 300 and 370 K, on electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, storage and loss moduli (G' and G ''), storage modulus response (Delta G(2kV/mm)'), and the storage modulus sensitivity (Delta G(2kV/mm)'/G(0)') of acrylic elastomers and styrene copolymers were investigated under applied electric field strengths varying from 0 to 2 kV/mm. The acrylic elastomers (AR70, AR71, and AR72) possess linearly positive storage modulus responses or sensitivities with increasing temperature and dielectric constant. On the other hand, the styrene copolymers (SAR, SBS, and SIS) attain the maximum storage modulus responses or sensitivities at the glass-transition temperature of the hard segments.