A Standardized Framework for Elastomer Characterization in Soft Robotics

Designing soft robotic components with desired functionalities relies on selecting and accurately characterizing elastomeric materials. However, literature often lacks comprehensive and standardized reporting of elastomer properties, limiting reproducibility and comparability across studies. This work highlights a broader need for standardization in soft robotics research. To address this gap, a unified material testing framework is proposed that encompasses quasielastic mechanical properties, viscoelastic response, thermal stability, and processing characteristics, along with the model parameters required for accurate simulations. The framework is demonstrated through the systematic characterization of ten elastomers commonly used in soft robotics, including seven thermosetting elastomers, two thermoplastic elastomers, and one covalent adaptable network (CAN) elastomer. Inclusion of the CAN shows the framework's applicability to advanced elastomer systems. All experimental data and model parameters are provided in an open‐access repository to facilitate informed material selection, improve modeling accuracy, and promote transparency and collaboration in the soft robotics community. In future work, this framework may be extended to include application‐specific properties relevant for sensor or actuator development.