Low-Loss and Self-Healing Acrylate-Silicone Dielectric Elastomers for High-Performance Actuators

Acrylate-based dielectric elastomers (DEs) are widely used in flexible dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) due to their large actuation strain and high energy density. However, their high intrinsic modulus and significant viscoelastic losses result in slow dynamic response and low efficiency, limiting practical applications. This study constructed a chemically physically dual-network system with synergistic interaction through one-pot radical polymerization, yielding a polyacrylate-organosilicon (PA-OS) elastomer with an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure. The chemical network, composed of organosilicon and polyacrylate, provides structural stability and rigidity, while the physical network, based on hydrogen bonding and dipole interactions of hydroxyl-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (OH-PDMS), endows the material with dynamic responsiveness and room-temperature self-healing capability. The resulting PA-OS-2 elastomer exhibits a high dielectric constant (9.74@1 kHz) and significantly reduced mechanical energy loss (approximately 55% decrease). Its actuator demonstrates high in-plane strain (60%@12.5 kV/mm) under low electric fields and exhibits excellent electromechanical stability over 10,000 cycles, with a 42% reduction in relative displacement shift (RDS). Even after needle puncture damage, the elastomer recovers up to 68% of its maximum in-plane strain, with a 70% recovery in DEA performance, demonstrating outstanding self-healing robustness. The PA-OS elastomer, with a high dielectric constant, low viscoelasticity, and certain self-healing capability, offers an option for the design and application of flexible actuation and sensing systems.