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Plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is a jelly-like soft dielectricmaterial that attracted substantial interest recently as a new type ofelectro-active polymers. Under electric fields of several hundred Volt/mm, PVCgels undergo large deformations. These gels can be used as artificial musclesand other soft robotic devices, with striking deformation behavior that isquite different from conventional dielectric elastomers. Here, we present asimple model for the electro-activity of PVC gels, and show a non-linear effectof free ions on its dielectric behaviors. It is found that their particulardeformation behavior is due to an electro-wetting effect and to a change intheir interfacial tension. In addition, we derive analytical expressions forthe surface tension as well as for the apparent dielectric constant of the gel.The theory indicates that the size of the mobile free ions has a crucial rolein determining the electro-induced deformation, opening up the way to novel andinnovative designs of electro-active gel actuators.

Enhanced electro-actuation in dielectric elastomers: the non-linear effect of free ions