Dielectric elastomers (DEs) can act as deformable capacitors that generate mechanical work in response to an electric field. DEs are often based on commercial acrylic and silicone elastomers. Acrylics require prestretching to achieve high actuation strains and lack processing flexibility. Silicones allow for processability and rapid response but produce much lower strains. In this work, a processable, high-performance dielectric elastomer (PHDE) with a bimodal network structure is synthesized, and its electromechanical properties are tailored by adjusting cross-linkers and hydrogen bonding within the elastomer network. The PHDE exhibits a maximum areal strain of 190% and maintains strains higher than 110% at 2 hertz without prestretching. A dry stacking process with high efficiency, scalability, and yield enables multilayer actuators that maintain the high actuation performance of single-layer films.

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) feature large, reversible in-plane deformation, and stacked DEA layers are used to produce large strokes in the thickness dimension. We introduce an electrophoretic process to concentrate boron nitride nanosheet dispersion in a dielectric elastomer precursor solution onto a designated electrode surface. The resulting unimorph nanocomposite dielectric elastomer (UNDE) has a seamless bilayer structure with 13 times of modulus difference. The UNDE can be actuated to large bending curvatures, with enhanced breakdown field strength and durability as compared to conventional nanocomposite dielectric elastomer. Multiple UNDE units can be formed in a simple electrophoretic concentration process using patterned electrode areas. A disc-shaped actuator comprising six UNDE units outputs large bidirectional stroke up to 10 Hz. This actuator is used to demonstrate a high-speed lens motor capable of varying the focal length of a two-lens system by 40 times.