# Pattern evolution in bending dielectric-elastomeric bilayers

## TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical and numerical study of how dielectric-elastic bilayers bend under voltage, revealing how to control bending angles and prevent buckling through material property tuning.

## Contribution

It introduces a combined nonlinear and linearized electro-elasticity framework to analyze and predict the bending and buckling behavior of dielectric-elastic bilayers.

## Key findings

- Bending angle can be tuned by adjusting voltage.
- Buckling occurs if one layer is too compressed.
- Material properties should be balanced to avoid buckling.

## Abstract

We propose theoretical and numerical analyses of smart bending deformation of a dielectric-elastic bilayer in response to a voltage, based on the nonlinear theory of electro-elasticity and the associated linearized incremental field theory. We reveal that the mechanism allowing the bending angle of the bilayer can be tuned by adjusting the applied voltage. Furthermore, we investigate how much can the bilayer be bent before it loses its stability by buckling when one of its faces is under too much compression. We find that the physical properties of the two layers must be selected to be of the same order of magnitude to obtain a consequent bending without encountering buckling. If required, the wrinkles can be designed to appear on either the inner or the outer bent surface of the buckled bilayer. We validate the results through comparison with those of the classical elastic problem.