When electrically stimulated, electroactive polymers (EAPs) respond with mechanical deformation. The goal of this work is to design electrode and EAP layouts simultaneously in structures by using density-based, multi-material topology optimization. In this novel approach the layout of electrodes and EAP material are not given a priori but is a result from the topology optimization. Material interpolation based on exponential functions is introduced, allowing a large flexibility to control the material interpolation. The electric field in the surrounding free space is modeled using a truncated extended domain method. Numerical examples that demonstrates the method's ability to design arbitrary EAP and electrode layouts are presented. In these optimized structures, electrode material is continuously connected from the electrical sources to opposite sides of the EAP material and thereby concentrating the electric field to the EAP material which drives the deformation.

翻译：电活性聚合物（EAPs）在电刺激下会产生机械形变。本研究的目标是通过基于密度的多材料拓扑优化方法，在结构中同时设计电极与EAP的布局。这一创新方法中，电极与EAP材料的布局并非预先给定，而是拓扑优化的结果。研究引入了基于指数函数的材料插值模型，为材料插值控制提供了高度灵活性。周围自由空间中的电场采用截断扩展域方法进行建模。数值算例展示了该方法设计任意EAP与电极布局的能力。在这些优化结构中，电极材料从电源连续连接至EAP材料的相对两侧，从而将电场集中到驱动形变的EAP材料区域。