Electroluminescent soft elastomer actuators with adjustable luminance and strain

Abstract

We demonstrate a multifunctional soft actuator that exhibits both electroluminescence (EL) and soft actuation with a strain of 85% and a maximum luminance of 300 cd m(-2), superior to previous devices with individual functions. This was possible by combining several strategies such as the development of highly conductive, transparent, and stretchable electrodes, incorporation of high-k nanoparticles to increase the electric field applied to the EL particles, and application of AC + DC composite signals to simplify the device structure. We expect this research to contribute to the development of new soft devices that can further enhance human-machine interactions in color displaying actuator applications.