Dynamic viscoelasticity and phenomenological model of electrorheological elastomers

Electrorheological elastomers (EREs) present a tunable viscoelasticity with the application of an electric field. For their application, it is necessary to investigate the viscoelasticity of the EREs under various loading conditions and establish an accurate constitutive model. In this study, anisotropic silicone-rubber-based EREs with 30 vol % TiO2-urea core-shell particles were prepared under an orientation electric field. We evaluated their viscoelasticities by testing their shear stress-shear strain hysteresis loops under various electric fields, frequencies, and strain amplitudes. On the basis of the experimental data, a nonlinear, revised Bouc-Wen phenomenological model was established, and the parameters in the model were identified. The results indicate that the revised model could accurately describe the viscoelastic properties of the EREs within a low frequency. (C) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.