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.