Sensing Shear Strains with Electrostriction Effect in Solid Electrorheological Composites

Solid electrorheological (ER) composites are created by applying an electric field to a liquid suspension of isotropic, homogeneously distributed inclusions and cross-linking the obtained transverse isotropic structure. Electrostriction phenomenon in ER composites can be defined as change in dielectric properties with deformation. Solid dielectric material, which consists of inclusions arranged in a chain-like structure and embedded in a matrix phase, demonstrates strong electrostriction response to normal and shear deformations. Such high sensitivity of ER composites to shear electrostriction can be utilized for sensing shear stresses and strains in active damping of vibrations. In this article, we model an electrostriction response and measure electromechanical properties of solid ER composites.