PMID- 35478628 OWN - NLM STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE LR - 20220430 IS - 2046-2069 (Electronic) IS - 2046-2069 (Linking) VI - 11 IP - 31 DP - 2021 May 24 TI - Optimizing energy harvesting performance of silicone elastomers by molecular grafting of azobenzene to the macromolecular network. PG - 19088-19094 LID - 10.1039/d1ra01433a [doi] AB - The dielectric elastomer generator (DEG) has attracted significant attention in the past decade for harvesting energy from reciprocating mechanical motion owing to its variable capacitance under tension. However, the challenge of conceiving novel DEGs with high energy harvesting performance should be addressed. In this work, azobenzene molecules with strong polarity were synthesized and chemically grafted onto a hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) network through a simple one-step process, offering a robust, molecularly homogenous silicone rubber. In addition, dimethyl silicone oil (DMSO) plasticizer was simultaneously added to reduce the mechanical modulus of the composite. The loading content of DMSO was firstly optimized in terms of the mechanical and dielectric properties of the resultant azo-g-PDMS/DMSO elastomers. Then, the effects of azobenzene loading on the morphology, and mechanical, dielectric and electric generation performances were thoroughly investigated. Overall, the dielectric permittivity displayed a rising trend with the increase of the azobenzene content while the breakdown strength increased initially and then decreased. The breakdown strength could reach as high as 73 V mum(-1) by grafting with 7 phr of azobenzene while maintaining a relatively low mechanical modulus. Meanwhile, the as-prepared azo-g-PDMS/DMSO films exhibited enhanced energy harvesting density (0.69 mJ cm(-3)) and electromechanical conversion efficiency (5.01%) at a bias voltage of 1500 V, which were 2 and 2.5 times as much as those of the azobenzene-free matrix. This work provides ideas for future applications of DEG with high energy harvesting performance. CI - This journal is (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry. FAU - Gong, Min AU - Gong M AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-7131-0725 AD - School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 PR China zhangliang@ustb.edu.cn wangdr@ustb.edu.cn. FAU - Song, Feilong AU - Song F AD - School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 PR China zhangliang@ustb.edu.cn wangdr@ustb.edu.cn. FAU - Li, Hejian AU - Li H AD - School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 PR China zhangliang@ustb.edu.cn wangdr@ustb.edu.cn. FAU - Lin, Xiang AU - Lin X AD - School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 PR China zhangliang@ustb.edu.cn wangdr@ustb.edu.cn. FAU - Wang, Jiaping AU - Wang J AD - China Astronaut Research and Training Center Beijing 100094 PR China. FAU - Zhang, Liang AU - Zhang L AD - School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 PR China zhangliang@ustb.edu.cn wangdr@ustb.edu.cn. FAU - Wang, Dongrui AU - Wang D AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-0306-9439 AD - School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 PR China zhangliang@ustb.edu.cn wangdr@ustb.edu.cn. LA - eng PT - Journal Article DEP - 20210526 PL - England TA - RSC Adv JT - RSC advances JID - 101581657 PMC - PMC9033487 COIS- There are no conflicts of interest to declare. EDAT- 2022/04/29 06:00 MHDA- 2022/04/29 06:01 PMCR- 2021/05/26 CRDT- 2022/04/28 06:10 PHST- 2021/02/22 00:00 [received] PHST- 2021/05/19 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2022/04/28 06:10 [entrez] PHST- 2022/04/29 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2022/04/29 06:01 [medline] PHST- 2021/05/26 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - d1ra01433a [pii] AID - 10.1039/d1ra01433a [doi] PST - epublish SO - RSC Adv. 2021 May 26;11(31):19088-19094. doi: 10.1039/d1ra01433a. eCollection 2021 May 24.