Enhanced dielectric and mechanical performances of the (La + Nb) codoped TiO${}_2$/silicone rubber composites

Silicone rubber (SR) has gained great interest because of its fast deformation response, low modulus, high rebound rate, and wide temperature application range. However, their development is hampered by the low dielectric constant. Adding dielectric ceramics may be a solution. Herein, (La + Nb) codoped TiO${}_2$/SR composites are fabricated and their properties are systematically tested. By adding codoped TiO${}_2$, the performances of the composites are enhanced. High permittivity (3.63) and low loss tangent (7.07 × 10${}^{-4}$) are gained in the SR composites with 30 wt% codoped TiO${}_2$. The evenly dispersed codoped TiO${}_2$ and the enhanced interfacial polarization effect can be responsible for this. The composites also exhibit enhanced tensile strength (565 kPa) and elongation (259%). In addition, the SR composites are thermally stable up to 415 °C. These superior properties can improve the electrodeformation performance of SR composites, which has great potential in the fields of flexible actuators, bionic flexible robots, next-generation intelligent medical devices, and green energy harvesting. (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)