Research PaperAssessment of chemicals released in the marine environment by dielectric elastomers useful as active elements in wave energy harvesters

- Rubbers suitable for wave energy dielectric elastomer transducers are taken in study.
- The chosen elastomers are studied for assessing their hazard risk on marine environment.
- A sequence of techniques is applied to analyze salt water in which rubbers were immersed.
- Chemicals released by rubbers for half a year of immersion in salt water are assessed.
- The activity of the rubber releases in salt water on the microbial flora was assessed.

A series of elastomers, either natural or synthetic (some of them commercial, while others prepared in the laboratory), suitable for use as active elements in devices for wave energy harvesting, were evaluated concerning their behavior and effects on the marine environment. In this aim, the elastomer films, initially evaluated regarding their aspect, structure, surface wettability, and tolerance of microorganisms growth, were immersed in synthetic seawater (SSW) within six months for assessing compounds released. There were analyzed the changes occurred both in the elastomers and salt water in which they were immersed. For this, water samples taken at set time intervals were analyzed by using a sequence of sensitive spectral techniques: UV-vis, IR, and in relevant cases 1H NMR and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), able to detect and identify organic compounds, while after six months, they were also investigated from the point of view of aspect, presence of metal traces, pH, and biological activity. The changes in aspect, structure and morphology of the dielectric films at the end of the dipping period were also evaluated by visual inspection, IR spectroscopy by using spectral subtraction method, and SEM-EDX technique.

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