Aimed at improving the stability of geometrical shape, mechanical performance, and particles dispersion of electrorheological (ER) hydrous elastomers, a new gelatin water-based elastic gels containing starch particles were prepared under an applied dc electric field, and their ER effects were described with the compression modulus and the electric resistivity. The result demonstrates that the mechanical and electrical properties of the ER elastorners are dominated by an externally applied electric field as well as the weight fraction of particles. On comparing with the same chemical composition, elastomers cured without a field and with barium titanate/gelatin water-based elastomer, some conclusions are suggested: the object elastomer has stronger responses to a field than the same chemical composition elastomer, especially with higher weight fractions of particles. The object elastomer has steady geometrical shape and mechanical performance because of the addition of glycerin into the matrix, and has a better dispersion of particles. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.