Advancing reversible shape memory by tuning the polymer network architecture
- Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Because of counteraction of a chemical network and a crystalline scaffold, semicrystalline polymer networks exhibit a peculiar behavior—reversible shape memory (RSM), which occurs naturally without applying any external force and particular structural design. There are three RSM properties: (i) range of reversible strain, (ii) rate of strain recovery, and (iii) decay of reversibility with time, which can be improved by tuning the architecture of the polymer network. Different types of poly(octylene adipate) networks were synthesized, allowing for control of cross-link density and network topology, including randomly cross-linked network by free-radical polymerization, thiol–ene clicked network with enhanced mesh uniformity, and loose network with deliberately incorporated dangling chains. It is shown that the RSM properties are controlled by average cross-link density and crystal size, whereas topology of a network greatly affects its extensibility. In conclusion, we have achieved 80% maximum reversible range, 15% minimal decrease in reversibility, and fast strain recovery rate up to 0.05 K–1, i.e., ca. 5% per 10 s at a cooling rate of 5 K/min.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC00112704
- OSTI ID:
- 1328375
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-112682-2016-JA; R&D Project: 16075; 10675; KC0403020
- Journal Information:
- Macromolecules, Vol. 49, Issue 4; ISSN 0024-9297
- Publisher:
- American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Similar Records
A Processable Shape Memory Polymer System for Biomedical Applications
Elastomeric vitrimers from designer polyhydroxyalkanoates with recyclability and biodegradability