RECENT PROGRESSES IN POLYMERIC SMART MATERIALS

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (15n16) ◽  
pp. 2351-2356 ◽  
Author(s):  
YAN-JU LIU ◽  
XIN LAN ◽  
HAI-BAO LU ◽  
JIN-SONG LENG

Smart materials can be defined as materials that sense and react to environmental conditions or stimuli. In recent years, a wide range of novel smart materials have been developed in biomaterials, sensors, actuators, etc. Their applications cover aerospace, automobile, telecommunications, etc. This paper presents some recent progresses in polymeric smart materials. Special emphasis is laid upon electroactive polymer (EAP), shape memory polymer (SMP) and their composites. For the electroactive polymer, an analysis of stability of dielectric elastomer using strain energy function is derived, and one type of electroactive polymer actuator is presented. For the shape memory polymer, a new method is developed to use infrared laser to actuate the SMP through the optical fiber embedded within the SMP. Electrically conductive nanocarbon powders are utilized as the fillers to improve the electrical conductivity of polymer. A series of fundamental investigations of electroactive SMP are performed and the shape recovery is demonstrated.

2008 ◽  
Vol 47-50 ◽  
pp. 714-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Lan ◽  
Jin Song Leng ◽  
Yan Ju Liu ◽  
Shan Yi Du

A new system of thermoset styrene-based shape-memory polymer (SMP) filled with carbon black (CB) is investigated. To realize the electroactive stimuli of SMP, the electrical conductivity of SMP filled with various amounts of CB is characterized. The percolation threshold of electrically conductive SMP filled with CB is about 3% (volume fraction of CB), which is much lower than many other electrically conductive polymers. When applying a voltage of 30V, the shape recovery process of SMP/CB(10 vol%) can be realized in about 100s. In addition, the thermomechanical properties are also characterized by differential scanning calorimetery (DSC).


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (18) ◽  
pp. 4246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yujie Chen ◽  
Chi Chen ◽  
Hafeez Ur Rehman ◽  
Xu Zheng ◽  
Hua Li ◽  
...  

Shape-memory materials are smart materials that can remember an original shape and return to their unique state from a deformed secondary shape in the presence of an appropriate stimulus. This property allows these materials to be used as shape-memory artificial muscles, which form a subclass of artificial muscles. The shape-memory artificial muscles are fabricated from shape-memory polymers (SMPs) by twist insertion, shape fixation via Tm or Tg, or by liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs). The prepared SMP artificial muscles can be used in a wide range of applications, from biomimetic and soft robotics to actuators, because they can be operated without sophisticated linkage design and can achieve complex final shapes. Recently, significant achievements have been made in fabrication, modelling, and manipulation of SMP-based artificial muscles. This paper presents a review of the recent progress in shape-memory polymer-based artificial muscles. Here we focus on the mechanisms of SMPs, applications of SMPs as artificial muscles, and the challenges they face concerning actuation. While shape-memory behavior has been demonstrated in several stimulated environments, our focus is on thermal-, photo-, and electrical-actuated SMP artificial muscles.


2020 ◽  
pp. 002199832095817
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Goda ◽  
Zakariya Zubair ◽  
Gildas L’Hostis ◽  
Jean-Yves Drean

Shape memory polymer (SMP) composites are attractive and excellent smart materials due to their outstanding properties and rich functionality as they combine typical mechanical and functional properties of composites with shape memory properties. In particular, 3D reinforced preforms have tremendous potential for the development of functional composites by using the capabilities of 3D woven fabric preform design, and polymer shape memory behavior. Within that scope, this work aims to investigate the shape memory behavior and shape recovery properties of a specific type of 3D multilayer woven SMP composite in response to external stimuli. For this purpose, nine different multilayer stitched fabrics are produced with different weave structures, and different fabric thread densities using polyimide filaments. Then, a series of tests is carried out on these fabrics to evaluate their mechanical and physical properties. The layered fabric design that delivers high mechanical performance is next involved to manufacture the SMP composite samples, for which shape recovery capability is investigated. Fold-deploy and other shape memory cycle tests are performed to evaluate the shape memory characteristics. An optical 3D scanner based on fringe projection is further proposed to precisely acquire the geometry data and perform deformation analysis to quantitatively evaluate the shape fixity and shape recovery behaviors. The results from this study are very promising, demonstrating that these multilayer SMP structures can successfully be recovered following the desired design constraints without noticeable damage.


Author(s):  
Loredana Santo ◽  
Giovanni Matteo Tedde ◽  
Fabrizio Quadrini

Shape memory polymer (SMP) foams can be used to manufacture actuators with tailored actuation rate. Being related to foam shape recovery by heating, SMP actuator operates by conversion of heat into motion. In the current study, a SMP linear actuator has been manufactured which is able to apply a maximum load of 50 N (depending on the recovery temperature) and a maximum stroke up to 30 mm. The actuator had a cylindrical shape and its piston had a diameter of 16 mm, therefore a maximum applied pressure about 2.5 bar. The active element (i.e. SMP foam) was produced by solid state foaming of an epoxy resin, and its shaping was performed in the same metallic frame of the actuator. Results show that small and medium-size actuators can be easily produced and operated.


2008 ◽  
Vol 47-50 ◽  
pp. 690-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Da Wei Zhang ◽  
Jin Song Leng ◽  
Yan Ju Liu

This paper is concerned about the synthesis of shape memory styrene copolymer and the investigation of the influence of radialization dosage on its shape memory effect. As one of novel actuators in smart materials, shape memory polymers (SMPs) have been investigated intensively. Styrene copolymer with proper cross-linking degree can exhibit shape memory effect (SME). In this paper, the influence of radialization on shape memory effect of styrene copolymer was investigated through altering the dosage of radialization. The radialization dosage of styrene copolymer was determined by changed radicalization time. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of styrene copolymerwas measured by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The shape memory performance of styrene copolymer with different radiated dosage was also evaluated. Results indicated that the shape memory polymer (SMP) was synthesized successfully. The Tg increased from 60°C to 65°C followed by increasing the radialization dosage. Moreover, the SMP experienced good SME and the largest reversible strain of the SMP reached as high as 150%. When heating above Tg+30°C (different copolymers performed different Tg), the shape recovery speed of the copolymers increased with increasing the radialization dosage. However, the recovery speed decreased with increasing the radialization dosage at the same temperature of 95°C.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1107
Author(s):  
Mijeong Kim ◽  
Seongeun Jang ◽  
Sungwoong Choi ◽  
Junghoon Yang ◽  
Jungpil Kim ◽  
...  

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are attracting attention for their use in wearable displays and biomedical materials due to their good biocompatibility and excellent moldability. SMPs also have the advantage of being lightweight with excellent shape recovery due to their low density. However, they have not yet been applied to a wide range of engineering fields because of their inferior physical properties as compared to those of shape memory alloys (SMAs). In this study, we attempt to find optimized shape memory polymer composites. We also investigate the shape memory performance and physical properties according to the filler type and amount of hardener. The shape memory composite was manufactured by adding nanocarbon materials of graphite and non-carbon additives of Cu. The shape-recovery mechanism was compared, according to the type and content of the filler. The shape fixation and recovery properties were analyzed, and the physical properties of the shape recovery composite were obtained through mechanical strength, thermal conductivity and differential scanning calorimetry analysis.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Liang ◽  
Robert Sivilli ◽  
Jihua Gou ◽  
Yunjun Xu ◽  
Bob Mabbott

2013 ◽  
Vol 705 ◽  
pp. 169-172
Author(s):  
Xue Feng ◽  
Li Min Zhao ◽  
Xu Jun Mi

In order to develop high functionality of shape memory materials, the shape memory composites combined with TiNi wire and shape memory epoxy were prepared, and the mechanical and thermomechanical properties were studied. The results showed the addition of TiNi wire increased the Young modulus and breaking strength both at room temperature and at elevated temperature. The composites maintained the rates of shape fixity and shape recovery close to 100%. The maximum recovery stress increased with increasing TiNi wire volume fraction, and obtained almost 3 times of the matrix by adding 1vol% TiNi wire.


Author(s):  
L. Santo ◽  
L. Iorio ◽  
G. M. Tedde ◽  
F. Quadrini

Shape Memory Polymer Composites (SMPCs) are smart materials showing the structural properties of long-fiber polymer-matrix together with the functional behavior of shape memory polymers. In this study, SM carbon fiber reinforced (CFR) composites have been produced by using a SM interlayer between two CFR prepregs. Their SM properties have been evaluated in comparison with traditional structural CFR composites without the SM interlayer by using an especially designed test. Active and frozen forces are measured during a thermo-mechanical cycle in the three-point bending configuration. Experimental results show that SMPCs are able to fix a temporary deformed shape by freezing high stresses.


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