Thermoplastic shape memory polymers with tailor-made trigger temperature

摘要

Thermoplastic shape memory polymers (SMPs) as smart materials have a great challenge in adjusting trigger temperature (T-t) for practical device application with high fixity and recovery ratio (> 99%). The thermoplastic SMPs based on triblock copolymers have been designed via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerization. The T-t can be manipulated facilely, as designed, with the narrow temperature interval between adjacent T(t)s (only 10 degrees C), indicating the high resolution of temperature in molecular design of SMPs. The as designed SMPs have good shape memory ability and the reprogramming ability of shape memory behaviors. This approach can direct the molecular design of thermoplastic SMPs with tailor-made T-t via RAFT emulsion polymerization.