Mechanical and shape memory behavior of composites with shape memory polymer

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are playing a prominent role for biomedical, self-repairing and smart materials. Among various SMPs, shape memory polyurethanes (PUs) are receiving much attention for their easy control of glass transition temperature (T.) around the room temperature and excellent shape memory effect even at the room temperature. In this paper, the glass fiber reinforced PUs were developed for the improvement of the mechanical weakness of PUs bulk and for wider practical engineering uses. The specimens with different fiber weight fractions were fabricated and their mechanical behavior and shape memory effect were investigated. As a result, the tensile strength and the resistance against mechanical and thermal mechanical cycle loading in the developed materials increased due to the role of reinforcement fiber. It was shown there is an optimum fiber weight fraction between 10 and 20 wt% to have an extremely low residual strain during cyclic loading. Although the shape memory effect of developed glass fiber reinforced shape memory PUs composites was affected by glass fiber weight fraction, it was confirmed that the shape memory effect was kept in the developed composite materials. 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.