Shape memory poly(ester urethane) with improved hydrolytic stability

In two hydrolytic degradation studies the tensile (mechanical) and functional (thermo-mechanical) properties of a hydrolysis-stabilized shape memory poly(ester urethane) and its non-stabilized analog were investigated. Hydrolytic degradation was enforced by specimen immersion in de-ionized water at 80 degrees C. Significant differences in the fundamental shape memory parameters were monitored as function of aging time for the stabilized and non-stabilized polymer. This included the ability to recover strain (shape recoverability) and stress (stress recoverability) on heating after shape programming. Hydrolysis-related mechanical and functional changes were correlated with morphological ones, detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The shape memory poly(ester urethane), which was protected by a carbodiimide-based hydrolysis stabilizer, revealed significantly improved resistance towards hydrolysis with respect to various mechanical and shape memory parameters. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.