PVA-Polystyrene-Based Polymer Films with Water-Induced ShapeMemory Effect

In this work, a series of novel water-induced shapememory composite films are prepared on the basis of poly(vinyl alcohol)-polystyrene (PVA-PSX) through one pot in situ polymerization method. The neat PVA film is modified to PVA-PSX film by loading calibrated amount of styrene, and the resulted film exhibits high mechanical strength (tensile strength similar to 40 MPa, tensile strain similar to 315%, Young's modulus similar to 0.25 MPa and toughness similar to 5 MJ/m3 ). More importantly, water-induced shape-memory behavior is observed for the PVA-PSX composite films and among various proportions, PVA-PS3 film (3 v/v% of styrene content) shows the fastest shape recovery rate (160 s). The relative low value of storage modulus and glass transition temperature of the PVA-PS3 films is attributed to water-induced shape recovery. The desirable and multifaceted properties of the PVA-PSX composite film, such as optimum transparency, improved water resistance, enhanced shape recovery, diminished UV-light transmission, and effectual antimicrobial activity, propound that the composite film is a suitable candidate for preparing packaging materials in food and cosmetic industries.

Automated summary

In this study, a series of novel water-induced shape memory composite films based on poly(vinyl alcohol)-polystyrene (PVA-PSX) were prepared using a one-pot in situ polymerization method. The resulting films showed high mechanical strength and water-induced shape memory behavior, with the PVA-PS3 film demonstrating the fastest shape recovery rate. The desirable properties of the PVA-PSX composite film make it a suitable candidate for packaging materials in the food and cosmetic industries.