Shape-memory poly(p-dioxanone)-poly(ε-caprolactone)/sepiolite nanocomposites with enhanced recovery stress

Shape-memory poly(p-dioxanone)-poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/sepiolite (PPDO-PCL/OSEP) nanocomposites with different OSEP nanofiber loading were fabricated by chain-extending the PPDO-diol and PCL/OSEP precursors. The precursors and the composites were characterized by H-1 NMR, FT-IR, GPC, SEM and TEM. The results demonstrate that a part of PCL segments grafted on the surface of OSEP and composites display a fine dispersion of OSEP fiber in nanoscale with low OSEP content. The shape memory effect (SME) was evaluated by DMA, the results reveal that the PPDO-PCL/OSEP nanocomposites exhibit desirable shape-memory performance. The reinforcement of composites by incorporation of trace OSEP nanofiber evokes an effective improvement in shape-memory recovery stress. (C) 2015 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.