Reinforcement in the mechanical properties of shape memory liquid crystalline epoxy composites

In this work, novel thermoresponsive shape memory composites based on glass fiber and nanosilica‐modified liquid crystalline epoxies (LCEs) with lateral substituent were prepared and characterized. According to the comprehensive analysis of polarized optical microscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurements, and tan δ data, the orientation of mesogen units were hindered by the introduction of nanosilica and lateral substituents of liquid crystalline epoxies, so that additional physical cross‐links except for similar chemical cross‐links emerged with the introduction of surface‐treated nanosilica. And the increased cross‐links could enhance the shape memory properties of the composites which could recover to their original state quickly in a time shorter than 30 s with high shape fixing ratios (>96%) and high shape recovery ratios (>98%), which indicated the composites could be applied into self‐deployable structural materials. Moreover, the reinforcement in the dynamic storage moduli, tensile modulus, and the tensile strength and shape memory properties indicated that glass fiber and nanosilica‐modified shape memory liquid crystalline epoxy composites could be high‐performance composites and could be used as new candidates for aerospace smart materials. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42616.