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UV curable micro-structured shape memory epoxy with tunable performance |
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| Authors: | Hua Ren Lulin Xie Yang Xu Qian Zhao Ning Zheng |
| Affiliation: | 1. Ningbo Research Institute, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;2. State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;3. State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, China |
| Abstract: | Micro-structured shape memory polymer (SMP) surfaces are indispensable in various applications. Epoxy polymer emerged as an ideal candidate for SMP surfaces due to its low curing shrinkage and superior thermo-mechanical properties. In this study, we develop a UV curable epoxy system with tunable glass transition temperature and superior shape memory performance. The glass transition temperatures can widely range from 49 to 164°C by simply tuning the ratio of two comonomers. All samples possess excellent shape fixity, shape recovery ratios, and cycling stability. The synergy of the moldable liquid epoxy precursors and the spatiotemporal UV light allows shape memory epoxy with both surface microstructures and complex macro-geometries. We anticipate this UV curable epoxy will expand the scopes of surface shape memory applications. |
| Keywords: | crosslinking kinetics thermal properties |