학술논문

A New Type of Photo-Thermo Staged-Responsive Shape-Memory Polyurethanes Network
Document Type
article
Source
Polymers, Vol 9, Iss 7, p 287 (2017)
Subject
azobenzene
polyurethane
shape memory
photo
responsiveness
Organic chemistry
QD241-441
Language
English
ISSN
2073-4360
Abstract
In this paper, we developed a photo-thermo staged-responsive shape-memory polymer network which has a unique ability of being spontaneously photo-responsive deformable and thermo-responsive shape recovery. This new type of shape-memory polyurethane network (A-SMPUs) was successfully synthesized with 4,4-azodibenzoic acid (Azoa), hexamethylenediisocyanate (HDI) and polycaprolactone (PCL), followed by chemical cross-linking with glycerol (Gl). The structures, morphology, and shape-memory properties of A-SMPUs have been carefully investigated. The results demonstrate that the A-SMPUs form micro-phase separation structures consisting of a semi-crystallized PCL soft phase and an Azoa amorphous hard phase that could influence the crystallinity of PCL soft phases. The chemical cross-linking provided a stable network and good thermal stability to the A-SMPUs. All A-SMPUs exhibited good triple-shape-memory properties with higher than 97% shape fixity ratio and 95% shape recovery ratio. Additionally, the A-SMPUs with higher Azoa content exhibited interesting photo-thermo two-staged responsiveness. A pre-processed film with orientated Azoa structure exhibited spontaneous curling deformation upon exposing to ultraviolet (UV) light, and curling deformation is constant even under Vis light. Finally, the curling deformation can spontaneously recover to the original shape by applying a thermal stimulus. This work demonstrates new synergistically multi-responsive SMPUs that will have many applications in smart science and technology.