Study of Nano-reinforced Shape Memory Fiber Prepared by Casting and Extrusion

M. A. MOSIEWICKI; T. RICHARDSON; F. KILINC-BALCI; R. M. BROUGHTON, JR.; M. L. AUAD

Atlanta, Estados Unidos

Conferencia; International Nonwovens Technical Conference, INTC 2007; 2007

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are functional polymers, which find applications in a broad range of temperature sensing elements and biological micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). These polymers are capable of fixing a transient shape and recovering to their original shape after a series of thermo-mechanical treatments. However in some applications, SMPs may not generate enough recovery force to be useful. In this work we explore a completely new approach to increase the recovery force of the shape memory polymer through the incorporation of cellulose nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes as nanofillers. In this paper, shape memory polyurethane fibers (SMPF) reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes were prepared by extrusion. The thermal and mechanical performance, (especially shape memory properties) of neat polyurethane fibers and resulting composites were characterized and compared through tensile and thermal cyclic tensile test.