Azo‐Functionalized Thermoplastic Polyurethane for Light‐Driven Shape Memory Materials

Abstract

Shape memory polymers have great potential in the fields of soft robotics, injectable medical devices, and as essential materials for advanced electronic devices. Herein, light-triggered shape-memory thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is reported using azido TPU grafted by the photoswitchable azo compound. The trans-cis transitions of the azobenzene on the side chain of the TPU induce the recoiling of the main chain, leading to shaping memory behavior. Under UV irradiation, cis-azo allows the oriented main chain to recoil to release residual stress and realize light-triggered shape memory behavior. The facile method proposed here for the preparation of azo-functionalized TPU can provide viable opportunities for soft robotics and smart TPU applications.Recently, the demand for developing smart materials bearing specific functions has exponentially increased. Materials with shape memory properties have also garnered significant attention in applications such as space satellite, [1] implantable biomedical devices, [2] 4D printing, [3][4][5][6][7] and soft robotics. [8][9][10] Owing to their versatility, enhanced biocompatibility, and potential biodegradability, [11] soft materials or polymers with shape memory properties are particularly of

Enhancement of Sensitivity for Retroreflection‐Based Biosensor by Controlling Polymer Brush on Janus Particles

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Effect of multidimensional filler hybridization on the mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane composites prepared by selective laser sintering

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“…Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a semicrystalline polymer between plastic and rubber with good water resistance, ductility, as well as excellent biocompatibility and wear resistance, 7–13 where TPU composites are divided into hard segment molecular chains and soft segment molecular chains, where the hard segment determines the strength of the material and the soft segment determines the toughness of the material. It can prepare structures with high flexibility, excellent processing and molding capabilities, and other characteristics, and is gaining more and more attention as a flexible material for uses such as wearable devices, 14,15 energy‐absorbing structures, 2,16,17 and medical materials 18–20 …”