Shape Memory Polymer Fibers: Materials, Structures, and Applications

Abstract

Shape memory polymer (SMP) is a kind of material that can sense and respond to the changes of the external environment, and its behavior is similar to the intelligent reflection of life. Electrospinning, as a versatile and feasible technique, has been used to prepare shape memory polymer fibers (SMPFs) and expand their structures. SMPFs show some advanced features and functions in many fields. In this review, we give a comprehensive overview of SMPFs, including materials, fabrication methods, structures, multifunction, and applications. Firstly, the mechanism and characteristics of SMP are introduced. We then discuss the electrospinning method to form various microstructures, like non-woven fibers, core/shell fibers, hollow fibers and oriented fibers. Afterward, the multiple functions of SMPFs are discussed, such as multi-shape memory effect, reversible shape memory effect and remote actuation of composites. We also focus on some typical applications of SMPFs, including biomedical scaffolds, drug carriers, self-healing, smart textiles and sensors, as well as energy harvesting devices. At the end, the challenges and future development directions of SMPFs are proposed.

Spider Silk‐Inspired Artificial Fibers

“…In two separate studies, short‐chain polyalanine (net points) was introduced into multiblock biopolymers containing poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) segments ( β ‐sheet crystals) via a coupling reaction; nearly complete shape recovery and high shape fixity was observed. [ 123 , 125 ]…”

“…In two separate studies, short-chain polyalanine (net points) was introduced into multiblock biopolymers containing poly(ɛ-caprolactone) segments (𝛽-sheet crystals) via a coupling reaction; nearly complete shape recovery and high shape fixity was observed. [123,125] The hybrid silk material fabricated by introducing silk fibroin into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), has a two-way shape-memory effect because of the competitive H-bonds between silk fibroin and PVA from water as a switch, the 𝛽-sheet structure as net points, and the swelling plasticizing effect of its asymmetric laminated structure. [124b] Polyurethanes contain soft and hard segments, which are similar to the crystalline and amorphous regions of spider silk.…”

Distributed sensing based real‐time process monitoring of shape memory polymer components

“…These intelligent smart materials have been extensively studied for biomedical, textile, aerospace, civil infrastructure and structural engineering applications to date. [7][8][9][10][11] By applying an external load at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature (T g ), a thermally induced SMP material is programmed to the desired shape. The material is then cooled until it turns into a frozen polymer at a low temperature, while the programmed shape remains fixed.…”

“…SMPs and SMPCs have a wide range of applications, from micro‐scale to large‐scale engineering. These intelligent smart materials have been extensively studied for biomedical, textile, aerospace, civil infrastructure and structural engineering applications to date 7–11 …”

Advances in High‐Performance Autonomous Energy and Self‐Powered Sensing Textiles with Novel 3D Fabric Structures

“…Accordingly, the primary purposes or service demands of textile materials have also changed imperceptibly from the aspects of covering, warmth preservation, protection, beauty, security, comfort, health, interaction, and intelligence. On these grounds, it can be found that with the advances of Internetof-Things and artificial intelligences, textile materials are no longer limited to the traditional functions of protection, warm-keeping, and aesthetic, but should be given more smart or intelligent attributes, such as energy harvesting, [1][2][3] energy storage, [4,5] autonomous response, [6,7] information interaction, [8,9] data transmission, [10,11] light emitting, [12,13] color changing, [14] shape memory, [15] thermal regulation, [16,17] selfhealing, [18a] self-adaption, [19] etc. In addition, considering that human oriented wearable electronics will be highly integrated and miniaturized, completely safe and comfortable, and fully portable in the future, it is also expected to design various functional electronics directly into textile structures, such as fibers, yarns or fabrics.…”