Shape Memory Polymer Fibers: Materials, Structures, and Applications

Lu Wang; Fenghua Zhang; Yanju Liu; Jinsong Leng

doi:10.1007/s42765-021-00073-z

Advanced Fiber Materials ›› 2021, Vol. 4 ›› Issue (1) : 5 -23. DOI: 10.1007/s42765-021-00073-z

Review

Shape Memory Polymer Fibers: Materials, Structures, and Applications

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¹Centre for Composite Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), No. 2 Yikuang Street, 150080, Harbin, People’s Republic of China

²Department of Astronautic Science and Mechanics, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), No. 92 West Dazhi Street, 150001, Harbin, People’s Republic of China

^b fhzhang_hit@163.com

^d lengjs@hit.edu.cn

Lu Wang

obtained a Bachelor of Engineering from Harbin Engineering University (HEU) in 2016 and now she is a master of the Center for Smart Materials and Structures at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China. Currently, she is focusing on shape memory polymers and their structures, multifunction composites and their applications.

Fenghua Zhang

is an Associate Professor in Center for Smart Materials and Structures at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China. She obtained her PhD degree in the field of materials at HIT in 2017. From 2014 to 2016, she as a visiting student does her research work at University of Cambridge supported by CSC. She has published more than 50 SCI scientific papers. Her research interests are focusing on shape memory polymers and their composites, including shape memory polymers with nano/microstructures, 4D printed smart materials and structures for biomedical applications, stimuli methods and multifunctional composite materials.

Yanju Liu

is a professor in the Department of Aerospace Science and Mechanics at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China. From 1999 to 2003, she was a research fellow at Nanyang Technological University and Newcastle University. She was invited to serve as an associate editor of the journal of Smart Materials and Structures, a Committee Member of APCSNM, and a Committee Member of SAMPE. She is working on smart materials and structures, including electrorheological and magnetorheological fluids, electroactive polymers, and shape memory polymers and their nanocomposites. She has authored or co-authored over 170 scientific papers in different journals.

Jinsong Leng

is a Cheung Kong Chair professor and Director of Center for Smart Materials and Structures at Harbin Institute of Technology, China. His research interests cover shape memory polymers and their composites. He is served as the Vice President of International Committee on Composite Materials (ICCM). He is elected as the Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, Member of the European Academy of Science and Arts, World Fellow of ICCM, Fellow of AAAS, Fellow of SPIE, Fellow of Institute of Physics (IOP), Fellow of Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), Fellow of IMMM and Associate Fellow of AIAA.

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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.

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Lu Wang, Fenghua Zhang, Yanju Liu, Jinsong Leng. Shape Memory Polymer Fibers: Materials, Structures, and Applications. Advanced Fiber Materials, 2021, 4(1): 5-23 DOI:10.1007/s42765-021-00073-z