Abstract
The development of shape memory polymers (SMPs) has gained remarkable attention due to their wide range of applications, from biomedical to electromechanical. In this work, we have developed and optimized an electroactive SMP based on polyvinyl alcohol/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PVA/MWNTs) composites. When a constant voltage of 60 V was applied to the optimized sample, the polymer shape could be recovered to the original form within 35 s. Different weight fractions of MWNT/PVA composites were prepared by using a simple solution blending and transitional solution casting method, and their microstructures, electrical conductivities, thermal conductivities, and electroactive shape memory properties were investigated. According to our systematic analysis, the enhanced performance can be attributed to the reinforcement of MWNTs that led to the improved electrical and thermal conductivities of the PVA matrix.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 170-175 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Composites Part B: Engineering |
| Volume | 68 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2015 |
Keywords
- A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
- B. Physical properties
- E. Casting
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ceramics and Composites
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering
- Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering