MECAMAT'95
International Seminar on Mechanics and Mechanisms of Solid-Solid Phase Transformations

J. Phys. IV France 06 (1996) C1-377-C1-384
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:1996136

Thermomechanical Properties of Shape Memory Polymers of Polyurethane Series and their Applications

H. Tobushi¹, S. Hayashi², A. Ikai³ and H. Hara<sup>4

1</sup>  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, 1247 Yachigusa, Yagusa-cho, Toyota 470-03, Japan
²  High Polymer Research Laboratory, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Nagoya Research & Development Center, 1 Takamichi, Iwatsuka-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 453, Japan
³  Rinnai Co., Ltd. 2-26 Fukuzumi-cho, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya 454, Japan
⁴  Graduate School, Aichi Institute of Technology, Japan

Abstract
Shape memory polymers of polyurethane series have been developed. These polymers have the following features. (1) They can be molded easily similar to conventional plastics, (2) their shape recovery temperature can be set arbitrarily, and (3) they can be colored as required because they are transparent, making a wide range of applications possible. In this paper, the basic characteristics of the stress-strain-temperature-time relationship of shape memory polymers of the polyurethane series are investigated experimentally, and several applications of these polymers are introduced.

© EDP Sciences 1996