Body temperature-responsive two-way and moisture-responsive one-way shape memory behaviors of poly(ethylene glycol)-based networks

• Published in: Polymer chemistry 2017-07, Vol.8 (25), p.3833-3840
• Main Authors: Yang, Guang, Liu, Xueyang, Tok, Alfred Iing Yoong, Lipik, Vitali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crosslinking; Human body; Networks; Polymerization; Recovery; Shape memory; Shape memory effect; Transition temperature
• ISSN: 1759-9954; 1759-9962
• DOI: 10.1039/C7PY00786H

In this work, crosslinked shape-memory polymer networks were prepared by thermally induced free-radical polymerizations of methacrylate-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and n -butyl acrylate (BA), which integrate thermal-responsive two-way and moisture-responsive one-way shape memory effects (SME). Broad molecular weight distributions of PEG were employed with the aim of tuning the transition temperatures close to that of the human body and achieving a broad transition temperature range. The resultant PEG-2,4,10 kDa and PEG-2,6,10 kDa networks showed good thermal-responsive two-way reversible shape memory effects between the human body temperature and 0 °C, with the two-way recovery ratios of 8.2% and 6.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the crosslinked networks were found to be moisture-responsive and the deformed specimen was nearly recovered to the original shape (98% in the recovery ratio) when exposed to the moist atmosphere. These features, along with the inherent biocompatible properties, have great potential in biomedical applications.