Electron Beam Crosslinked Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymers with Tunable Mechanical Properties

Novel electron beam crosslinked polyurethane shape memory polymers with advanced processing capabilities and tunable thermomechanical properties have been synthesized and characterized. We demonstrate the ability to manipulate crosslink density in order to finely tune rubbery modulus, strain capacit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Macromolecular chemistry and physics 2013-06, Vol.214 (11), p.1258-1272
Main Authors: Hearon, Keith, Nash, Landon D., Volk, Brent L., Ware, Taylor, Lewicki, James P., Voit, Walter E., Wilson, Thomas S., Maitland, Duncan J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Crosslinking
Density
electron beam curing
Electron beams
Polyurethane resins
polyurethanes
processing
Prototypes
Shape memory
stimuli-sensitive polymers
structure-property relations
Surgical implants
Thermoplastic resins
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Summary:Novel electron beam crosslinked polyurethane shape memory polymers with advanced processing capabilities and tunable thermomechanical properties have been synthesized and characterized. We demonstrate the ability to manipulate crosslink density in order to finely tune rubbery modulus, strain capacity, ultimate tensile strength, recovery stress, and glass transition temperature. This objective is accomplished for the first time in a low‐molecular‐weight polymer system through the precise engineering of thermoplastic resin precursors suitable for mass thermoplastic processing. Neurovascular stent prototypes were fabricated by dip‐coating and laser machining to demonstrate processability. A thermoset polyurethane shape memory polymer exhibiting novel processing capabilities and tunable material properties is reported. This SMP can be processed into complex geometries as a thermoplastic and crosslinked to desired extents using electron beam irradiation. The neurovascular stent prototype fabricated in this work demonstrates the SMP's novel processing capability.
ISSN:1022-1352
1521-3935
DOI:10.1002/macp.201200348