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Multimaterial 4D Printing with Tailorable Shape Memory Polymers

Ge, Qi, Sakhaei, Amir Hosein, Lee, Howon, Dunn, Conner K., Fang, Nicholas X., Dunn, Martin L. (2016) Multimaterial 4D Printing with Tailorable Shape Memory Polymers. Scientific Reports, 6 . Article Number 31110. ISSN 2045-2322. E-ISSN 2045-2322. (doi:10.1038/srep31110) (KAR id:78420)

Abstract

We present a new 4D printing approach that can create high resolution (up to a few microns), multimaterial shape memory polymer (SMP) architectures. The approach is based on high resolution projection microstereolithography (PμSL) and uses a family of photo-curable methacrylate based copolymer networks. We designed the constituents and compositions to exhibit desired thermomechanical behavior (including rubbery modulus, glass transition temperature and failure strain which is more than 300% and larger than any existing printable materials) to enable controlled shape memory behavior. We used a high resolution, high contrast digital micro display to ensure high resolution of photo-curing methacrylate based SMPs that requires higher exposure energy than more common acrylate based polymers. An automated material exchange process enables the manufacture of 3D composite architectures from multiple photo-curable SMPs. In order to understand the behavior of the 3D composite microarchitectures, we carry out high fidelity computational simulations of their complex nonlinear, time-dependent behavior and study important design considerations including local deformation, shape fixity and free recovery rate. Simulations are in good agreement with experiments for a series of single and multimaterial components and can be used to facilitate the design of SMP 3D structures.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1038/srep31110
Uncontrolled keywords: mechanical engineering; polymers
Subjects: T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) > TA401 Materials engineering and construction
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences > School of Engineering and Digital Arts
Depositing User: Amirhosein Sakhaei
Date Deposited: 08 Nov 2019 13:46 UTC
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2024 12:43 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/78420 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Sakhaei, Amir Hosein.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6953-552X
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