Thermomechanical characterization of thiol-epoxy shape memory thermosets for mechanical actuators design
Abstract
In this paper, shape-memory "thiol-epoxy" polymers are synthesized and characterized as potential thermomechanical actuators. Their thermomechanical properties are investigated through dynamo mechanical and tensile analyses and related to their network structural properties by using "thiol" and "epoxy" compounds of different functionality and structure. Their mechanical properties (resistance at break, elongation limits and strain energy) are related to their shape-memory response under free-recovery conditions and partially-constrained conditions, thus, establishing the connection between network relaxation (free-recovery) with the work output capabilities (partially-constrained). Results show high mechanical performance, achieving high elongation at break values (up to 100%) and stress at break values (up to 50 MPa). The shape-memory experiments reveal strong dependence of the programming conditions and network structure on the recovery efficiency at free-conditions, whereas under partially-constrained conditions, the controlling factors are the mechanical limits at high temperature. Moreover, some recommendations to achieve the maximum work output efficiency for a given operational design of a thermomechanical actuator are deduced.
- Publication:
-
International Conference on Structural Analysis of Advanced Materials: ICSAAM 2017
- Pub Date:
- February 2018
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.5024162
- Bibcode:
- 2018AIPC.1932c0012B