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Electron Beam Crosslinked Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymers with Tunable Mechanical Properties
Author(s) -
Hearon Keith,
Nash Landon D.,
Volk Brent L.,
Ware Taylor,
Lewicki James P.,
Voit Walter E.,
Wilson Thomas S.,
Maitland Duncan J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201200348
Subject(s) - materials science , shape memory polymer , composite material , thermoplastic polyurethane , glass transition , polymer , polyurethane , ultimate tensile strength , thermoplastic , thermoplastic elastomer , copolymer , elastomer
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.