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Influence of sepiolite on crystallinity of soft segments and shape memory properties of polyurethane nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Yu Guihui,
Chen Hongxiang,
Wang Wanwan,
Zhou Yu,
Zhang Junheng,
Li Yanjun
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.24115
Subject(s) - sepiolite , crystallinity , polyurethane , materials science , nanocomposite , composite material , differential scanning calorimetry , composite number , scanning electron microscope , organic chemistry , chemistry , raw material , physics , thermodynamics
The shape memory polyurethane/sepiolite nanocomposites were prepared with sepiolite dispersed uniformly in polyurethane based on poly(ε ‐ caprolactone). The influence of sepiolite on the structure of polyurethane was investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction, and polarized optical microscopy. The results show that sepiolite has little effect on the ordering of hard segments, but can act as a nucleating agent enhancing the crystallinity of soft segments. The maximum crystallinity of soft segments can be achieved when the content of sepiolite is 3 wt%. The results of shape memory test demonstrate that the addition of sepiolite improves the shape fixity ratio of polyurethane. The shape fixity ratio of polyurethane composite with 3 wt% of sepiolite reaches the maximum of 86.2%. The crystallinity of the soft segments can be adjusted by varying sepiolite content, which has a potential to realize controllability of shape memory properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1674–1681, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers