Sustainable approach for the synthesis of a semicrystalline polymer with a reversible shape-memory effect

• Main Authors: Wong, Jie-Wei, Yang, Xuxu, Zhao, Qian, Xue, Yaoting, Lok, Tow-Jie, Wang, Li, Fan, Xiulin, Xiao, Xuezhang, Wong, Tuck-Whye, Li, Tiefeng, Chen, Lixin, Ismail, Ahmad Fauzi
• Format: Article
• Published: American Chemical Society 2022
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/104857/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00017

Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) have demonstrated potential for use in automotive, biomedical, and aerospace industries. However, ensuring the sustainability of these materials remains a challenge. Herein, a sustainable approach to synthesize a semicrystalline polymer using biomass-derivable precursors via catalyst-free polyesterification is presented. The synthesized biodegradable polymer, poly(1,8-octanediol-co-1,12-dodecanedioate-co-citrate) (PODDC), exhibits excellent shape-memory properties, as evidenced by good shape fixity and shape recovery ratios of 98%, along with a large reversible actuation strain of 28%. Without the use of a catalyst, the mild polymerization enables the reconfiguration of the partially cured two-dimensional (2D) film to a three-dimensional (3D) geometric form in the middle process. This study appears to be a step forward in developing sustainable SMPs and a simple way for constructing a 3D structure of a permanent shape.