Novel Conducting Polymer:Shape Memory Polymer Composites for Electroactive Actuators

摘要

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) exhibit the ability to switch from their temporary shape to the original shape by external stimuli. For the thermo stimulate SMPs, direct heating is the most common method to trigger SMPs. While direct heating method might not be applicable in all cases. A straightforward approach for indirect heating by electricity is Joule heating1. When electrical conductive polymers were incorporated into the SMP matrix, the shape memory effect could be actuated indirectly by the generated internal Joule heating. Self-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (S-PEDOT), a novel soluble conducting polymer with high electrical conductivity, has many advantages compare with graphene, CNTs and PEDOT:PSS. It can be dissolved in many organic solvents, like dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol (EG) and formic acid (FA)2. In this study, S-PEDOT:SMP composites were newly fabricated and electrical conductivity, structure, and shape memory properties were investigated.