Biodegradable polyester shape memory polymers: Recent advances in design, material properties and applications

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) is a class of well-studied smart materials with a variety of applications. In recent years, biodegradable polyester SMPs have received increasing attention from the research community both as academic interest and for their potential usefulness in biomedicine and soft robotics. In this contribution, the most recent progress in the area of biodegradable polyester-based SMPs is summarized with regards to their structural designs, thermomechanical properties, shape memory performance and some emerging characteristics, followed by a discussion on the specific applications of these SMPs in biomedicine and soft robotics. The prospective research direction for the future development of polyester SMPs as advanced functional materials is also discussed.