Predicting thermal shape memory of crosslinked polymer networks from linear viscoelasticity

The viscoelastic behavior of an amorphous shape memory polymer network and its dependence on time and temperature were measured by dynamic mechanical analysis. The resulting thermo-mechanical behavior was modeled and implemented in a commercial finite element code. The ability of the resulting thermomechanical model to simulate and, eventually, predict the shape storage and shape recovery of the material was evaluated against experimental shape memory thermomechanical torsion data in a large deformation regimen. The simulations showed excellent agreement with experimental shape memory thermomechanical cycle data. This demonstrates the dependence of the shape recovery on time and temperature. The results suggest that accurate predictions of the shape recovery of any amorphous polymer networks under any thermomechanical conditions combination solely depends on considering the material viscoelasticity and its time–temperature dependence.

► A shape memory polymer (SMP) linear viscoelastic is characterized.
► Thermal shape memory properties of the material are measured in torsion.
► Shape memory properties are predicted using the material’s intrinsic viscoelasticity.
► Thermomechanical model implemented in finite element code provides SMP simulations.