Rubber-assisted and modulated epoxy topological network for developing fatigue-resistant, high-strain-cycle high performance shape memory polymer composites

High performance shape memory polymer (HPSMP) has a wide range of application such as smart device, smart mold. In this study, we designed a rigid-flexible shape memory epoxy with flexible chain segment as the main chain and rigid benzene ring as the side group. Meanwhile, carboxyl-terminated nitrile butadiene rubber (CTBN) was accessed into the epoxy main chain as a fatigue-resistant functional filler. The results showed that the flexible backbone plays a major role in improving the ductility. The superior fatigue-resistant shape memory cycling performance was synergistically achieved by modulating the epoxy topological network through altering the disulfide cross-linker prompted by CTBN, and the materials exhibited good high and low-temperature resistant mechanical properties. Comparatively, it is found that disulfide bonding can significantly improve the tensile property and thermal stability for epoxy. The synergistic effect between the elastic chain segments in CTBN and the flexible backbone achieves excellent shape recovery ratio. Therefore, the rational structural design provides an effective way to develop HPSMP, which can expand the application areas for HPSMP.