Characterization of polymeric shape memory materials

Abstract After a short discussion of various shape memory related phenomena and the basic working mechanisms behind the shape memory effect (SME) in polymeric shape memory materials (SMMs), standard techniques and procedures to characterize these types of materials are reviewed in details (including the concerns in the selection of testing methods and parameters). Although the focus of this paper is on the heating-responsive SME, important issues in the chemo-responsive SME are addressed. Furthermore, some other shape memory related phenomena, such as various kinds of temperature memory effect (TME), and multiple-SME etc., and optimization of the shape memory performance of a shape memory polymer (SMP) via tailoring the programming parameters are included.