Synthesis of cross-linked triple shape memory polyurethane with self-healing functionalities

A series of shape memory polymers (SMPs) comprising poly (10-hydroxydecanoate) (PHDA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) oligomer were facilely prepared. The effect of PEG content on the thermal dynamic properties of the cross-linking network were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The obtained polyurethane has two separated melting temperatures (T-m), which make the material a triple SMP. The shaped specimen only needs 8 s to get a 98.5% the shape recovery. Furthermore, disulfide bonds were introduced into the polyurethane to give the triple SMP self-healing ability. The synthetic polymer exhibited a self-healing efficiency of 78.3%. The healed samples could lift a weight of 100 g, which is 150 times of its own weight, without tearing. This polyurethane exhibits impressive triple-shape memory ability and a high potential for biomedical applications.