Molded foam body having anisotropic shape memory properties, method for manufacturing same and article comprising the molded foam body
First Claim
1. A molded foam body having anisotropic, thermally inducible shape memory properties, comprising at least one shape memory polymer which, after a mechanical or thermomechanical programming, is able to execute at least one shape transition temperature-induced from a temporary shape to a permanent shape, characterized in that the unprogrammed shape memory polymer exhibits a foam structure having asymmetric pores, oriented substantially in a common, first spatial direction, wherein a ratio of an average pore dimension in the first spatial direction to an average pore dimension in a second spatial direction extending orthogonally thereto is at least 2.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a molded foam body having anisotropic shape memory properties, to a method for manufacturing such a molded foam body and to an article, which contains or is composed of such a molded foam body.
The molded foam body according to the invention comprises at least one shape memory polymer, which forms a foam structure having asymmetric pores oriented substantially in a common, first spatial direction (L). Said molded foam body is manufactured by foaming the polymer by means of the release of a gaseous propellant under conditions that promote the release and the escape of the propellant from the polymer substantially in a main flow direction. Following thermomechanical programming, such a shape memory foam exhibits a direction-dependent level of recovery and recovery forces when reheated.
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13 Claims
- 1. A molded foam body having anisotropic, thermally inducible shape memory properties, comprising at least one shape memory polymer which, after a mechanical or thermomechanical programming, is able to execute at least one shape transition temperature-induced from a temporary shape to a permanent shape, characterized in that the unprogrammed shape memory polymer exhibits a foam structure having asymmetric pores, oriented substantially in a common, first spatial direction, wherein a ratio of an average pore dimension in the first spatial direction to an average pore dimension in a second spatial direction extending orthogonally thereto is at least 2.
Specification