A Comparative Analysis of Orientation on the Shape Memory Effect of Fabric Reinforced Shape Memory Polymer Composites

Abstract

Shape memory polymer composites (SMPC) are a new kind of smart materials where many researches have been carried out. In SMPC, shape memory polymers serves as a matrix material and particles or fibers act as reinforcements. As structural applications demand structures to withstand load and stiffness, particles reinforced SMPC does not serve for it. Therefore fiber/fabric reinforced SMPC used widely for such applications. SMPC’S changes its shape during a typical thermo-mechanical cycle and retracts to its original shape upon external stimulus (temperature). Molecular mechanism is the driving force of these SMP’s. SMP consists of 1.molecular switches and 2. netpoints. This project deals with Epoxy shape memory resin (Matrix material) and fabrics such as Glass, Kevlar and Carbon (Reinforcements).A Comparative analysis was carried out to find which combination gives the best results by bend test. Different orientations were tried for bidirectional fabrics such as (0/90)3, (0/45)3, ((0/90)/(±45)/(0/90)) specimens. Finally it was concluded that Carbon fabric which has the orientation of (0/90/±45/0/90) gives better shape memory performance.