Abstract
Mars has similar natural environments to Earth and is regarded as a potential candidate for human migration. Exploration to Mars has been a hotspot in major aerospace countries, and therefore bringing the national flag to Mars is an inevitable demand. A self-deployable mechanism inspired by the ancient papyrus scroll to demonstrate the national flag dynamically is proposed in this paper. The release device made of shape memory polymer composites, as the functional part, is analysed thoroughly from the perspective of material design, fabrication and experiments. Firstly, the mechanical properties of woven fabric composites are predicted theoretically, and the thickness of laminates is determined according to the mechanical requirement, fabrication technique and shape moulding method. Tensile and three-point bending tests were carried out to validate the analytical prediction and provide parameters for numerical simulation. Besides, shape fixation and recovery properties were studied by both simulation and experiments with consistent results. Additionally, the shape moulding method was modified by reheating and sustaining a high-temperature period after bending to obtain the designed pattern. This world’s first application of shape memory polymer composites in Mars explorations is a milestone for both deep space exploration and advanced smart materials.
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