Effect of different dimensional carbon nanoparticles on the shape memory behavior of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer

Abstract

Different 0D, 1D and 2D carbon nanoparticles were added into a main chain liquid crystalline polyester (LCP) to investigate the effect of the nanoparticles on the shape memory behavior of LCP. Fullerene (C60), multi-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene (G) were selected as the fillers in an attempt to form π-π interaction with LCP chains, which acted as a physical crosslinking to obtain the increased shape recovery stress and recovery ratio. The composites were prepared by solution mixing. The formation of π-π interaction was investigated by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), fluorescence emission spectrometry and Raman laser spectrometry. Shape recovery stress and shape recovery ratio were recorded by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Results indicated that C60 and CNT significantly augmented shape recovery ratio but had little effect on Shape recovery stress, while G diminished shape recovery ratio but improved the shape recovery stress.