Design considerations for shape memory polymer composites with magnetic particles

Abstract

Recent experimental investigations demonstrated that by incorporating magnetic particles into shape memory polymer matrices, a fast and remote heating of materials and shape recovery could be achieved by exposing the shape memory polymer composite to an electromagnetic field. The particles served as internal mini-antennas to transform the electromagnetic energy to inductive Joule heat, and subsequently to initiate the recovery of shape memory polymers (SMPs). In this paper, a three-dimensional computational study was carried out to study the coupling between heat transfer from spherically shaped particles and heat-induced shape recovery of SMP composites. The influence of particle size, particle volume fraction, particle heating temperature and rate to the magnetically induced shape recovery behavior was studied. The results in this paper provided a meaningful guidance for further designs and applications of the magnetic particles reinforced shape memory polymer composites.