title: Shape and temperature memory of nanocomposites with broadened glass transition.
abstract: Shape-memory polymers can revert to their original shape when they are reheated. The stress generated by shape recovery is a growing function of the energy absorbed during deformation at a high temperature; thus, high energy to failure is a necessary condition for strong shape-memory materials. We report on the properties of composite nanotube fibers that exhibit this particular feature. We observed that these composites can generate a stress upon shape recovery up to two orders of magnitude greater than that generated by conventional polymers. In addition, the nanoparticles induce a broadening of the glass transition and a temperature memory with a peak of recovery stress at the temperature of their initial deformation.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal-CNRS, Université Bordeaux I, 115 Avenue Schweitzer, F-33600 Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miaudet
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derré
authors.forename: Maryse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maugey
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zakri
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Piccione
authors.forename: Rabi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inoubli
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poulin