Shape memory polyester-based nanomaterials: cutting-edge advancements

ABSTRACT

Shape memory polymers have gained immense importance across technical industries ranging from aerospace and electronics to biomedical fields. This article presents state-of-the-art overview of versatile shape memory polyesters and derived nanocomposites. Shape memory polyesters such as polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polycarbonate, and polyester blends have been identified. Shape memory polyesters have also been reinforced with nanoreinforcements including fullerene, graphene, carbon nanotube, and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). Consequently, different groups of stimuli-responsive polyester nanocomposites have been discussed such as polyester/graphene, polyester/carbon nanotube, polyester/fullerene, and polyester/POSS. Future development of shape memory polyesters may reveal superior electrical, mechanical, and thermal performance for technical applications.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Polyester
• nanocomposite
• nanofiller
• POSS
• fullerene
• stimuli-responsive

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ayesha Kausar

Ayesha Kausar has experience of working at National Centre for Physics, Islamabad, Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, and National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. She obtained her PhD from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad/KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology), Graduate School of EEWS, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. Her research interests include: synthesis, characterization and structure-property relationships of new polymeric materials; synthesis of nanomaterials including organic–inorganic nanocomposites/hybrid materials; polymeric blends via incorporating nanoparticles into thin polymer films; exploring practical and potential prospects of the novel synthesized materials (new polymers and nanomaterials) counting morphological, mechanical, thermal, electrical, conducting, etc.; flame retardant materials; proton conducting fuel cell membranes; nanocomposites for polymer Li-ion battery electrodes; composites based on electrospun nanofibers; production of various polymeric nanoparticles and their composites for solar cells; polymer/carbon nanotube/nanoparticle composites for water treatment; potential of polymer/graphite nanocomposites; polymer/graphene hybrids; polymer/fullerene nanomaterials; fabrication of epoxy-based nanocomposite for various applications; radar absorbing materials; aerospace relevance, and other technical relevances.