Papers by Author: Jin Song Leng

Abstract: In this current study, spandex fiber with high elasticity and high recovery ratio were added into shape memory epoxy resin. Compared with pure shape memory resin, the Young’s modulus increases by 28.2%, tensile stress by 49.7% and fracture strain by 16.4% in samples with 20 vol% spandex fiber, while recover time reduces by 36s in samples with 40 vol% spandex fiber.

Abstract: Stimulus-active polymers can change their shapes with respect to configuration or dimension upon exposure to a particular stimulus such as heat, electricity, light, magnetic, solvent and pH value. These unique characteristics enable stimulus-active polymers to be used in a myriad of fields, including clothing manufacturing, automobile engineering, medical treatment, and aerospace engineering. Stimulus-active polymers can be applied in smart textiles and apparels, intelligent medical instruments and auxiliaries, artificial muscles, biomimetic devices, heat shrinkable materials for electronics packaging, micro-electro-mechanical systems, self-deployable sun sails in spacecrafts, miniature manipulator, actuators and sensors, and many more. This paper presents some recent progress of soft smart materials and their applications. Special emphasis is focused upon shape memory polymer (SMP), electro-active polymer (EAP) for aerospace engineering such as space deployable structures and morphing aircraft, which has highlighted the need for development of these materials. A detailed overview of development in these smart soft materials, of which the undergoing and future applications are used in adaptive structures and active control, is presented. The paper concludes with a short discussion for multi-functional soft smart materials and their composites that are expected to extend the range of development and applications available to the related researches and engineers.

Abstract: DSC test is carried out to determine the phase transformation temperatures of a NiTi SMA, which include martensitic starting temperature, martensitic finishing temperature, austenitic starting temperature and austenitic finishing temperature. The mechanical behaviors of shape memory alloy (SMA) torsion rod are investigated by using Zhou’s shear constitutive equation of SMA and the theorem of circular shaft in mechanics of materials. A critical torque equation is developed to describe the relationship between the martensitic phase transformation critical torque of SMA torsion rod and temperature.

Abstract: The mechanical behaviors of epoxy-based shape memory polymer (SMP) with linear monomer at the temperatures of 25oC, 42oC, 56oC and 66oC are respectively investigated through the tension tests. Material parameter equations are supposed to describe the relationships between the material parameters of SMP with linear monomer and temperature. Numerical calculations show that the supposed material parameter equations well predict the relationships between the material parameters of SMP with linear monomer and temperature.

Abstract: The glass transition temperatures of epoxy-based shape memory polymers (SMPs), which contain a flexibilizer at various contents of 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% respectively, are determined through DMA tests. The shape memory effect of such materials is investigated through shape recovery experiments. Experimental results show that the content of flexibilizer has much influence on the shape memory effect of epoxy-based SMP. A shape recovery equation is developed based on the results of shape recovery experiment. Numerical calculations show that the developed shape recovery equation well predicts the shape recovery behaviors of epoxy-based SMP.

Abstract: The shape memory polymer (SMP) materials are able to change these shape in response to external stimulus such as stress, temperature, solvent, PH, magnetic, electricity or light. The above-mentioned methods are only to recover initial shape of the deformed SMP, could not give the SMP predeformation. In this paper, magnetic field gives the shape memory polymer composite (SMPC) pre-deformation was studied, through on and off of magnetic field the two-way activation of SMPC was achieved. Shape memory effect of shape memory composite in magnetic field was studied. The SMPC was filled by nickel powder, and the nickel powder was treated by silane coupling agent. The Tg of shape memory composite was measured by dynamic mechanical analyzer. The surface element of treated nickel powder was analysized with XPS. The results indicated that the shape of composite filled by untreated nickel powder did not change in the magnetic field, while the composite filled by treated nickel powder was drawn in the magnetic field. The tensile stretch was decrease with the increase of nickel powder content in the shape memory composite. The addition of silane coupling agent onto nickel powder surface was helpful for the dispersion of nickel in polymer.

Abstract: Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests are conducted on styrene-based shape memory polymer(SMP) to investigate its glass transition behaviors. The tensile tests at various temperatures are operated to detect the stress-strain relationship of styrene-based SMP. The material elastic moduli and yielding limits at 25oC, 30oC, 40oC, and 50oC are determined according to the results of tensile test. A new material parameter function is supposed to express the glass transition behavior of styrene-based SMP. The shape memory thermo-mechanical cycle of styrene-based SMP is numerically simulated by Tobushi’s constitutive equation coupled with the new material parameter function. Numerical results show the new material parameter function can express the thermo-mechanical properties of styrene-based SMP effectively.

Abstract: Shape memory alloy is a good candidate for realizing the passive control of structural vibration due to its excellent characteristic of energy dissipation. In this paper, the damping characteristic of shape memory alloy is quantitatively described based on Liang’s phase transformation model and thermo-mechanical constitutive equation for shape memory alloy. The vibration performances of a beam structure with shape memory alloy damper are investigated based on basic knowledge of vibration theorem. Numerical calculations show that the vibration of beam structure is well reduced by using the shape memory alloy damper.

Abstract: The surface morphology of materials is of fundamental importance to many applications (e.g., surface wetting, friction, surface roughness, reflection, drag, adhesion, etc). Various approaches for micro/nano patterning atop polymer surfaces have been proposed in recent years. However, a cost effective technique is still highly in demand. In this paper, we demonstrate a few novel but rather simple and generic approaches for surface micro/nano patterning using shape memory polymers (SMPs). Reversible micro vertical chains, crown shaped protrusion arrays and strip/labyrinth wrinkles atop SMPs are presented.

Abstract: A new system of thermoset styrene-based shape-memory polymer (SMP) filled with carbon black (CB) is investigated. To realize the electroactive stimuli of SMP, the electrical conductivity of SMP filled with various amounts of CB is characterized. The percolation threshold of electrically conductive SMP filled with CB is about 3% (volume fraction of CB), which is much lower than many other electrically conductive polymers. When applying a voltage of 30V, the shape recovery process of SMP/CB(10 vol%) can be realized in about 100s. In addition, the thermomechanical properties are also characterized by differential scanning calorimetery (DSC).