Synthesis of Shape Memory Polymer

Chung, Victor Kah Shin (2022) Synthesis of Shape Memory Polymer. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

In this work, poly(glycerol-dodecanoate) (PGD) was synthesized through the condensation method, with glycerol and dodecanoic acid as the monomers, and the effects of molar ratio on the physical properties, mechanical properties and shape memory behavior of PGD were studied. The varying factor in the synthesis of PGD in this work was the dodecanoic acid, with the following ratios; 1:1 as the control, 1:0.5, 1:1.5 and 1:2 ratios of glycerol to dodecanoic acid. The reason of varying the ratio of dodecanoic acid was to observe the changes in the gel-fraction and subsequently the cross-link density of PGD and how that has affected the shape memory behavior and cycle of the polymer. The following tests and characterization tests were performed, which includes shape memory assessment, gel fraction test, sodium hydroxide biodegradability test, two-way shape memory programming, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR), and tensile test. As for the PGD0.5 specimen, apart from characterization test of TGA, FTIR, gel-fraction test and biodegradability test, the shape memory assessment and tensile test were not performed on the specimen due to the polymer unable to polymerize even after an additional 24 hours of curing time was applied.