Polyvinylidene fluoride shape memory polymer for dielectric device applications

Abstract

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are emerging smart materials that can change their shape with the help of an external stimulus. A wide variety of stimuli can be used, including heat, light, pH, electric and magnetic field, from temporary to permanent shape, which affect the shape memory behavior of SMPs. Thermally induced shape memory behavior has been investigated in many studies. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)  based polymers are an important class of electroactive smart materials that exhibit pyroelectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties [1-3]. The shape memory properties of PVDF were investigated. Firstly, shape memory film was prepared by solvent casting method. The recovery and fixity behaviors of the PVDF polymer were investigated for various recovery times.