Tailored polymers
AssigneesSmith & Nephew, Inc., University of Bradford
InventorsMalcolm Brown, Horacio Montes de Oca Balderas, Michael Andrew Hall, Phillip Caton-Rose, Phillip David Coates, Glen Thompson
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Abstract
The present invention relates to shape memory polymers (SMP) and especially to shape memory polymer containing a water soluble non-reactive plasticiser and to uses thereof.
Claims30
1-58. (canceled)
A polymer composition comprising a polymer and a water soluble plasticizer wherein the plasticizer and polymer are miscible and where on immersion in an aqueous medium the polymer composition softens, deforms, the plasticizer diffuses in the aqueous medium and the resulting material then becomes stiffer.
A shape memory polymer (SMP) composition comprising at least one SMP and a water soluble non-reactive plasticizer, the plasticizer enabling the SMP to change shape at an activation temperature between about 20° C. to 90° C. when the SMP is placed in an aqueous media, the SMP hardening if its temperature drops below its activation temperature, and the SMP hardening further as the water soluble plasticizer diffuses from the SMP composition.
The shape memory polymer composition according to claim 90 in which the water soluble non-reactive plasticizer forms a single phase with the polymer.
A method of making a shape memory polymer material comprising:
- (i) placing a shape memory polymer composition comprising a polymer and a polymer miscible water soluble plasticizer, in an aqueous environment;
- (ii) allowing the water soluble plasticizer to diffuse from the shape memory polymer composition to form a shape memory polymer material;
- (iii) allowing shape memory polymer material to soften, deform and harden.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.