Shape memory polymers

A polymer having the formula:

• —[HB]x-[MOD]y-[XL]z-
• comprising:
• i) hydrogen bonding units, HB, having at least one hydrogen bond donor moiety and at least one hydrogen bond acceptor moiety;
• ii) backbone modifier units, MOD;
• and
• iii) crosslinking units, XL, that are capable of forming one or more crosslinks;
• the indices x, y, and z represent the mole fraction of each unit, the index x is from about 0.1 to about 20, the index y is from about 75 to about 99.8, and the index z is from about 0.1 to about 5;
• wherein the polymer is characterized by having a shape memory temperature, TSM, such that the polymer can be elastically deformed at the shape memory temperature, and subsequently lowered to a shape memory freezing temperature, TF, and the method of elastic deformation is removed, the polymer will return to its original shape with a rate slower than the rate observed if the method of mechanical elastic deformation were removed at TSM;
• provided the shape memory freezing temperature TF is above the glass transition, TG, of the polymer, and provided the polymer is in the amorphous state at TF.