Anhydride-Based Reconfigurable Shape Memory Elastomers

Soft shape memory polymers typically embody a permanently memorized geometry that cannot be altered, and therefore a new sample must be fabricated each time a new structure is required. We present a shape memory elastomeric composite featuring thermoplastic fibers as a fixing phase and a polyanhydride-based elastomer as the permanent, elastic phase. Interestingly, dynamic covalent exchange reactions at elevated temperatures (T > 50 °C) among the network chains of the elastomer allow near-complete reconfiguration of the permanent shape in the solid state. Together, these features combine to create a shape memory elastomer capable of arbitrary programming of both temporary and permanent shapes.