Fiber reinforced shape-memory polymer composite and its application in a deployable hinge

This paper investigates the shape recovery behavior of thermoset styrene-based shape-memory polymer composite (SMPC) reinforced by carbon fiber fabrics, and demonstrates the feasibility of using an SMPC hinge as a deployable structure. The major advantages of shape-memory polymers (SMPs) are their extremely high recovery strain, low density and low cost. However, relatively low modulus and low strength are their intrinsic drawbacks. A fiber reinforced SMPC which may overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages is studied here. The investigation was conducted by three types of test, namely dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), a shape recovery test, and optical microscopic observations of the deformation mechanism for an SMPC specimen. Results reveal that the SMPC exhibits a higher storage modulus than that of a pure SMP. At/above Tg, the shape recovery ratio of the SMPC upon bending is above 90%. The shape recovery properties of the SMPC become relatively stable after some packaging/deployment cycles. Additionally, fiber microbuckling is the primary mechanism for obtaining a large strain in the bending of the SMPC. Moreover, an SMPC hinge has been fabricated, and a prototype of a solar array actuated by the SMPC hinge has been successfully deployed.