Modeling size-dependent thermo-mechanical behaviors of shape memory polymer Bernoulli-Euler microbeam

The objective of this paper is to model the size-dependent thermo-mechanical behaviors of a shape memory polymer (SMP) microbeam.Size-dependent constitutive equations,which can capture the size effect of the SMP,are proposed based on the modified couple stress theory (MCST).The deformation energy expression of the SMP microbeam is obtained by employing the proposed size-dependent constitutive equation and Bernoulli-Euler beam theory.An SMP microbeam model,which includes the formulations of deflection,strain,curvature,stress and couple stress,is developed by using the principle of minimum potential energy and the separation of variables together.The sizedependent thermo-mechanical and shape memory behaviors of the SMP microbeam and the influence of the Poisson ratio are numerically investigated according to the developed SMP microbeam model.Results show that the size effects of the SMP microbeam are significant when the dimensionless height is small enough.However,they are too slight to be necessarily considered when the dimensionless height is large enough.The bending flexibility and stress level of the SMP microbeam rise with the increasing dimensionless height,while the couple stress level declines with the increasing dimensionless height.The larger the dimensionless height is,the more obvious the viscous property and shape memory effect of the SMP microbeam are.The Poisson ratio has obvious influence on the size-dependent behaviors of the SMP microbeam.The paper provides a theoretical basis and a quantitatively analyzing tool for the design and analysis of SMP micro-structures in the field of biological medicine,microelectronic devices and micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) self-assembling.

Constitutive model for epoxy shape memory polymer with regulable phase transition temperature

The epoxy shape memory polymer(SMP)with adjustable phase transition temperature is a kind of high-performance shape mem-ory polymer,which can change its phase transition temperature and improve its mechanical properties through the process of photo curing.An epoxy SMP constitutive model combining phase transition and viscoelasticity is established by discretizing the epoxy SMP into several glass phase units and rubbery phase units in this paper.The model includes the viscoelastic constitutive equa-tions of glass phase units and rubber phase units,the parameter expression during shape memory process,and material parameter equation during photocuring process.And the stress relaxation behavior of epoxy SMP at different temperatures and the change of material parameters during the photo-curing process are simu-lated numerically,and the simulation results perform consistency with the experimental data.The model can not only relate shape memory effect and phase transformation in physics but also better characterize the viscoelastic properties of SMP and predict the shape memory response of SMP.