Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications

Shape memory polymer (SMP) based on thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) for soft-touch splint application has been successfully developed. The main aim was to investigate the proper phase combination between thermoplastic (i.e., polycaprolactone (PCL)) and rubbers materials. Different types of rubbe...

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Main Authors: N. Lehman, L. Songtipya, J. Johns, K. Maliwankul, S. P. Voravuthikunchai, Y. Nakaramontri, K. Sengloyluan, E. Kalkornsurapranee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Budapest University of Technology and Economics 2021-01-01
Series:eXPRESS Polymer Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0010773&mi=cd
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author N. Lehman
L. Songtipya
J. Johns
K. Maliwankul
S. P. Voravuthikunchai
Y. Nakaramontri
K. Sengloyluan
E. Kalkornsurapranee
author_facet N. Lehman
L. Songtipya
J. Johns
K. Maliwankul
S. P. Voravuthikunchai
Y. Nakaramontri
K. Sengloyluan
E. Kalkornsurapranee
author_sort N. Lehman
collection DOAJ
description Shape memory polymer (SMP) based on thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) for soft-touch splint application has been successfully developed. The main aim was to investigate the proper phase combination between thermoplastic (i.e., polycaprolactone (PCL)) and rubbers materials. Different types of rubbers, namely natural rubber (NR) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR), were used as the rubber phases in the SMP-TPNR. Mechanical properties, shape memorial efficiency, swelling, and morphologies of the resulting material were examined. The tensile strength and hardness of the SMP-TPNR were found to be increased by using polar ENR as the rubber phase. Better compatibility between ENR and PCL molecular chains lead the material to achieve significant improvement in the shape memory behavior compared to the one with unmodified NR. The main advantage of polar rubber is its great opportunity to apply the material for splint fixing applications. On comparing with various commercially available materials (i.e., plaster, fiberglass, aluminum with foam and commercial thermoplastic splint), the developed SMP-TPNR material exhibited better performances in terms of ease of processing, costeffectiveness, comfortability (soft-touch), water resistance and impact resistance.
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publisher Budapest University of Technology and Economics
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series eXPRESS Polymer Letters
spelling doaj-art-0706f5dfd5d3479ba7fc25f73288bfbc2025-08-20T02:41:45ZengBudapest University of Technology and EconomicseXPRESS Polymer Letters1788-618X2021-01-01151283810.3144/expresspolymlett.2021.4Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applicationsN. LehmanL. SongtipyaJ. JohnsK. MaliwankulS. P. VoravuthikunchaiY. NakaramontriK. SengloyluanE. KalkornsurapraneeShape memory polymer (SMP) based on thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) for soft-touch splint application has been successfully developed. The main aim was to investigate the proper phase combination between thermoplastic (i.e., polycaprolactone (PCL)) and rubbers materials. Different types of rubbers, namely natural rubber (NR) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR), were used as the rubber phases in the SMP-TPNR. Mechanical properties, shape memorial efficiency, swelling, and morphologies of the resulting material were examined. The tensile strength and hardness of the SMP-TPNR were found to be increased by using polar ENR as the rubber phase. Better compatibility between ENR and PCL molecular chains lead the material to achieve significant improvement in the shape memory behavior compared to the one with unmodified NR. The main advantage of polar rubber is its great opportunity to apply the material for splint fixing applications. On comparing with various commercially available materials (i.e., plaster, fiberglass, aluminum with foam and commercial thermoplastic splint), the developed SMP-TPNR material exhibited better performances in terms of ease of processing, costeffectiveness, comfortability (soft-touch), water resistance and impact resistance.http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0010773&mi=cdsmart polymersthermoplastic natural rubbershape memory polymersoft-touch splintepoxidized natural rubber
spellingShingle N. Lehman
L. Songtipya
J. Johns
K. Maliwankul
S. P. Voravuthikunchai
Y. Nakaramontri
K. Sengloyluan
E. Kalkornsurapranee
Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications
eXPRESS Polymer Letters
smart polymers
thermoplastic natural rubber
shape memory polymer
soft-touch splint
epoxidized natural rubber
title Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications
title_full Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications
title_fullStr Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications
title_full_unstemmed Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications
title_short Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications
title_sort shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber for novel splint applications
topic smart polymers
thermoplastic natural rubber
shape memory polymer
soft-touch splint
epoxidized natural rubber
url http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0010773&mi=cd
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