@Article{jpm.2025.061047,
AUTHOR = {Taoxi Wang, Zhuo Liu, Fu Jian, Xing Shen, Chen Wang, Huwei Bian, Tao Jiang, Wei Min Huang},
TITLE = {Body Temperature Programmable Shape Memory Thermoplastic Rubber},
JOURNAL = {Journal of Polymer Materials},
VOLUME = {42},
YEAR = {2025},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {81--94},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/jpm/v42n1/60175},
ISSN = {0976-3449},
ABSTRACT = {This paper presents the development of a thermoplastic shape memory rubber that can be programmed at human body temperature for comfortable fitting applications. We hybridized commercially available thermoplastic rubber (TPR) used in the footwear industry with un-crosslinked polycaprolactone (PCL) to create two samples, namely TP6040 and TP7030. The shape memory behavior, elasticity, and thermo-mechanical response of these rubbers were systematically investigated. The experimental results demonstrated outstanding shape memory performance, with both samples achieving shape fixity ratios (<i>R</i><sub>f</sub>) and shape recovery ratios (<i>R</i><sub>r</sub>) exceeding 94%. TP6040 exhibited a fitting time of 80 s at body temperature (37°C), indicating a rapid response for shape fixing. The materials also showed good elasticity before and after programming, which is crucial for comfort fitting. These findings suggest that the developed shape memory thermoplastic rubber has potential applications in personalized comfort fitting products, offering advantages over traditional customization techniques in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.},
DOI = {10.32604/jpm.2025.061047}
}