Review of Thermoresponsive Electroactive and Magnetoactive Shape Memory Polymer Nanocomposites

Electroactive and magnetoactive shape memory polymer nanocomposites (SMCs) are multistimuli-responsive smart materials that are of great interest in many research and industrial fields. In addition to thermoresponsive shape memory polymers, SMCs include nanofillers with suitable electric and/or magnetic properties that allow for alternative and remote methods of shape memory activation. This review discusses the state of the art on these electro-and magnetoactive SMCs and summarizes recently published investigations, together with relevant applica-tions in several fields. Special attention is paid to the shape memory characteristics (shape fi x i t y and shape recovery or recovery force) of these materials, as well as to the magnitude of the electric and magnetic fields required to trigger the shape memory characteristics.