Tunable Swelling Kinetics of Shape-Memory Poly(2-Ethyl-2-Oxazoline)-Networks

Thermally programmed PEtOx-networks are capable of storing fully recoverable strains of up to 640% and mechanical energies of up to 0.56 J g(-1), which is 74% of the work applied for programming. Furthermore, it was found that thermally programmed and solvent triggered PEtOx-networks exhibit swelling degrees of up to 38 depending on the kind of solvent (e.g. water, ethanol, chloroform and DMF). Interestingly, the swelling rate significantly depends on the thermally programmed strain of the PEtOx-network. Programming the PEtOx-network above a critical strain results in immediate disruption. However, programming to a degree below the critical strain allows control over the swelling kinetic of the network. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.