A new plastic developed by ORNL and Washington State University transforms from its original shape (left) through a series of temporary shapes and returns to its initial form. The shape-shifting process is controlled through changes in temperature.
Not all plastics are created equal. Malleable thermoplastics can be easily melted and reused in products such as food containers. Other plastics, called thermosets, are essentially stuck in their final form because of cross-linking chemical bonds that give them their strength for applications such as golf balls and car tires.
“Nobody takes a thermoset and recycles it like you would a water bottle,” said Orlando Rios from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Rios and a team of researchers from Washington State University and the University of Idaho have developed a process to make a thermoset that can be reshaped and reused. The team’s study, published in the journal Macromolecules, is featured on the current issue’s cover.
The new plastic is a shape-memory polymer, so named because the material can “remember” its original shape and return to it after being deformed with heat or other forces. The materials exhibit triple-shape memory behavior, meaning that the polymers can transform from one temporary shape to another temporary shape at one temperature, and then back to a permanent shape at another temperature.
Rios explains that although researchers have been interested in making use of shape-memory polymers’ intriguing characteristics, managing the shape-shifting behavior has been a struggle.
“One big issue that has limited their use is controlling the transformation temperatures and their properties,” he said. “We give a recipe where you can adjust the transformation temperature and shift the performance of the material.”
Changing the ratio of ingredients allows the researchers to control the overall properties of the material. The team’s method also uses off-the-shelf chemicals that can be easily scaled up to manufacture the material in bulk.
“We’ve taken it from somewhat of a scientific curiosity or fundamental research material to something that can be produced in larger volumes,” Rios said.
Mixing the shape-memory polymers with other materials could produce stronger and stiffer composite parts that can later be recycled or reprocessed. Recyclable carbon fiber and glass fiber composites, for instance, are in high demand in the automotive industry.
“The ability to control the shape-memory behavior of the material provides great design flexibility,” said Yuzhan Li of Washington State University.
The material could also be used as binding glue for new types of rare earth-free magnets made from powders. The team is already experimenting with 3-D printing powder-based magnets with shape-memory polymers.
“The applications for these materials are very broad, since the shape-shifting temperatures for these materials can be finely tuned by controlling the ratio of the chemicals used in their synthesis,” said Michael Kessler of Washington State University.
Read more: SHAPE-SHIFTING PLASTIC
The Latest on: Shape-shifting plastic
via Google News
The Latest on: Shape-shifting plastic
- Millions of plastic COVID-19 tests end up in landfills. This biodegradable test could be a game-changeron May 13, 2022 at 12:00 am
Each time you sit down to do a COVID-19 rapid test at home, you’re sending 10 grams of plastic to the landfill. Considering the Biden administration purchased 1 billion of these tests in January, that ...
- Why Do We Use so Many Plastic Things?on May 12, 2022 at 10:37 pm
It is usual that after some massive event, marches or parties, we realize as a graphic and palpable record that the activity was carried out ...
- The 10 Best Bike Saddles for More Comfortable Mileson May 11, 2022 at 12:40 pm
A bike saddle can make or break your ride. These purpose-built bike seats—from Specialized, Ergon, Prologo, and more—balance comfort and performance.
- Save $25 on these innovative shapeshifting boxeson May 7, 2022 at 2:22 am
The Shashibo Shape Shifting Box is lined with 36 rare earth magnets and built with premium injection-mold plastic and a tear-proof matte or high-gloss surface. There are three different color ...
- How are digital payments going to shape in the next five years?on May 7, 2022 at 12:03 am
With the current business models transforming online, the entire payment structure is being remodeled to support the digital shift in the ... and request to pay, plastic cards and digital wallets ...
- The massive, unregulated source of plastic pollution you’ve probably never heard ofon May 6, 2022 at 3:00 am
A nurdle is the size and shape of a fish egg ... the oil and gas industry is increasingly shifting its business focus to plastic production. Plastic production is expected to triple by 2050 ...
- Direct-To-Shape Inkjet Printers Market Is Estimated At USD 3.8 Bn In 2022, at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2022 to 2030on May 4, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Future Market Insights predicts that the global direct-to-shape (DTS) inkjet printers market is projected to expand twice its current value by the end of 2030. The increasing demand for economic and ...
- Polyethylene Catalyst Market Forecast to Reach US$1.1 Billion by 2027on May 4, 2022 at 7:35 am
Around 80 million tonnes of polyethylene is manufactured each year making it the world’s most important plastic ... and films industries are rapidly shifting towards lightweight, transparent ...
- Give Your Brain A Puzzling Challenge With Shashibo’S Shape-Shifting Boxon May 4, 2022 at 2:00 am
Shashibo Shape-Shifting Box is an award-winning cube that can transform into over 70 geometric shapes, leaving no shortage of brain-puzzling challenges.
- Proteus, The Shape-Shifting And Possibly Non-Cuttable Materialon May 1, 2022 at 5:01 pm
The creators have named the material Proteus after the elusive and shape-shifting prophet of Greek ... with other destructive techniques, like plastic explosives, but we suppose that research ...
via Bing News