ABSTRACT
Shape memory materials have the ability to regain their original shapes from a temporary/trained shape when a particular stimulus is applied. Shape memory alloys, ceramics, gels, and polymers are individual materials that exhibit the property of shape memory, whereas an intermediate property requirement can be met by a suitably designed combination of any of these materials. Smart systems are not single-component materials; rather, they represent integrated systems of materials. Thin films, fibers, wires, particle fillers, and bulk matrices are a few forms of shape memory materials that can be incorporated with other materials with desirable properties to form hybrid shape memory materials. It has been reported that chemical interactions between components, both elastic and transition, should be kept to a minimum or completely avoided. This is to facilitate the precise prediction of the properties and behaviors of the shape memory hybrids from the known individual components.
