ABSTRACT
Shape memory polymers (SMPs) have the capability of recovering their original shapes upon application of external stimuli such as heat, light, and chemical action (Lendlein and Langer 2002, Lendlein and Kelch 2002, 2007, Baer et al. 2006, Lendlein et al. 2005). The advantages of SMPs over other shape memory materials (in particular shape memory alloys or SMAs) include lower cost, lower density, higher shape recoverability (up to 400%), and easier processability (Behl and Lendlein 2007, Dietsch and Tong 2007, Ratna and Karger-Kocsis 2008, Gall et al. 2000, 2004a, 2004b, Liu et al. 2007).
