Hydrogen Bond Driven Shape Memory Polymers: Progress and Outlook

Abstract

Shape memory materials are a class of stimuli responsive materials with the unique ability to be programmed into a temporary shape and revert to their original form upon exposure to specific triggers, typically heat. Among various shape memory polymer designs, supramolecular interactions have emerged as significant candidates for shape memory polymer construction. Hydrogen bonding, one of the most widely utilized supramolecular interactions for building supramolecular polymers, has been employed in the development of SMPs over the past few decades. As weak interactions, the strength and reversibility of H-bonding can be modulated by temperature, pH, or solvent; making them ideal molecular switches for shape memory polymers. This review highlights recent advancements in hydrogen bonded shape memory polymers, addressing current challenges and future prospects in this area. It covers the fundamentals of shape memory polymers, the unique attributes of hydrogen-bonded shape memory polymers, and recent developments that enhance their properties and applications.