THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER COMPOUNDS EXHIBITING SHAPE MEMORY VIA THERMO-MECHANICAL ACTION

摘要

A thermoplastic elastomer compound is disclosed having a high strain recovery rate and a high strain fixity rate to provide shape memory, preferably manageable shape memory. One type of thermoplastic elastomer compound is comprises a maleated styrenic block copolymer and polycaprolactone to achieve the shape memory. A second type of thermoplastic elastomer compound comprises styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene and a paraffin wax having less than about 0.5% oil content. Shape modes of articles made from the thermoplastic elastomer compound can be altered by at least one thermo-mechanical event to cause deformation of the compound from a first shape to a second shape with retention of the compound in the second shape for any reasonable time interval.