MOLDED FOAM BODY HAVING ANISOTROPIC SHAPE MEMORY PROPERTIES, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME AND ARTICLE COMPRISING THE MOLDED FOAM BODY

摘要

The invention relates to a molded foam body having anisotropic shape memory properties, to a method for manufacturing such a molded foam body and to an article, which contains or is composed of such a molded foam body. The molded foam body according to the invention comprises at least one shape memory polymer, which forms a foam structure having asymmetric pores oriented substantially in a common, first spatial direction (L). Said molded foam body is manufactured by foaming the polymer by means of the release of a gaseous propellant under conditions that promote the release and the escape of the propellant from the polymer substantially in a main flow direction. Following thermomechanical programming, such a shape memory foam exhibits a direction-dependent level of recovery and recovery forces when reheated.