Patent — available for licensing
Novel Shape Memory Composite Substrate
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
Shape memory polymers, like shape memory alloys, have the capability to return to their original shape from a temporary (or programmed) shape when some external stimulus is applied (e.g., temperature, electric field). However, shape memory polymers have not seen the same level of implementation as the alloys because (1) they do not have high actuation forces (i.e., the force of the shape change) and (2) the polymers do not spread stimuli well, as such, the actuation is not constant across the material. NASA inventors have developed a novel shape memory polymer composite (SMC) substrate by combining a shape memory polymer with thin carbon fiber sheets and an in-situ heating mechanism. The in-situ heating and a carbon fiber layer result in heat being spread evenly across the polymer and significantly higher actuation forces compared to the polymer alone. The capabilities of the composite substrate will enable deployable systems across various industries.