The emerging development of fibre-reinforced shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) have now improved the inherent poor mechanical properties of SMPs. Moreover, the inclusion of various nanoparticles has enhanced the diversity in activation mechanisms and further improved their structural and shape memory properties performance. Today, SMPCs are generally viewed as promising substances for a broad range of different engineering applications. Shape Memory Polymer Composites: Materials, Manufacturing and Applications provides a detailed and comprehensive review of the most recent advances in this important research field with an emphasis on synthetization, properties, modelling, manufacturing, and applications. Long-term behaviour and service environment-based performance parameters are also discussed as well as manufacturing processes ranging from classic hand layup to cutting edge robot-assisted composite or additive manufacturing. The book will be a valuable reference resource for academic and industrial researchers, materials scientists and engineers working in the research and development of smart polymer composite materials and industrial professionals who design and manufacture these composite products for the biomedical, textile, civil infrastructure, and aerospace and space engineering sectors.
1. Introduction
2. Synthesizing and curing kinetics of SMPCs
3. Multifunctional SMP nanocomposites
4. Multi-stimuli triggered SMPCs
5. Remotely and sequentially controlled SMPCs
6. Self-healing SMPCs
7. Auxetic SMPC foams
8. Optimization of SMPC properties
9. Durability and long-term behaviour of SMP/SMPC
10. Fire Performance of SMPCs
11. 4D Printing of SMPCs
12. Mass-scale manufacturing of SMPCs
13. Biomedical applications
14. Aerospace and space applications
15. Civil Infrastructure applications
16. Textile applications
Dr. Jayantha Epaarachchi is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. He obtained his BSC Eng Degree from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He obtained his MSc from the UNSW and PhD from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He has an extensive, well-developed track record in the development of smart composite materials and structural health monitoring. His current research interests focus on the development of shape memory polymer composites for engineering applications. Dr. Epaarachchis research career spans more than 21 years and his research findings have impacted the wind turbine blade-manufacturing sector, as well as the development of smart composite materials for the space and aerospace sectors. He has been an expert reviewer for the Australian Research Council since 2011and has been invited as a visiting researcher to the Composite Centre at the University of Bristol and Harbin Institute of Technology, China. He is also a technical reviewer for the national research programme of The Dutch Research Council and the National Office for Science and Technology Awards, P. R. China. Dr. Epaarachchi is a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia, and the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka. He is a Charted Engineer and Certified Materials Professional. He has edited one book, 6 book chapters and published more than 110 journal and conference papers. Dr. Madhubhashitha Herath is a Senior Lecturer at the Uva Wellassa University in Sri Lanka. He is also an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Future Materials at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Australia. In 2020 he obtained his PhD from the USQ, Australia. He obtained his BSc Eng. degree from the University of Ruhuna, in Sri Lanka and MEng degree from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. His PhD project was aimed at developing light activated shape memory polymer composites which was funded by the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD) of the U.S. Air Force. He has contributed to 2 book chapters, 14 journal articles and more than 30 conference papers. He is a Charted Mechanical Engineer and a Corporate Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), United Kingdom. He was awarded the Young Researcher Award at the 11th Asian-Australasian Conference on Composite Materials in 2018. Moreover, he was selected as a best Student Paper Finalist at the ASME Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures, and Intelligent Systems in 2019.
