ORS7-1124
Effect of Temperature Test on the Strain Rate Behaviour of Shape Memory Thermoplastic and Thermoset Composites Reinforced with Basalt Fabric
Topic
S7. Innovations in Polymeric Composites: From Design and Processing to Industrial Applications
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
11:50 - 12:05
Room 107
Session Chairs
Seokhoon AHN
Presenter(s)
Mohamad Alsaadi (University College Dublin (UCD))
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) often have limitations in high-performance advanced composite applications due to their inherently poor mechanical performance during shape transformation. In this study, SMPCs exhibit significantly superior mechanical properties when mineral-based non-crimp basalt fibre (BF) is incorporated into shape memory epoxy (SMEP) thermoset and shape memory Elium (SMEL) thermoplastic matrices. The resulting SMPCs demonstrate outstanding performance, with a stable storage modulus at room temperature up to the glass transition temperature (Tg) of 106 °C for the SMEL composite and 71 °C for the SMEP composite. The SMEL composite also shows superior mechanical properties compared with the SMEP composite, attributed to the high adhesion strength between the Elium matrix and the basalt fibres, which provide tensile and flexural strengths exceeding 1100 MPa. The shape-memory testing temperature of the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) machine using the single cantilever beam apparatus was set close to the Tg of both composites, with a 10 °C increment. The strain rate of SMEL composites was 1.56% at a Tg of 106 °C and increased significantly at testing temperatures of 115 °C and 125 °C. On the other hand, the strain rate of SMEP composites was 0.57% at a Tg of 71 °C and increased slightly at testing temperatures of 80 °C and 90 °C. The SMEL composite shows strong promise as a smart structural material capable of autonomous shape adaptation in response to environmental changes, particularly in applications such as wind and tidal blades, marine structures, aerofoils, and energy harvesting systems.
