Publication

Abstract : In the quest for sustainable development, bioepoxy composites are receiving wider attention than the epoxies developed from petroleum. Shape memory polymer nanocomposites are a rapidly advancing research area with significant potential in various fields, including aerospace, robotics, biomedicine, and functional fabrics. This study focuses on the development of bioepoxy-based shape memory polymer composites. An epoxy resin containing 28 % bio-based content was used as the matrix, while graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were incorporated as photothermal fillers to enable remote actuation under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation at 808 nm. The resulting composites demonstrated dual-responsive actuation behavior triggered by both thermal and NIR stimuli. Comprehensive evaluations of the mechanical and thermal properties revealed a 238.5 % enhancement in fracture toughness compared to the neat cured system. This work highlights the potential of graphene-reinforced bioepoxy composites as sustainable, high-performance actuators, contributing to the advancement of environmentally friendly shape memory materials for next-generation applications.