Polydopamine coated shape memory polymer: enabling light triggered shape recovery, light controlled shape reprogramming and surface functionalization

Photo-active shape memory polymers (SMPs) are considered as a promising candidate for converting light into mechanical energy. However, most known SMPs are only thermo-responsive. To achieve photo-activity, photo-responsive choromophores or fillers usually have to be incorporated from the very beginning of the material synthesis. Here, we introduce a novel post-synthesis approach to endow normal SMPs with photo-active properties using mussel-inspired surface chemistry. Without changing the original properties, the resultant polydopamine (PDA) coated SMPs show an efficient photo-active performance. The coating can be easily patterned and erased, which allows flexible light-triggered 3-D shape deformation of a planar SMP sheet. Moreover, owing to the high chemical activity, the PDA coating also provides a platform to optimize the surface properties of the photo-responsive SMPs through secondary surface modification. Simple dip-coating transforms thermally responsive shape memory polymers into photo-responsive materials and allows for shape engineering and surface functionalization.