Method of fabricating shape memory films

1. A method for fabricating a shape memory polymer into a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a) forming a solution comprising a poly(amic acid) intermediate, wherein the solution comprises a solvent, and a reaction product of an aromatic diamine monomer and a di-anhydride-containing monomer;

b) treating the solution comprising the poly(amic acid) intermediate with a multi-functional crosslinking agent to thereby form a sol-gel comprising a crosslinked poly(amic acid);

c) forming a film of crosslinked poly(amic acid) on a substrate to provide a laminated substrate;

d) evaporating at least a portion of the solvent from the sol-gel comprising the crosslinked poly(amic acid) by heating the sol-gel comprising the crosslinked poly(amic acid) to a temperature in a range of about 50° C. to about 100° C. at a pressure less than about atmospheric pressure;

e) forming the laminated substrate into a first configuration that is in a three-dimensional form

f) curing the cross-linked poly(amic acid) to provide the shape memory polymer having a permanent shape corresponding to the first configuration, wherein the shape memory polymer comprises a crosslinked polyimide or a crosslinked poly(amide-imide) said curing comprises sequential heating said cross-linked poly(amic acid) to temperatures of about 150° C., about 175° C., about 200° C., about 250° C., and about 300° C.;

g) chemically removing the substrate from the laminated substrate to provide the three-dimensional object comprising the shape memory polymer;

h) heating the three-dimensional object to a first temperature that is above a triggering temperature;

i) deforming the three-dimensional object to a second configuration that is different from the first configuration;

j) lowering the three-dimensional object to a second temperature that is below the triggering temperature while the three-dimensional object is maintained in the second configuration; and

k) heating the three-dimensional object in the second configuration to a third temperature that is above the triggering temperature to thereby induce the self-rearrangement of the three dimensional object from the second configuration to the first configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a film of crosslinked poly(amic acid) on a substrate comprises partially curing the crosslinked poly(amic acid) to form the crosslinked polyimide or the crosslinked poly(amide-imide).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a metal that dissolves in an aqueous acid solution.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the metal comprises aluminum.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-functional crosslinking agent is a multi-functional amine crosslinking agent; and wherein the poly(amic acid) intermediate is an anhydride functionalized poly(amic acid) intermediate obtained by reacting a stoichiometric excess of the aromatic diamine monomer with the di-anhydride-containing monomer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the multi-functional amine crosslinking agent is defined by a general chemical formula (I):

Z—(—Ar—) n —W,

wherein Z represents an anhydride functional group that is directly or indirectly bonded to Ar; Ar represents an aryl group that is directly bonded to W; and n is equal to 3 when W is P═O or N, or n is equal to 4 when W is Si or a carbon moiety.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein Ar is a phenyleneoxy group (—OPh-) that is para- or meta-substituted with respect to oxygen, and the agent is further defined by a general formula (II):

Z—(—OPh-) n -W.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein Z and Ar in combination form a phthalic anhydride moiety that is directly bonded to W.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein Ar is a phenyleneoxy group (—OPh-) that is para- or meta-substituted with respect to oxygen, and wherein Z is a phthalic anhydride group that is connected to the phenyleneoxy group through an ether bond.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein W is P═O, wherein Ar is a phenyleneoxy group (—OPh-) that is para- or meta-substituted with respect to oxygen, and wherein the agent is further defined by a general formula (III):

Z—(—OPh-) 3 -P═O.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein Z is a phthalic anhydride group that is connected to the phenyleneoxy group through an ether bond, and wherein the agent is further defined by a general formula (V):

wherein R 1 through R 8 are independently selected from H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the agent is selected from tris[3-(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)phenyl]phosphine oxide trianhydride or tris[4-(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)phenyl]phosphine oxide trianhydride.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein W is N, wherein Ar is a phenyleneoxy group (—OPh-) that is para- or meta-substituted with respect to oxygen, and wherein the agent is further defined by a general formula (VI):

Z—(—OPh-) 3 -N.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein Z is a phthalic anhydride group that is connected to the phenyleneoxy group through an ether bond, and wherein the agent is further defined by a general formula (VII):

wherein R 1 through R 8 are independently selected from H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the agent is selected from tris[3-(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)phenyl] amine trianhydride or tris[4-(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)phenyl]amine trianhydride.

16. The method of claim 6 , wherein W is N, wherein Z and Ar in combination form a phthalic anhydride moiety that is directly bonded to N, and wherein the agent is further defined by a general formula (VIII):

wherein R 9 to R 11 are independently selected from H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-functional crosslinking agent is a multi-functional amine crosslinking agent; and wherein the poly(amic acid) intermediate is an anhydride-terminated poly(amic acid) intermediate obtained by reacting a stoichiometric excess of the di-anhydride-containing monomer with the aromatic diamine monomer.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the multi-functional amine crosslinking agent comprises a tri(oxybenzene-amine) crosslinker having the general formula (XII):

wherein W is selected from a group consisting of CH 3 C, N, P═O, or BO 3 ; R is selected from a group consisting of H, F, Cl, CF 3 , or CH 3 ; and the amine groups are located meta or para with respect to R.