Novel network polymers with photoinduced plasticity

交联聚合物（热固性聚合物和橡胶）的生产是一个价值数十亿美元的产业，这些聚合物在家居用品、医疗、电子、汽车和建筑行业的众多应用中是不可替代的。然而，它们在凝固过程中收缩，造成内应力，使它们变弱，不能重塑、修复或回收。这项研究将开发一系列新型的交联聚合物，这些聚合物可以在光（或加热）照射下改变形状，用于可修复复合材料，无应力透镜，不收缩牙科填充材料和光敏驱动器等应用，这将对工业产生重大影响。

The production of crosslinked polymers (thermosets and rubbers) is a multi-billion dollar industry and these polymers are irreplaceable in their use in numerous applications in the household goods, medical, electronics, automotive and construction industries. However, they shrink during solidification causing internal stresses which weaken them and they can not be reshaped, repaired or recycled. This study will develop a novel range of crosslinkable polymers which can change shape on irradiation by light (or by heating) for use in applications ranging from repairable composites, stress-free lens, non-shrinking dental filling materials and light-sensitive actuators which will have significant benefit to industry.