Shape memory polymers and automotive decorative films derived therefrom

为了使汽车行业摆脱昂贵且环保的油漆做法，出现了一种称为模内成型的技术，该技术将装饰性聚合物薄膜应用到具有可比美学效果的复杂部件上。 该技术旨在提供一种简单的一步式工艺，用于快速生产具有“A”级光洁度甚至复杂纹理外观的高质量零件。然而，这些膜在被拉伸和加热时所经受的热机械环境对其构造提出了新的要求，并且对于膜层压金属或塑料片材在这种环境中将如何拉伸和成形的指导几乎没有基本的理解。 之前的NSERC CRD，现在已经完成了最后一年，一直在研究这些薄膜在形成金属或塑料部件时出现的问题，突出了避免起皱，颜色/光泽损失，粘合剂剥离和薄膜裂纹扩展的复杂性。工业赞助商认为，他们在聚合物结构的一个非常有趣的领域（称为“形状记忆聚合物”）的新发展将带来下一代商业用途的装饰膜，最大限度地减少或避免在形成当前几代膜时发现的问题。由于这是薄膜化学的一个新方向，因此需要将影响形状记忆聚合物分子结构的众多变量与热机械环境结合起来，以形成新的汽车部件。 在这方面，拟议的项目将研究所述聚合物的分子结构的控制变量如何与生成的膜的可成形性相关。 此外，这项工作将寻求获得更深入的基础知识的关系，粘合剂层在金属和塑料成型操作中的形状记忆膜加热和变形。 该项目将为劳动力提供经过成型技术培训并掌握这些新聚合物知识的高技能人员，以帮助将这项工作的结果应用于目标使用该工艺的汽车公司，并帮助支持薄膜生产商本身的技术人员。

Transitioning the automotive sector away from the costly and environmentally questionable practice of paint has seen the emergence of a technology known as in-mold forming which applies decorative polymer films onto complex parts with comparable aesthetic finishes. The technology intends to offer an uncomplicated, one-step process for rapid production of high-quality parts with Class 'A' finishes or even complex textured appearances. However, the thermo-mechanical environment to which these films are subjected as they are stretched and heated places new demands on their construction and there is little fundamental understanding for guidance on how a film laminated metal or plastic sheet will stretch and form in this environment. A previous NSERC CRD, now in its final year of completion, has been studying the issues that arise for these films as they are formed into metal or plastic parts, highlighting the complexities of avoiding wrinkling, color/gloss losses, adhesive debonding and film crack propagation. The industrial sponsor feels that their new developments into a very interesting area of polymer architecture known as 'shape memory polymers' will bring forth the next generation of decorative films for commercial use, minimizing or avoiding the problems found in forming current generations of films. As this is a new direction for film chemistry, the multitude of variables affecting the molecular architecture of a shape memory polymer need to be put into context with the thermo-mechanical environment for their forming of new automotive parts. In this regards, the proposed project will study how controlled variables of the molecular architecture for said polymer relate to the formability of the generated films. In addition, the work will seek to gain deeper fundamental knowledge into the relationship which the adhesive layer plays in metal and plastics forming operations as shape memory films are heated and deformed. The project will supply to the workforce highly skilled persons trained in the forming technology and armed with knowledge of these new polymers, to help implement the findings of this work into automotive companies targeted for use of this process as well as help bolster the technical staff of the film producer itself.