Manufacture of luminescent shape-memory polymer composites using rare earth organic complex and commercial carboxylated nitrile rubber

Commercial rubber is hardly considered as raw materials to manufacture multifunctional shape-memory polymers (SMPs) because it is difficult to either tune its glass transition temperature or introduce crystalline domains. Here, we report the manufacture of luminescent SMP composites based on commercial carboxylated nitrile rubber and rare earth organic complex (REOC) with Sm³⁺ ions. The dispersion of REOC and the properties of the composites were investigated in detail. The increase in the REOC loading did not deteriorate the tensile strength and elongation at break of the composites, when the stresses at low strains were highly improved. The strong filler-chain interaction increased the glass transition temperature of the rubber composites. Besides, luminescent functions were introduced into such rubber composites, while luminescent intensities and lifetime can also be affected by REOC loadings. Finally, the prepared rubber composites presented a light-induced shape-memory effect under the irradiation of near-infrared light due to the photothermal effect of the REOC.