The combination of 3D printing technology plus the additional dimension of transformation over time of the printed object is referred to herein as 4D printing technology. Particular arrangements of the additive manufacturing material(s) used in the 3D printing process can create a printed 3D object that transforms over time from a first, printed shape to a second, predetermined shape.

An object comprising: a blend of (i) a phenol-containing polymer and (ii) a nitrile butadiene rubber; wherein the phenol-containing polymer is present in an amount of at least 5 wt % and up to about 95 wt % by total weight of components (i) and (ii). The object may further contain an electrically conducting component dispersed within the blend or on a surface of the blend. Also described is a method of thermal-activated reversible mechanical deformation of the object by (i) deforming the object at a first temperature, which is at or above the glass transition temperature of the object, and applying a stress on the object; (ii) fixing the deformed state by cooling the object to a second temperature of no more than 0° C. while under stress, and removing the stress; and (iii) recovering the object to the original shape by raising the temperature of the object to the first temperature.

A method of installing a heat shrink cover around a component includes providing the heat shrink cover having an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve is a heat shrink sleeve, and attaching an electrical heating system to an outer surface of the outer sleeve. The inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are arranged around the component, with the outer sleeve at least partially encompassing the inner sleeve. The electrical heating system is energized to heat-recover the inner sleeve.

The present invention relates to a PET bottle which increases recycling rate of PET bottles, wherein the PET bottle comprises a label that assembles the cap 20 without a retainer ring 21 on to the body 10 of the PET bottle, seals from the top of the cap 20 to the upper portion of the body 10 with the one continuous label and safety seal film 50, and has vertical parallel perforated lines 51 on one portion of the sealed label and safety seal film 50. A flap 52 extends from the end of the upper end of the perforated lines 51 to assist with tearing the label. The sealed label and safety seal film 50 covers the upper portion of the body 10 in shape of an inverted funnel, such that when it is torn along the perforated lines 51, the film 50 will be separated naturally from the bottle.

A method for fabricating a shape memory polymer into a three-dimensional object is provided. The method includes forming a film of crosslinked poly(amic acid) on a substrate to provide a laminated substrate; forming the laminated substrate into a first configuration that is in a three-dimensional form; curing the cross-linked poly(amic acid) to provide the shape memory polymer having a permanent shape corresponding to the first configuration; and removing the substrate from the laminated substrate to provide the three-dimensional object comprising the shape memory polymer. The formation of the laminated substrate into the three-dimensional object may be based on origami techniques.

A shrink film comprising a core layer comprising a glycol modified polyester, the core having an upper and lower surface; an upper skin layer disposed on the upper surface of the core layer and a lower skin layer disposed on the lower surface of the core layer, the skin layers each individually comprising (a) a resin material; and (b) an antiblocking agent.

The combination of 3D printing technology plus the additional dimension of transformation over time of the printed object is referred to herein as 4D printing technology. Particular arrangements of the additive manufacturing material(s) used in the 3D printing process can create a printed 3D object that transforms over time from a first, printed shape to a second, predetermined shape.

A heat shrink component includes a heat shrink layer and a heating unit in thermal contact with at least a part of the heat shrink layer and heating the heat shrink layer to a heat shrink temperature. The heat shrink component has a first dimension in an expanded state and a second dimension in a shrunk state after heating, the first dimension is larger than the second dimension. The heating unit includes an electrically conductive lead heated by an electrical current flowing through the electrically conductive lead and a heat spreading layer arranged in thermal contact with the electrically conductive lead and distributing a heat generated by the electrically conductive lead.

A substrate includes a double-network polymer system including a cross-linked, covalently-bonded polymer and a reversible, partially ionicly-bonded polymer, wherein the substrate has a moisture level less than or equal to 15 percent of the total weight of the substrate, and wherein the substrate includes a latent retractive force. A method for manufacturing a substrate includes producing a double-network hydrogel including a cross-linked, covalently-bonded polymer and a reversible, ionicly-bonded polymer; elongating by force the double-network hydrogel in at least one direction; dehydrating while still elongated the double-network hydrogel to form a substantially-dehydrated double-network polymer system; and releasing the force to produce the substrate.

In a three-dimensional object formed by bending and deforming a sheet-like base material made of a thermoplastic resin at a ridge line, a surface of the base material bent and oriented outward at least at the ridge line is covered with a thermal expansion layer that expands when heated to a thermal deformation temperature of the thermoplastic resin or a higher temperature, and the thermal expansion layer is expanded at the ridge line.