Shape Memory Thermoplastic Natural Rubber for Forensic Applications

Abstract

Abstract Shape memory thermoplastic natural rubber was successfully developed in our laboratory. The main aim of this work is to obtain the suitable recipe and condition for fabrication of shape memory polymers (SMPs) based thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR). It can be easily used as 3D imprint material for forensic application. The effect of blending ratio of thermoplastic (TP) and natural rubber (NR) on the mechanical and shape memory properties has been investigated. It was found that the mechanical properties show a decreasing trend with increasing of NR content while the shape fixity (≥ 70%) and recovery efficiency (≥ 60%) increased when adding NR in the blends. In addition, the prepared SMPs based TPNR in this work was also compared with commercially available forensic grade silicone. The resulting material provided better performances in terms of mechanical properties and shelf life. Low cost and ease of processing are the advantages and benefits of this system.