Performance enhancement of shape memory poly(aryl ether ketone) via photodimerization of pendant anthracene units

We synthesize novel poly(aryl ether ketone)s bearing flexible alkyl segments and pendant anthracene groups through nucleophilic copolycondensation coupled with post-polymerization functionalization. After the photodimerization of pendant anthracene units, the resultant polymers exhibit enhanced shape memory performance with satisfying shape fixity ratio and shape recovery ratio, attributed to their photocrosslinked polymeric network architecture.