Advances in Shape-Memory Polymers and Composites for Biomedical Device Applications

Over the past two decades, remarkable advancements have been achieved in stimulus-responsive shape-memory polymers (SMPs), which exhibit desirable properties such as shape-memory characteristics, deformability, and biocompatibility, while responding to external stimuli. The development of shape-memory polymer composites (SMPCs) leads to high recovery forces and novel functionalities, including electrical actuation, magnetic actuation, and biocompatibility. The enhanced remotely controllable properties and functionality further expand the application of SMPs in biomedical areas, such as surgical applications for replacing handheld surgical instruments and drug delivery systems. In this review, the biomedical device applications of SMPs and SMPCs are focused on and their recent advancements in bone tissue scaffolds, lumen stents, and drug delivery carriers are examined. Furthermore, the bottlenecks and challenges encountered by SMPCs in biomedical devices are elucidated. The future development trend of SMPs and SMPCs is also discussed, aiming to provide valuable insights for broadening their applications in biomedical fields.