Patent ID: 8093340

Claim:
A method for reversibly increasing adhesive bond strength for a shape memory polymer chemical system, the method comprising: providing the shape memory polymer chemical system comprising a first polymer and a second polymer; grafting at least one first molecular side chain onto a shape memory polymeric backbone of said first polymer; grafting at least one second molecular side chain onto a shape memory polymeric backbone of said second polymer, said first and second molecular side chains comprising respective molecular hooks and molecular loops adapted to interact non-covalently; transforming at least one of said first polymer and said second polymer from a permanent shape to a temporary shape, wherein said transformation increases the number of non-covalent interactions between the molecular hooks of said at least one first molecular side chain of said first polymer and the molecular loops of said at least one second molecular side chain of said second polymer when said first polymer is reversibly coupled to said second polymer; and reversibly coupling said first polymer to said second polymer.