[PL6+] Shape Memory Polymers

[HellHound]

Shape Memory Polymers

By the turn of the millennium, engineers at Brunel University had finalized the design and implementation of a family of ‘shape memory polymers’. These polymers retain a given shape after heating and remoulding. This means that they could be moulded into one shape, and then would change to the ‘memory’ shape when heated to a certain temperature. Advanced polymers could have two or more different shapes that would be reached at different target temperatures.

First introduced in Japan and then the United States 1984, shape memory polymers are polymers whose qualities have been altered to give them dynamic shape "memory" properties. Using thermal stimuli, shape memory polymers can exhibit a radical change from a rigid polymer to a very elastic state, then return back to a rigid state again. In the elastic state, a shape memory polymer will recover its “memory” shape if left unrestrained. However, while in this pliable state it can be stretched, folded or otherwise conformed to other shapes, tolerating up to 500% elongation. While manipulated, the shape memory polymer can be cooled and therefore returned to a rigid state, maintaining its manipulated shape indefinitely. This manipulation process can be repeated many times without degradation. Unlike shape memory alloys, SMP exhibits a radical change from a normal rigid polymer to a very stretchy elastic and back on command, a change which can be repeated without degradation of the material. The "memory," or recovery, quality comes from the stored mechanical energy attained during the reconfiguration and cooling of the material. The secret behind these clever materials lies in their molecular network structure, which contains meltable "switching segments".

Modern variations on the classic turn-of-the millennium shape memory polymers react to other stimuli than heat – one of the most important is a photonic reaction which allowed for the creation of quick and affordable fibre-optic switching units. Other developments include exposure (or lack of exposure) to oxygen – these polymers are now in use in many orbital applications where they can instantly seal small breaches in vehicle and station hulls as well as personal protective equipment. Finally, piezo-stimulus shape memory polymers react to different electrical currents by taking on different shapes. Some become pliable under a specific current, others remain pliable until a current is established, and the more elaborate designs have multiple states, and can switch from one hardened state to another through the intermediary pliable state simply by changing the current applied to the plastic. Some other varieties include magnetic field-triggered polymers and acid-base reaction polymers used in some scientific applications.

To date, the most common usage for shape memory polymers is in the production of other plastics. SMP (Shape Memory Polymer) moulds can be made of a hard and high-temperature material for high precision injection moulding, and then with the application of electrical current, the moulds seem to melt away from the final product, then reform into the mould format again when the current is turned off. In addition, modern SMP foamed polystyrene allows for convenient shipping of products in large polystyrene shipping units to protect against jostling and abuse, then the polystyrene packing containers can be compressed, releasing the air within the structure and reducing the container down to a plastic block less than 3% of the normal volume of the polystyrene. These are shipped back to the original sender where they are heated and ‘fluffed’ to be returned to their normal size and shape.

By the late 2020’s, SMP characteristics can be engineered into almost all polymers, allowing for automobile fenders to be bent back into shape with the application of the right amount of heat, the creation of multiform solid-state furniture that shifts to accommodate different users with the press of a button, and a million other household uses. Some low-rent apartment buildings even use piezo-activated SMPs for the doors on their units so the door can be quickly ‘melted’ with the application of a simple stun-gun-like device.

The tools, weapons and equipment in this article / thread assume that SMP technologies achieve this level of sophistication, but do not exceed it by much over coming years. This works well for a campaign set with technology in Progress Level 6. The technology remains somewhat stagnant during Progress Level 7 (so the tools and weapons are still available) and evolves into Shape Memory Metallic Alloys and Ceramics at Progress Levels 8 and 9.

(all works posted by myself in this thread are copyright 1997-2005, M Jason Parent)

 

[HellHound]

SpineBlade

Carnivore Inc. SpineBlade

To the naked eye this weapon appears as any other high-impact plastic combat knife balanced for throwing - matte black in colour and somewhat lighter and shorter than a full-sized combat knife. The difference manifests in combat: whenever the weapon is driven deep into a surface, it immediately changes form from that of a smooth knife blade to a brutal set of spines - inside the victim! This increases the critical multiplier of the weapon from the typical x2 of a knife to the x3 of the spineblade. If the wielder succeeds at a DC 18 Strength check, then he is able to maintain a grip on the weapon and pull it back out of the target, increasing the critical multiplier to x4 for that attack. If the Strength check is failed, not only is the critical multiplier left at x3, but the weapon remains lodged in the wound, effectively disarming the wielder. To reset the spineblade to its normal shape requires heating the weapon to 150 degrees Celsius, difficult to do while the blade is lodged in a victim. Safely removing the blade in this format requires a DC 25 Treat Injury check. If the check fails but the result is over 20, then removal deals 1d4 damage. If the check result is under 20, then removal deals 2d4 damage.

Carnivore SpineBlades weigh 1 pound, have a purchase DC of 12 and are unrestricted.

 

[HellHound]

Combat Gloves

Implast Combat Gloves

One of the first implementations of shape memory plastics into the combat arena are these heavy gloves. Implast combat gloves feel like traditional neo-leather gloves (available with full fingers or partial fingers, with or without thumbs), but have a small battery built into the wrists. When activated (a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity), the interior of these gloves changes phase from a flexible elastomer into a non-flexible and very hard solid polymer. While the gloves are in this mode, it is nearly impossible to pick up or use anything requiring digital dexterity (-6 on all Dex-based skill checks or ability checks that require the use or flexibility of one’s hands), but the wielder now deals lethal damage with every bare-handed attack made while wearing the gloves. In this form, the gloves have a hardness of 6 and 4 hit points.

A pair of Implast Combat Gloves weighs 1 pound, has a purchase DC of 13, and is unrestricted.

 

[HellHound]

BodySuit

Implast BodySuit

Implast BodySuits were first introduced for police use in the late 2010’s. At the time it was a remarkable piece of Memory Plastic technology that made claims it couldn't hold up to. The 2030 edition (mark III) is finally a body armor people are looking at again. Not incredibly useful on its own, it is at its best under another layer of armor. An Implast BodySuit becomes rigid in reaction to an impact, attempting to redistribute the impact across a greater area. This works exceptionally well against piercing and slashing weapons, generally preventing the weapon from reaching any vital internal organs, and even helps prevent damage from bludgeoning weapons. The critical multiplier of any piercing or slashing weapon is reduced by 1 against a target wearing an Implast BodySuit. In addition, there is a 50% chance of any critical hit being completely negated by the armor, as well as any additional damage dealt by precision-based attacks (such as sneak attack damage). Directly after the impact of an attack, the suit becomes stiff and hard, giving the suit an Armor Check Penalty of -1 each time it is struck (cumulative) to a maximum of a -6 Armor Check Penalty. The Armor Check Penalty is reduced by 1 point each round until it returns to zero.

An Implast BodySuit weighs 5 pounds, has a purchase DC of 20, and is a licensed item in most jurisdictions (Lic +1).

 

[HellHound]

Instant Shiv

Instant Shiv

At its simplest, SMP weaponry is a new tool for violence that is incredibly difficult to spot for security forces of all types. The Instant Shiv is a perfect example of how dangerous SMP weapons can be. In its standard form, an instant shiv is a block of plastic about the size of a wallet or a deck of cards. When triggered, the plastic softens to the elastomer stage and reforms into a sharp-edged blade. Most instant shivs are triggered by the application of electricity in an easily-purchased format, such as the battery from a personal entertainment device. Some are triggered by heat or microwaves, depending on the environment they are meant to be used in. All are banned as assassination weapons.

An instant shiv weighs 1 pound, and is treated as a normal knife when in knife form. It has a purchase DC of 6 and is a restricted item (Black Market Purchase DC +2).

 

[Len]

Hingeless Doors?

Flyless Jeans?

Tupperware?

 

[HellHound]

LOL @ Flyless Jeans. I can SO see that as a CyberPunk fashion statement.

 

[Len]

Smart Rope: Using a control glove attached to one end of the rope, you can make it move and twist into any shape. (Invented by Bruce Sterling, but his version wasn't made of SMP.)

 

[HellHound]

MemoryFibre Rope

Not quite as potent as smart-rope, but inspired by it:

MemoryFibre Rope

Memory Fibre rope is a heavy plastic-based rope with a high-friction outer layer to aid in climbing. The shape memory of the rope has two stages, a short and heavy stage where the rope is only 25 feet long and 7/8 of an inch thick, and a long stage where the rope is 100 feet long and 7/16 of an inch thick. MemoryFibre rope is available in other lengths, as indicated below, with the elongated length always being four times longer than the short length. The long stage is the standard thickness of most climbing ropes, and has a breaking strength of nearly 7,000 pounds (standard for most climbing ropes, able to handle a stress of 30 KiloNewtons). In its thick stage, it has a strength nearly triple that of the long stage. Switching stages requires that a current be passed through the rope, and is done by depressing a button at one end of the rope. The process of changing modes will untie loose knots in the rope, but will make the rope snap if there are any tight knots along the length as the rope is shifting from long phase to short phase. Originally, the activation button was meant placed at the top end, so the rope can be easily retracted after climbing, but now the MemoryFibre rope is available with a grapple built into one end, so the user can throw and hook the grapple, then make the rope contract, providing for a much faster and easier ascent. It takes 10 seconds for MemoryFibre rope to contract or expand 75 feet – so a character hanging on to such a rope as it contracts will climb or be pulled 40 feet per round.

Rope, MemoryFibre, 100 ft. - Large - 9 lb. - DC 7
- contracted - Medium - 9 lb.
Rope, MemoryFibre, 200 ft. - Large - 18 lb. - DC 10
- contracted - Medium - 18 lb.
Rope, MemoryFibre, 300 ft. - Huge - 27 lb. - DC 12
- contracted - Large - 27 lb.
Attached Grapnel - +3 lb. - +2 DC

 

[Len]

Nice!