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The emergence of social media as a corporate disclosure channel has caused significant changes in the production and dissemination of corporate information. This review identifies important themes in recent research on the impact of social media on the corporate information environment and provides suggestions for further explorations of this new but fast-growing area of research. Specifically, we first review the evolution of Internet-based corporate disclosure and related regulations, and then focus on three recent streams of research: 1) companies’ use of social media; 2) information produced by non-corporate users and its impact on capital markets; and 3) the credibility of corporate information on social media platforms.

This second article in a series of six focuses on leisure as one of the impending waves of economic activity projected to dominate the advanced economies over the course of the new millennium. Leisure will begin to dominate jobs and economic activity in the USA around 2015, the date when “free time” will occupy over half of total individual lifetime activity. Businesses providing goods and services to meet leisure‐time demands that will account for the dominant share of gross domestic product (GDP), jobs and livelihoods during the 21st century include: recreation, hospitality, entertainment, travel and tourism, adventure seeking, to name just a few sectors.

There exists an association between Supply Chain Quality Management (SCQM) and supply chain competence. To verify such claims, data was collected from Hong Kong based firms. The data showed in most cases an association could be established between SCQM initiatives and the supply chain competence. Some fi rms with SCQM initiatives tend to perform better in terms of customer service or product quality. Supply chains managers may therefore, perform better when their managerial foci are consistent with recognized dimensions of supply chain quality and excellence. In today’s global economy supply chain management is crucial in achieving organizational effectiveness.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective approach to significantly improve the thermomechanical properties of shape memory polymer (SMP) nanocomposites that show fast thermally responsive shape recovery.

Hexagonal boron nitrides (h-BNs) were incorporated into polymer matrix in an attempt to improve the thermal conductivity and thermally responsive shape recovery behaviour of SMP, respectively. Thermally actuated shape recovery behaviour was recorded and monitored instrumentally.

The results show that both glass transition temperature (T_g) and thermomechanical properties of the SMP nanocomposites have been progressively improved with increasing concentration of h-BNs. Analytical results also suggest that the fast-responsive recovery behaviour of the SMP nanocomposite incorporated with h-BNs was due to the increased thermal conductivity.

A simple way for fabricating SMP nanocomposites with enhanced thermally responsive shape recovery based on the incorporation of h-BNs was developed.

The outcome of this study may help fabrication of SMP nanocomposites with fast responsive recovery behaviour.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the underlying mechanism and physico‐chemical requirements of chemo‐responsive shape change/memory polymers and to explore the future trend of development and potential applications.

Working mechanism in chemo‐responsive shape change/memory polymers is firstly identified. And then the physico‐chemical requirements for the representative polymers are characterized.

The different working mechanisms, fundamentals, physico‐chemical requirements and theoretical origins have been discussed. Current research and development on the fabrication strategies of chemo‐responsive shape change/memory polymers have been summarised. The future trend and potential applications have been explored and estimated.

This review examines physico‐chemical requirements and theoretical origins necessary to achieve chemo‐responsiveness, and then discusses recent developments and future trends.

Shape change/memory polymers can be used in the broad field of bio‐ and/or medicine.

Breakthroughs and rapid development of chemo‐responsive shape change/memory polymers will significantly improve the research and development of smart materials, structures and systems.

This paper aims to study the synergistic effect of self-assembled carboxylic acid-functionalised carbon nanotube (CNT) and nafion/silica nanofibre nanopaper on the electro-activated shape memory effect (SME) and shape recovery behaviour of shape memory polymer (SMP) nanocomposite.

Carboxylic acid-functionalised CNT and nafion/silica nanofibre are first self-assembled onto carbon fibre by means of deposition and electrospinning approaches, respectively, to form functionally graded nanopaper. The combination of carbon fibre and CNT is introduced to enable the actuation of the SME in SMP by means of Joule heating at a low electric voltage of 3.0-5.0 V.

Nafion/silica nanofibre is used to improve the shape recovery behaviour and performance of the SMP for enhanced heat transfer and electrical actuation effectiveness. Low electrical voltage actuation and high electrical actuation effectiveness of 32.5 per cent in SMP has been achieved.

A simple way for fabricating electro-activated SMP nanocomposites has been developed by using functionally graded CNT and nafion/silica nanofibre nanopaper.

The outcome of this study will help to fabricate the SMP composite with high electrical actuation effectiveness under low electrical voltage actuation.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of recent systematic and comprehensive advancement in electrospun polymer fiber and their composites with shape memory property.

The nanofiber manufacture technique is initially reviewed. Then, the influence of electrospinning parameters and actuation method has been discussed. Finally, the study concludes with a brief review of recent development in potential applications.

Shape memory polymer (SMP) nanofibers are a type of smart materials which can change shape under external stimuli (e.g. temperature, electricity, magnetism, solvent). In general, such SMP nanofibers could be easily fabricated by mature electrospinning technique. The nanofiber morphology is mainly affected by the electrospinning parameters, including applied voltage, tip-to-collector distance, viscosity of solution, humidity and molecular weight. For actuation method, most SMP nanofibers and their composites can change their shapes in response to heat, magnetic field or solvent, while few can be driven by electricity. Compared with the block SMPs, electrospun SMP nanofibers’ mat with porosity and low mechanical property have a wide potential application field including tissue engineering, drug delivery, filtration, catalysis.

This paper provides a detailed review of shape memory nanofibers: fabrication, actuation and potential application, in the near future.

The purpose of this paper is a study aimed at overcoming the interface issue between nanopaper and polymer matrix in shape-memory polymer (SMP) composite laminates caused by their large dissimilarity in electrical/thermal conductive properties. The study attempted to develop an effective approach to fabricate free-standing carbon nanofibre (CNF) assembly in octagon shape formation. The structure design and thermal conductive performance of the resulting octagon-shaped CNF assembly were optimised and simulated.

The CNF nanopaper was prepared based on a filtration method. The SMP nanocomposites were fabricated by incorporating these CNF assemblies with epoxy-based SMP resin by a resin-transfer modelling technique. Thermal conductivity of the octagon-shaped CNF assembly was simulated using the ANSYS FLUENT software for structure design and optimisation. The effect of the octagon-shaped CNF on the thermomechanical properties and thermally responsive shape-memory effect of the resulting SMP nanocomposites were characterised and interpreted.

The CNF template incorporated with SMP to achieve Joule heating triggered shape recovery at a low electric voltage of 3-10 V, due to which the electrical resistivity of SMP nanocomposites was significantly improved and lowered to 0.20 O·cm by the CNF template. It was found that the octagon CNF template with 2 mm width of skeleton presented a highest thermally conductive performance to transfer resistive heat to the SMP matrix.

A simple way for fabricating electro-activated SMP nanocomposites has been developed by using an octagon CNF template. Low electrical voltage actuation in SMP has been achieved.

The fabricated CNF template, the structure design and analysis of dynamic thermomechanical properties of SMP are novel.

This paper aims to create and to study multifunctional shape memory polymer (SMP) composites having temperature-sensing and actuating capabilities by embedding thermochromic particles within the polymer matrix.

The multifunctional materials were fabricated following a process consisting of blending (of the thermochromic particles and the SMP at various ratios), mixing, degasing, moulding and thermal curing, prepared by incorporating thermochromic particles within the polymer. The effect of the thermochromic particles on the thermomechanical properties and thermally responsive shape memory effect of the resulting multifunction SMP composites were characterised and interpreted.

It was found that exposure of the composites to temperatures above 70°C led to a pronounced change of their colour that was recorded by the thermal and electrical actuation approaches and was reproducibly reversible. It was also found that the colour of the composites was independent of the mechanical state of the SMP. Such effects enabled monitoring of the onset of the set/release temperature of the SMP matrix. Furthermore, the combination of thermochromic additive and the SMP resulted in significantly improved thermomechanical strength, absorption of infrared radiation and the temperature distribution of the SMP composites.

The temperature-sensing and actuating capabilities of the polymeric shape memory composites developed through this study will help to extend the field of potential applications of such composites to fields including sensors, actuators, security labels and information dissemination, where colour indication is an advantageous feature.

The SMP composites capable of temperature sensing and actuating are novel.