The invention discloses a thermotropic crosslinking type shape memory polyurethane material obtained by thermal crosslinking of thermoplastic polyurethane with a side-chain double bond, a bifunctional crosslinking agent and an initiator; in a bending mode, the shape fixed rate is more than or equal to 95%, and the shape recovery rate is more than or equal to 90%; in a dynamic mechanical analysis tensile mode, the shape fixed rate is more than or equal to 95%, and the shape recovery rate is more than or equal to 90%. A preparation method disclosed by the invention is a second-step method and comprises the steps: firstly preparing the thermoplastic polyurethane with the side-chain double bond, then carrying out melting mixing or solution mixing with the bifunctional crosslinking agent under a condition with addition of the initiator, and carrying out thermal crosslinking to prepare the product. The polyurethane material disclosed by the invention has excellent shape memory properties and mechanical properties, the transition temperature is close to a body temperature, and the raw materials have good biological compatibility and no toxicity and can be degraded; the polyurethane material can be used as in-vivo implant materials and clinical surgical materials, also can be used for wire and cable casings and building pipe connecting sleeves, moreover, can be used for buffer sole protection devices, deformation toys and the like, and is suitable for large-scale industrialized production.