Thermochromic pigment is able to change colour. It essentially uses a two-layer system where one layer is hidden and the other becomes invisible when heat is applied to it.

Ask your DT teacher to give you a demonstration of this phenomenon.

Smart grease is a peculiar material which when it undergoes a stress (e.g. twisting) it then releases that stress at a controlled constant rate.  You can find this in slow-closing drawers and toilet seats!

Shape Memory Alloy (NiTi) is an alloy (combination of metals) made up of Nickel and Titanium. It is able to 'remember' a particular shape. When the shape is deformed, applying heat will enable the alloy to 'remember' its original shape, springing back into position. 

Ask your DT teacher to give you a demonstration of this phenomenon.

Electroluminescent Wire is able to produce a fluorescent light when an electrical current is passed through it.

Ask your DT teacher to give you a demonstration of this phenomenon.

Glowdark materials contain phosphor. Phosphor absorbs light. Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence. It emits visible light when it has been 'energised'  e.g. by holding it up to another light source. 

Gelwax is an unusual material which can be combined with chemical fragrance compounds, such as aromatherapy oils, to produce air fresheners.

Polymorph is a low-temperature plastic. It is unusual as it can be formed and reformed repeatedly by this is done at temperatures below the boiling point of water (62 degrees centigrade versus 100 degrees for boiling water). 

It is therefore useful for making moulds of objects safely, e.g. an orthodontist could use it to make a mould for a brace fitting.

Ask your DT teacher to give you a demonstration of this phenomenon.

Hydrochromic pigment dries semi-transparent and off-white. When it comes into contact with water it becomes fully transparent revealing whatever pigment is behind it. 

Ecofilm is a thick plastic film has the property of disappearing very quickly when it comes into contact with water. It is therefore biodegradable and has minimal impact upon the environment. Obviously it is not suitable for applications where it could get wet!

Autoheal is a curious material which is able to fuse to itself at a molecular level. This means if it rips or tears, you can patch it up using a strip or square of the same material and it would be as 'good as new'. 

Conductive fabric can be stitched and woven into existing fabrics and act as a conductive wire to allow low-voltage power applications in clothing or textiles. This could be used in conjunction with flexible LED screens to make technical clothing.

Faraday film is essentially a clear plastic film which is coated with a conductive metal oxide layer. It enables a low-voltage electrical current to flow across it, giving the appearance of an invisible electronic circuit.

Solar threads are plastic fabric threads which change colour when sunlight touches them. As sunlight contains UV (ultraviolet) light, the pigment is effectively sensitive to UV light. When the sunlight is removed, the pigment returns to 'normal'.

Solar beads - These ultra-low cost beads are extremely sensitive to natural light and change colour dramatically from white to various colours when taken outside - even on an overcast day. Containing trace amounts of a photochromic pigment that responds the the ultraviolet component of daylight, the beads have many different uses ranging from scientific testing of (UV) sun block materials to the creation of 'smart' jewellery.  

Smart putty is a remarkable visco-elastic material which is able to behave like two different materials: a soft, pliable material when stretched and moulded, and when impacted it instantaneously behaves like rubber. 

A derivative of this kind of material is D3O, a proprietary (a product produced by one company, protected by copyright) material which goes from being gel-like and soft to hard and rigid when undergoing sudden impact or abrasive forces. This is used in all sorts of applications such as body armour but is most famously advertised in motorcycle leather protective clothing. Click here to learn more.

Ask your DT teacher to give you a demonstration of this phenomenon.

Black light (near invisible UV light) pigments absorb light energy under white light conditions and remit this light under UV conditions. It is often used in glow in the dark materials. 

Super capacitors are able to store more energy than ordinary capacitors. They are a good 'bridge' between ordinary capacitors and batteries without being heavy like a battery. They still discharge over a period of minutes. 

Watch how some people believe that supercapacitors could render batteries obsolete (a word to describe an old technology not required any more)

Ferrofluid - This is a remarkable magnetic liquid. It can be used to take advantage of changing magnetic fields. Watch the amazing patterns emerge!

Ask your DT teacher to give you a demonstration of this phenomenon.

Ferrofluid is also known as magneto-rheological (MR) fluid. Watch how it can be used in automotive (car / lorry) shock absorbers. 

Watch how it can be used in military and police body armour. 

Quartz - Piezoelectricity

Quartz - Piezoluminescence

How a quartz watch works

Quantum Tunnelling Composite, (QTC)

Ask your DT teacher to give you a demonstration of this phenomenon.

Teflon or PTFE (Polytetraflouroethylene).

Gore-Tex (and similar 'technical' materials such as Isotex).

Aerogel is the worlds lightest 'solid' material and can be made up of silica, iron oxide (yep, rust) and various organic (natural) polymers. It consists of up to 99.8% air with only 0.02% made up of solid material. 

How do chameleons change colour? This example is a bit of a cheat as chameleons are an example of metamaterials in nature. They have tiny crystals lining their skin which change their refractive properties, changing colour. Humans are now beginning to experiment with photonic crystals and finding all sorts of applications. 

Watch how new materials and optical lenses are able to bend light around an object, rendering it invisible. 

This video helps explain some of the science behind optical invisibility.