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SMART MATERIALS
SMART MATERIALS
Smart materials are designed (synthetic) materials that have one or more properties that can be significantly changed in a controlled fashion by external stimuli, such as stress, temperature, moisture, pH, electric or magnetic fields.
Smart materials are designed (synthetic) materials that have one or more properties that can be significantly changed in a controlled fashion by external stimuli, such as stress, temperature, moisture, pH, electric or magnetic fields.
In simple terms, when you do something to the material it physically changes but can also change back.
Piezoelectric materials
Shape-memory alloys + polymers
Chromogenic systems
Ferrofluid
Piezoelectric materials are materials that produce a voltage when stress is applied.
Shape-memory alloys and shape-memory polymers are materials in which large deformation can be induced and recovered through temperature changes or stress changes (pseudo elasticity).
Chromogenic systems change colour in response to electrical, optical or thermal changes. Thermochromic materials change in colour depending on their temperature, Photochromic materials, which change colour in response to light—for example, light sensitive sunglasses that darken when exposed to bright sunlight.
Ferrofluid liquid with magnetic properties such as magnetic oil.
Magnetostrictive
Magnetic shape memory alloys
pH-sensitive polymers
Temperature-responsive polymers
Magnetostrictive materials exhibit change in shape under the influence of magnetic field, also exhibit change in their magnetization under the influence of mechanical stress.
Magnetic shape memory alloys are materials that change their shape in response to a significant change in the magnetic field.
pH-sensitive polymers are materials that change in volume when the pH of the surrounding medium changes.
Temperature-responsive polymers are materials which undergo changes upon temperature.
Halochromic materials
Photomechanical
Polymorph
Self-healing materials
Halochromic materials are commonly used materials that change their colour as a result of changing acidity. One suggested application is for paints that can change colour to indicate corrosion in the metal underneath them.
Halochromic materials are commonly used materials that change their colour as a result of changing acidity. One suggested application is for paints that can change colour to indicate corrosion in the metal underneath them.
Polymorph can be moulded by immersion in hot water.
Self-healing materials have the intrinsic ability to repair damage due to normal usage, thus expanding the material's lifetime.
Dielectric elastomers (DEs)
Magnetocaloric materials
Thermoelectric materials
Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are smart material systems which produce large strains (up to 300%) under the influence of an external electric field.
Magnetocaloric materials are compounds that undergo a reversible change in temperature upon exposure to a changing magnetic field.
Thermoelectric materials are used to build devices that convert temperature differences into electricity and vice-versa.
SMART PIGMENT
SMART PIGMENT
Pigment is what gives a material its colour, it’s in nature and even in our skin; it is what makes something a particular colour or hue.
By replacing traditional pigments with smart pigments they can affect the colour of a materials by subjecting them to heat or light.
Thermochromic pigment
Thermochromic pigment
Thermochromic pigments are changing their colour when exposed to heat (hot or cool, temperature changing at all).
Photochromic pigment
Photochromic pigment
Photochromic pigments change colour when exposed to sunlight. (tonal radars, changing by light or ultraviolet)
Phosphorescent pigment
Phosphorescent pigment
They have the unique ability to absorb light and then use that light to provide low level illumination in dark or low light conditions. (Take a light and after, relay it in darkness).
SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS (SMA'S)
SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS (SMA'S)
They remember their original shape. Some have an elastic memory - when deformed, will bounce back into threir initial shape. Others - remember their shape when heated and return to their deformed position when they cool down (temperature bouncing back).
ELECTROLUMINESCENT WIRES
ELECTROLUMINESCENT WIRES
Earlier people made them from Neon which is a gas which is encapsulated (locked, added, fulled) in a glass container and glows when ignited (burns). Now, electroluminescent wire gives the same effect but in a flexible wire with no gas and can be powered by AA batteries.
PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS
PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS
This effect is achieved by applying an input to a quartz crystal causing a desired output to be seen (Having a final effect through quartz crystal). If it is put under strain, a small electrical charge is produced. They come in two forms: sensors or they can be actuators that change shape or form when an electrical signal is applied. (differences in influence)
SMART FLUIDS
SMART FLUIDS
A magnetorheological fluid is a smart fluid with the ability to switch back and forth from a liquid to a near-solid under the influence of a magnetic field. (Magnetic influence) It is usually used for applications in braking. Magnetic oil adheres to metal and there are many more.
SMART TEXTILES
SMART TEXTILES
Kevlar (as an example I will use) is a modern fabric which can resist a bullet. Materials can repel dirt or water and there is even a fabric which refracts light; (a low of ways to use) essentially an invisibility cloak. As well as having their own unique properties fabrics can incorporate other smart materials such as thermo/photochromic pigment etc. (So, it is newfangled fabric)
SMART GLASS
It is a very advanced material allowing for touch sensitivity, images and video and even heat and electricity. (A lot of opportunities and ways to change their properties) Sapphire and Gorilla Glass are scratch resistant and can even have oleophobic (fats resistant) and hydrophobic coatings. Glass can also react to light, filtering out UV rays, tinting to reduce light, can become mirror like and can even be self cleaning.
SMART GREASE
Smart grease is a sticky and viscous gel with almost magical shear characteristics. It is used to control movement, producing a dampened, slowed down feeling. It can controle volume and soft close toilet seats. It is also used in cases for glasses and has replaced the system of gears and springs once used to slow down drawer opening mechanisms on CD and DVD trays.
CHAMELEON NANOFLACKES
This material consists of nano-size silicon flakes each covered with a Titanium compound. The flakes possess light scattering properties if mixed with clear varnishes (clear and glossy transparent hard protective coating or film) or polymers. They can have a variety of uses but are commonly used to spray cars for a ‘two-tone’ effect.
QUANTUM TUNNELING COMPOSITE
It is unique in being an insulator (not easily allow heat, electricity, light, or sound to pass through it) and a conductor. Small metallic particles are combined with rubber. In normal use the rubber stops the flow of electricity (insulates) but when pressed the metal particles compress making the material a conductor. This means traditional micro switches which were prone to water damage can now be replaced with QTC and can be sewn into fabrics etc.
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