Smart Materials

• A smart material is a material who's physical properties change in response to its input (typically their enviroment)
• Modern materials are materials only available in their present form since the 60's or 70's and are also new ways of working with materials.
• A composite material is a combination of two materials with different physical and chemical properties.
• Nano Technology is the manipulation of matter on an atomic or molecular scale to produce microscscale products and materials.
• Graphenes properties are:

  • 200 times stronger than steel.
  • Most conductive material known
  • Flexible
  • Transparant

  It is used for enhancing products such as touch screen.
• Metal foam:

  • Has a porus metal structure
  • Created by injecting gas into metal (like an aero)
  • Often made from aluminium or titanium

  It is typically used in aircrafts, cars and medical implants.
• Metal foams are light weight but strong so they are good at absorbing energy when crashing.
• Titanium properties:

  • Titanium is versitile
  • Its usually alloyed with other metals to enhance properties.
  • Titanium does not react with the body

  Titanium can be used for watches, rings, joints in body and medicine.
• LCD properties:

  • Low cost
  • Low power
  • Can be monochrome or colour
  • Often backlit

  Is often used in electric appliences such as tv's
• Photochromic:

  • Has an input of UV light
  • Its output is a change in colour.
  • Its also worth noting the longer exposed to UV light the darker the colour is.

  It is used in any colour changing products typically nail varnish, beach products etc.
• Hydrochromic:

  • Has an input of liquid
  • (change can be reversable or permament)
  • Its output is a change in colour.
  • (It forms a film that becomes transparant when underwater)

  It is used for novelty uses and early warnings to products that shouldnt be getting wet.
• Phosphorescent:

  • Its input is light / energy
  • Its output is imitting energy

  It can be used for emergency sinage and watch faces.
• Electroluminescent: ( a smart material )

  • Its input is alternating current (AC)
  • Its output is a bright glowing light

  Its used for backlighting control pannells, lighting walkways etc
• Quantum Tunnelling Composite (QTC):

  • Input of pressure
  • Its Output is that its resistance changes

  Used in speed tools such as a power drill.
• Smart Memory Alloy (SMA):

  • Input of stresses / strains / room temp
  • Its output allows it to go back to its origanal shape.

  Used for braces, medical applications etc.
• Piezoelectric:

  • Input is movement, stress or electricity.
  • Output produces an electric charge proportional to input force / pressure.

  Used in burglar alarms, sensors and musical cards.
• Thermochromic:

  • Input of heat
  • Output is a change in colour

  Used in baby feedings products.
• Coated metal:

  •  self-cleaning
  • corrosion resistance
  • wear resistance

  used for making a product more conductive and aesthetically pleasing.
• Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) is a composite material:

  • Some of its properties are - Lightweight, good strength ot weight ratio. Its corrosion, heat and chemical resistant, and is waterproof.

  It is used for car and trunk bodies, boat hulls, pipes etc.
• Carbon reinforced plastic (CRP) is a composite material:

  -some of its properties are:

  • Lightweight
  • high strength to weight ratio.
  • very expensive
  • chemical resistant and waterproof.

  Used in sport cars and top end sport equiptment etc
• Process of 'laying up' GRP/CRP:

  1. Prepare mould/former for required shape.
  2. Apply release agent to mould/former.
  3. Apply first resin/coat to mould/former
  4. Apply GRP or CRP sheet ontop of first coat.
  5. Apply another coat of resin and work into material.
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until thickness achieved.
  7. Seal workpiece in a vauum bag and place in oven for resin to cure or clamp and leave in workshop for resin to naturally cure.
  8. Release workpiece from mould former.
  9. trim and finish workpiece.
• Kevlar is a technical textile:

  • High tensile strength
  • heat resistant
  • good durability

  Often used in body armour.
• Conductive threads and Fabric are technical textiles:

  • Have high conductivity threads
  • Fabric can be sewn into non-conductive fabrics to create circuits.

  Often used in lightup clothing and LED
• Nomex (fire resisitant) is a technical textile:

  • Can withstand high temps and combustion when exposed to flame

  Used for fire blankets and safety clothing.
• Micro fibres are a technical textile:

  • 1 dernier thin ( 5 times smaller than a human hair)
  • Traps liquid / solid substances within fibre of material.

  Used in medical textiles and anti bacterial and colour changing clothing.