Smart

SMART AND MODERN

MATERIALS

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

 At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

 Develop an awareness and understanding of different types of smart and modern materials with

their special properties.

STEP TO SUCCESS:

 Name a range of smart and modern materials, including thermochromic materials; polymorph;

shape memory alloy (SMA); shape memory polymer.

 Describe the key properties of common smart and modern materials.

 Give few examples of the uses of the smart and modern materials.

WHAT ARE SMART AND MODERN MATERIALS?

 ‘S ma rt and mo d e rn mate rials ’ ar e new gro up o f m ate rials that re s p ond

ind e p e ndently i n us e ful ways t o e x te rnal change s .

 The ir

p ro p e rtie s

change

de pend ing

o n

e nviro nme ntal

co nditio ns

s u c h

a s light, te mp e rature o r mo ve me nt .

WHAT ARE SMART AND MODERN MATERIALS?

 Smart mate rials includ e mate rials t h a t :

 Change co lo ur a t d iffe re nt te mp e rature s ;

 Change co lo ur whe n e x p o s e d t o s unlight ;

 ‘Re me mb e r’ the ir s hap e ;

 Can change fro m e le ctric ins ulato r t o co nd ucto r whe n p re s s e d ;

 Change s hap e whe n a vo ltage i s ap p lie d ;

 Are magne tic liq uid s ; a n d

 Glo w i n t h e d ark .

 So me s ma rt and mo d e rn mate rials are ins p ire d fro m h o w nature s o lve s

p ro b le m (Bio m i m icry )

EXAMPLES OF SMART AND MODERN MATERIALS

Name

Properties

U ses

Shap e Me mo ry
Allo y (SMA) o r

Nitinol

An

allo y

co mp o s e d

o f

nicke l

a n d

titanium

that

will

re me mb e r a s hap e .

I f the y are

b ent o ut o f s hap e , they c a n be
made

to

return

to

their

o rig i nal

s hape

b y

he ating

o r

ap p lying e le ctric curre nt t o i t.

F ire

alarm

s ys te ms

(to

trigge r

a

s p rinkle r),

co ffee

machine s

(to

o p en

a

valve

and

release

the

h o t

water) ,

e le ctric

d o o r

lo ck .

Shap e Me mo ry
Po lyme r (SMP )

A varie ty o f p o ly m e r (p las tics ) ,
w h i c h defo rm i n re s p ons e to a n
e xternal change , s uch a s w hen
a n

ele ctric

vo ltage

i s

ap plie d

o r

there

is

a

change

in

te mp e rature .

He at-s hr i nk

wrap p ing

film

(to

wrap

bo o k s

and

b o x es ) , h e at -s hrink tub ing
(to

s trengthen

jo ints

i n

wire s a n d cab le s .)

EXAMPLES OF SMART AND MODERN MATERIALS

Name

Properties

U ses

The rmo chro mic

Inks

M aterials

w i t h

the se

p ro pe rties

change

co lo ur

i n

re s po ns e

to

change s

i n

te mp e rature .

B atte ry te s t strip (to te s t
the

b atte ry’s

co nd itio n),

the rmo m e te r

o r

te mpe rature

ind icato r

(us e d

i n

fo o d

ind ustry

t o

che ck

the

temp e rature

o f

p ackage d fo o d p ro d uct .)

Pho to chro mic

Inks

M aterials

w i t h

the se

p ro pe rties

change

co lo ur

i n

re s po ns e

t o

change s

i n

li ght

le ve l,

i nclud ing

ultravio le t

(UV ) o r infrare d (IR)

Sunglas s e s

o r

s p e ctacle s

(d ar ke n

i n

b right

s unlight),

nail

varnis h,

large

s cale

sign

b o ard s ,

s e curity

mar k ing,

je we lle ry.

EXAMPLES OF SMART AND MODERN MATERIALS

Name

Properties

U ses

L e nticular

She e t

Ap rinted

p oly me r

s he et

with

o p tical p ro p e rtie s w h i c h ma ke
a s urface ap pe ar d eepe r. ( the
i mag e s

ap pe ar

t o

flicke r

o r

mo ve )

Pro vid e

vis ual/ ae s thetic

inte re s t

t o

a

s urface

( illus io n

o f

d epth

and

3 D

e ffe cts .)

Po lymo rp h

Po lyme r

b eco me

s o ft

whe n

i m m e rs ed i n h o t water a n d can
b e

mo uld ed ,

re sulting

i n

a

to ugh

po ly m e r.

I t

can

be

re mo ulded

by

r e -i m me rs ing

t h e p o lyme r i n h o t wate r.

He lp

d e s igne rs

a n d

e nginee rs

t o

ma ke

d iffi cult

s hape s

p ro to typ e .

EXAMPLES OF SMART AND MODERN MATERIALS

Name

Properties

U ses

Smart Gre as e

A

vis co us

ge l

that

will

uniforml y

co ntro l

the

mo ve me nt

b etwe en

t w o

frictio n s urface s .

To

d amp e n

mo ve me nt

o n

vo lume

co ntro l

kno b s ,

s lo wi ng

d o wn

and

s mo o thing t h e ro tatio n .

Pie zo e le ctric

Mate rials

M aterial

that

d o

n o t

co nduct

e le ctricit y

b ut

have

s p e cial

e le ctric

p ro pe rties .

I f

the y

are

rap id ly

co mp r e s s ed ,

the y

p ro d uce a mo me ntary vo ltage .

Quartz

crys tal

us ed

i n

clo ck mo ve ment o f w a t c h ,
lo uds p e ake rs

(us e d

fo r

mus i cal

gre eting

card s ,

mo b i le

pho nes ,

alarm

clo ck ) ,

training

s ho es

(l ight

up

L E D

when

the

we are r

s tarts

walk ing

o r

running .

EXAMPLES OF SMART AND MODERN MATERIALS

Name

Properties

U ses

Glo w -i n -t h e -

Dark Mate rials

M aterial ab s o rb and s tore light
e ne rgy.

I n the d ark co nd itio ns

the

ene rgy

i s

re le as e d ,

cre ating a b ri ght ye llow/ gre en
glo w.

Clo c k

a nd

watch

face s ,

e me rgency

s igns ,

li ght

s witche s ,

glo w - i n -t h e -

d ark

to ys

a n d

garme nts

(s afe ty clo th .)

Multiple Choice

The battery tester is an example of _____technology.

• conductive

• fabricative

• thermochromic

• laser

Multiple Choice

Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) is an example of a smart material. complete the statement by adding the correct term from the list below.

SMA will return to its original shape when it is _____

• heated

• quenched in water

• polished

Multiple Choice

Complete the statement by adding the correct term.

A thermochromic material changes colour with changes in temperature.

This is an example of _____ material.

• lightweight

• recycled

• smart

• dense

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a modern material:

• Iron

• Titanium

• Oak

Multiple Choice

What category is the Plywood in?

• Modern materials

• Smart materials

• both of them

Multiple Choice

A modern material is a material or element that has been relatively recently discovered, true or false?

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A smart material reacts to an _________ stimulus by changing its characteristics and/or properties.

• Internal

• External

• Unique

Multiple Choice

SMA stands for?

• Shape Motion Alloy

• Self Memory Alloy

• Shape Memory Alloy

Multiple Choice

Reactive glass darkens very quickly when subjected to ______?

• Light

• Sound

• Vibrations

Multiple Choice

Photochromic particles react to what form of light?

• Bright Light

• Ultraviolet Light

• Dark Light

Multiple Choice

Piezoelectric material responds to what?

• Light

• Sound

• Vibrations

Multiple Choice

Thermochromic material responds to what?

• Heat

• Light

• Sound

Multiple Choice

How can thermochromic materials be used within the medical industry?

• To show room temperatures

• To be used as a fever strip

• As novelty goods

Multiple Choice

Polymorph is an example of a hand mouldable polymer or a polycaprolactone, what temperature does it fuse at?

• 32ᵒC

• 62ᵒC

Multiple Choice

What type of ink can be used instead of electrical wire in a circuit?

• LaserJet Ink

• Conductive Ink

• Smart Ink

Multiple Choice

What is the smart material SMA?

• Shape Memory Aluminum

• Shape Memory Araldite

• Shape Memory Alloy

• Shape Memory Acrylic

Multiple Choice

Select the two correct smart materials?

• Polymorph and Thermochromic Ink

• Polygon and Thermochromic Ink

• Polymorph and Disappearing Ink

• Polyester and Thermochromic Ink

Multiple Choice

What are hydrochromic inks used for?

• Moisture testers

• Heat testers

• Colour testers

• Weight testers

Multiple Choice

What are thermochromic inks?

• They change colour in response to changes in temperature

• They change colour in response to changes in light

• They change colour in response to changes in moisture

• They change colour in response to changes in weight

Multiple Choice

What is polymorph?

• A material that can be reshaped once.

• A material that can't be reshaped.

• A material that can be shaped and reshaped any number of times.

• A material that can be reshaped twice.

Multiple Choice

Which smart material is used in the manufacture of sunglasses?

• Hydrochromic Ink

• Aroma Pigments

• Thermochromic Ink

• Photochromic Ink

Multiple Choice

Which of these would a material not change in response to?

• temperature

• light

• moisture

• image

Multiple Choice

Why is polymorph used to make prototypes to solve manufacturing problems?

• When bent out of shape it can be twisted to go back to its original shape

• It can 'remember' two distinct shapes, a high temperature shape and a low temperature shape

• It is easily moulds into awkward unique shapes, It is tough and once re-heated it can easily be re-shaped

Multiple Choice

Why have smart materials been developed?

• Developments in Science and Engineering.

• Developments in Science and English.

• Developments in Science and Medicine.

• Developments in Science and Geography.

Multiple Choice

What happens to SMA when heated above 90 degrees centigrade?

• It changes shape

• It returns to its original shape

• It returns to its original smell

• It returns to its original size

Multiple Choice

What is polymorph?

• A material that can be reshaped once.

• A material that can't be reshaped.

• A material that can be shaped and reshaped any number of times.

• A material that can be reshaped twice.

Multiple Choice

A thermochromic material is used in ...

• Nappies

• Gumshields / mouthguards

• Glasses frames

• Transition glasses lenses

• Colour changing mugs

Multiple Choice

A shape memory polymer is...

• Metal

• Plastic

• None of the above

• Both

Multiple Choice

A shape memory alloy is...

• Metal

• Plastic

• None of the above

• Both