The Properties and Uses of Smart Materials

Properties of Smart Materials

Smart Materials are designed materials that have one or more properties that can be significantly changed in a controlled fashion by external stimuli, such as stress, temperature, moisture, electric or magnetic fields.
Certain smart materials possess the ability to return to their original shape after undergoing significant deformation. This property is known as shape memory.
Piezoelectric materials have the ability to generate electric potential in response to mechanical stress.
Some smart materials are capable of changing their optical properties in response to external conditions.

Uses of Smart Materials

In Medical Field

Temperature-responsive polymers are used in medical applications, like drug delivery systems where they release medication upon reaching a certain body temperature.
Shape-memory alloys are often used in orthodontic braces which slowly release their energy to move teeth over time.

In Construction and Engineering

Piezoelectric materials are used in ultrasound machines, vibration sensors, and in energy harvesting devices to convert pressure forces into electrical energy.

In Textiles and Fashion

Photochromic materials, which change colour in response to changes in light intensity, are used in transitional eyeglass lenses that darken when exposed to sunlight.

In Aerospace Industry

Shape memory alloys and polymers are used in the design of lightweight structures for aerospace applications, which can change shape in response to changes in temperature or electrical stimuli.

It is essential to remember that the specific properties and uses of smart materials depend on their specific structural and compositional design. They are often made up of a combination of different atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in a particular structure that gives them their ‘smart’ properties.