Smart Materials Flashcards
What are smart materials?
materials that change it’s physical properties in response to change in environments
Three conditions to changes in physical properties
Temperatures, light levels, pressure
What are thermochromic materials?
Materials that’s colour changes when hot
Applications of thermochromic
• Fever scan strips used on infants
• Room thermometers
• Children’s cutlery and crockery
• Novelty goods and colour changing clothing
Photochromic
Change in light affects material
How does photochromic pigments works?
UV light stimulates particles in a special pigment
• The effect only lasts as long as strong UV light is present
What are photochromic materials used for?
• Lenses in sunglasses
• Security Markers can only been seen un UV light
• Photochromic windows that chang
Shape memory alloy
Metal alloys that remember the shape when heated
Uses of SMA
Glasses frames, medical stents
Phosphorescent materials
Process where energy from sun is absorbed by a material and then released as light over time
Uses of phosphorescent materials
Watches, toys, stickers
Piezoelectric
Generates a small electric charge when sensors are compressed or generate movement when a charge is applied
Uses of piezoelectric materials
Generating energy, sensors, burglary alarms, keyless car entry
Electroluminescent wire
Thin copper wire coated in a phosphor that grows brightly when a current is applied
Composite material
A material that combines the properties of the material that were used to make it
