Smart, Modern and Composite Materials Flashcards
What is a smart material?
A smart material is a material that changes properties when their environment changes.
What is Nitinol and how is it used?
Nitinol is a shape memory alloy. It is a smart wire that changes length when heat is applied. Is used in braces where the body heat shortens the wire pulling the teeth back into place. Normally conducts by 10%.
What is memoflex and how is it used?
Memoflex is a shape memory alloy, therefore have the ability to return to their original shape when badly bent. Used for spectacle frames.
What is a thermometric pigment and how is it used?
Thermometric pigment is a pigment which changes colour when temperature is applied, used in colour changing baby spoons.
What is a phosphorescent pigment and how is it used?
A phosphorescent pigment takes in light during the day and gives it out ant night to give a glow in the dark effect. Is used in fire exit signs and glow in the dark stars.
What is Poly-Morph and how is it used?
Poly-Morph is a prototyping material that are granules which can be heated up and melted to make frogspawn like substance which can be molded and cooled. It is useful for ergonomic products and bespoke products.
What is smart grease and how is it used?
Smart grease is a lubricant that makes things feel nicer, by restricting movement. For example the knob of a stereo system or a cassette player.
What is are smart springs and how are they used?
Smart springs are built into a product and when the product is thrown away it is heated (200C) up causing the product to break up into different sections which means certain parts are easily recyclable. Used mainly in mobile phones.
What are modern materials?
Materials that have been developed from 1940s onwards.
What materials are modern materials?
All oil based plastics, almost all composite woods and most coated metals too.
What is precious clay metal and how is it used?
Precious clay metal is 95% metal and 5% clay. Therefore it can be molded then placed in a furnace so the clay disintegrates and metal fuses. Used in bespoke jewelry.
What is glueglam metal and how is it used?
Laminating huge chunks of wood for very strong structural beams in large places like swimming pools.
What is carbon fiber and how is it used?
Carbon fiber is a very strong and very light material that is used in racing cars. It is layered up on a mould and goes into huge oven.
What is a composite material?
Materials that are a mixture of materials from different families.
What is laminated glass and how is it used?
Laminated glass is a material which has a layer of glass, then PVB then another layer of glass. This means when it breaks there is a small amount of breakage and therefore can still be seen though.
