SMART

MATERIALS

Contents

What are smart materials?

The different types of smart materials

Applications of smart materials

Future of smart materials

INTRODUCTION

Some materials have the ability to change their shape or size simply by
adding a little bit of heat, or to change from a liquid to a solid almost
instantly when near a magnet; these materials are called smart
materials.

Smart materials are materials that have one or more properties that can
be significantly altered in a controlled fashion by external stimuli, such
as stress, temperature, moisture, pH, electric or magnetic fields.

MAIN ADVANTAGES WITH RESPECT TO

TRADITIONAL COMPONENTS

They Posses High Durability

Act simultaneously as Sensors and Actuators
High Level of Miniaturization
Are Adaptive with the environmental conditions
They have good Accuracy
They reduce size and weight

TYPES OF SMART MATERIALS

Smart Material
Piezo Electric Material
Shape Memory Alloys
Electro-rheological Fluid
Magnet-rheological Fluid
Electrostrictive Material
Magnetostrictive Material

Fig: Flow chart depicting the types of

smart materials

Piezoelectric Materials:

Piezoelectricity is the ability of the material to develop an

electric charge when subjected to a mechanical strain
(direct piezoelectric effect)
Conversely develop mechanical strain in response to an
applied electric field (indirect piezoelectric effect)
They are often used to measure fluid compositions, fluid
density, fluid viscosity, or the force of an impact
An example of a piezoelectric material in everyday life is
the airbag sensor in the car.

SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS:

Shape memory alloys are materials where deformation can be induced

and recovered through temperature changes

At a low temperature, the material is in its martensitic state. When

heated, it will regain its original or memory shape

Nitinol (Nickel-Titanium alloy) is the most commonly used SMA

SMA are applied to a wide variety of application such as

. Antenna of a Mobile Phone
. Aeronautical Applications
. Eyeglass Frame
. Robotic Muscles

Electro-rheological (ER) and Magnet-rheological(MR):

These materials are fluids, which can experience a dramatic change in

there viscosity.

These fluids can change from a thick fluid to nearly a solid substance
within the span of a millisecond when exposed to a magnetic or electric
field.

MR fluids are being developed for use in car shocks, dampers, prosthetic
limbs, exercise equipment, and surface polishing of machine parts.

ER fluids have mainly been developed for use in clutches and valves, as
well as engine mounts designed to reduce noise and vibration in
vehicles.

Fig: The MR fluid is liquid as shown on the left, when no magnetic

field is present, but turns solid immediately after being placed
in a magnetic field on the right.

Electrostrictive and Magnetostrictive materials:

This refers to the material quality of changing size in

response to either an electric or magnetic field, and
conversely, producing a voltage when stretched
These materials show promise in applications such as:

Pumps and Valves

Aerospace Wind Tunnel
Landing Gear Hydraulics
Automotive Fuel Injector
Electro Mechanical Transducer

APPLICATIONS OF
SMART MATERIALS

Automotive:

Smart Materials are being used in Automatic Light and Heat

Control in the Automotive Industry (eg-Rear Windows).

Smart Materials are being used to reduce noise and vibration

resulting in enhanced comfort and safety benefits.

Mechatronics:

The mechatronics approach is familiar from systems already in

existence such as ABS and active ride control in road vehicles
and such an approach has already been employed in the
vibration control of high rise Japanese buildings.

Examples include dams and aircraft and adaptive structures

containing
novel
piezoceramic,
electrostrictive,
magnetostrictive and shape memory actuators for real time
vibration and shape control.

Aerospace:
Today the use of smart materials in the aerospace market is widespread,
extending beyond Commercial and military aircraft to military jets,
helicopters, space launchers and satellites.

Future Of Smart Materials

The potential future benefits of smart materials, structures and

systems are amazing in their scope.

This technology gives promise of optimum responses to highly

complex problem areas , for example, providing early warning of
the problems, thus enhancing the survivability of the system
and improving its life cycle.

Moreover, enhancements to many products could provide better

control by minimizing distortion and increasing precision.

Another possible benefit is enhanced preventative maintenance

of systems and thus better performance of their functions.

GM Hopes New smart Materials to Modernize Car

Designs

General Motors has demonstrated a new technology, which it hopes to

use in the cars in future. The materials such a shape memory alloys
and polymers are intended to encourage many promising changeable
features in cars.

GM Hopes to see these smart materials in production models by 2014.

Some of the features might be buttons and handles that come out only
when we need them or some sort of surfaces that pop out to assist
aerodynamics.

K
N
THA
YOU