Explain the types and Properties of smart material ?

Types of Smart Materials

Piezoelectrics:

Piezoelectric materials convert electrical energy to mechanical energy, and vice versa. They offer a wide range of

utility and can be used as actuators (provide a voltage to create motion), sensors, such as many accelerometers, and

energy harvesters since the charge generated from motion can be harvested and stored. Common applications for

piezo materials are BBQ igniters and actuators for inkjet printer heads. Mid has successfully commercialized

energy harvesters, haptic actuators, piezo valve actuators, and flow control devices.

Shape Memory Alloys:

The most commonly available Shape Memory Alloy is Nitinol, which was originally developed by the Naval

Ordinance Laboratory. SMAs have the ability to change phase as a function of temperature, and in that process

generate a force or motion. They are capable of relatively high energy but move slowly. Typically applications

include morphing structures, thermal triggers, and some high strain energy absorbing applications. Advanced

materials still under development include magnetically activated shape memory alloys.

Magnetostrictive:

Similar to piezoelectric materials that respond to changes in electrical fields, this class of materials responds to

changes in magnetic fields and can perform as an actuator, or sensor if deformed. While they can work well, they

exhibit a large hysteresis which must be compensated when using the material in sensor applications.

Shape Memory Polymers:

Shape Memory Polymers (SMP) are similar to Shape Memory Alloys except the obvious fact they are made from a

polymer matrix. They possess much greater recoverable strains than the alloys, but typically under lower forces.

Morphing structures has been the area of greatest use to date for SMPs.
Hydrogels:

Hydrogels can be tailored to absorb and hold water, or other liquids, under certain environmental conditions.

Hydrogels have been around for a long time, specifically in disposable diapers. A key feature however is the gels

can be tailored chemically to respond to different stimuli. Mid has also patented a method to embed the gels into a

foam which enables systems to be built with the gels, such as the Hydrogel Activated Bulkhead Shaft Seals.

Electroactive Polymers:

There are many forms of electroactive polymers and many are still being refined. They have great potential as the

flexibility of how they can be used provide advantages over some of the metals and ceramics mentioned above.

Most typically applications include energy harvesting and sensing (see Stretchsense development kit) however some

researchers are looking at high voltage, low current actuators.

Bi-Component Fibers:

Adaptive thermal insulation can enable smart clothing that can change its thermal properties based on the

environment. Mid has developed bi-component fiber technology where two different materials are co-extruded

together to enable shape change depending on ambient temperature.

What are the applications of smart Material?

SMART MATERIALS IN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

Here are a few ways in which GENERAL MOTORS have used smart materials in automobile.To control of the

airflow into the engine, a shape memory alloy-activated louver system will be used. This smart material functions to

reduce the cooling airflow into the engine compartment and reduces aerodynamic drag.

The result is improved aerodynamics and drag reduction and rapid warm-up during cold engine start up. While air

dams are frequently damaged by low-speed impacts during parking situations and certain objects like ramps, snow,

and ice, GM developed an "active" air dam that is activated by a shape memory alloy. The active air dam can

monitor vehicle speed, and with the use of 4-wheel drive (4WD) configuration, the vehicle lowers or raises the air
dam to improve the vehicle's aerodynamic drag. Lastly, GM also developed and tested a grab handle that also uses

shape memory alloys to move into position by using a temperature-activated shape memory combined with the

changes in the handle's stiffness. All of these three newly developed auto parts features a shape memory alloy.

Other examples include novel aluminum forming processes that provide enhanced body panels and light weighting,

polymer Nano composites that provide superior mechanical properties at lower cost, and magneto rheological fluids

for improved chassis systems." "The properties inherent in shape memory alloys and polymers have the potential to

be game-changers in the automotive advanced materials field, eventually leading to vehicle subsystems that can self-

heal in the event of damage, or that can be designed to change color or appearance."

Smart materials also could be used in sensors that can configure the safety systems of the car after detecting the

physical characteristics of the passengers.

Some true smart materials - electrochromic materials - are being used in automatic light and heat control in the

automotive industry (e.g. self-dimming mirrors and rear windows). A further application of smart materials in the

automotive sector is the use of shape memory polymers in the so-called fender bender, where deformations as a

result of minor collisions can be removed by treatment with a heat gun.

SMART MATERIALS IN AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY

The changes which occur due to changes in flight speed, altitude, and changes in weight due to consumption of fuel

could be compensated by wing camber variations, to pursue optimal geometry for any flight condition, thus

improving aerodynamic and structural performance. Existing aircraft cannot change shape without aerodynamic

gaps, something that can be solved with Smart Intelligent Structures. By ensuring the detailed consideration of

structural needs throughout the entire lifetime of an aircraft and focusing on the structural integration of needed past

capabilities, Smart Intelligent Aircraft Structures will allow aircraft designers to seriously consider conformal

morphing technologies. The reduced drag during take-off, cruise and landing for future and ecologically improved

civil aircraft wings can be achieved Through naturally laminar wing technology, by incorporating a gapless and

deformable leading edge device with lifts providing capability. Such a morphing structure typically consists of a

flexible outer skin and an internal driving mechanism. Current aircraft designs already employ winglets aimed at

increasing the cruise flight efficiency by induced drag reduction. Smart intelligent Structures propose a state of the
art technology that incorporates a wingtip active trailing edge, which could be a means of reducing winglet and wing

loads at key flight conditions.

Another component of an intelligent aircraft structure is the ability to sense and diagnose potential threats to its

structural integrity. This differs from conventional non-destructive testing (NDT) by the fact that Structural Health

Monitoring (SHM) uses sensors that are permanently bonded or embedded in the structure.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL MATERIALS IN AIRCRAFT

By increasing the relative fraction of composite components within new aircraft, challenges regarding electrical

conductivity have arisen such as lightning strike protection, static discharge, electrical bonding and grounding,

interference shielding and current return through the structure. These drawbacks can be solved by the use of

emerging technologies such as Nano composites, which combine mechanical, electrical and thermal properties.

Nanoparticle reinforced resins have been found to offer two distinct advantages over current resin systems. First of

all, they are able to provide an increase in fracture toughness of up to 50% for older liquid resin infusion (LRI)

resins and 30% in more advanced systems. Secondly, percolated nanoparticles drastically improve resin

conductivity, turning it from a perfect isolator into a semiconductor. While improved damage tolerance properties

could directly lead to structural weight savings, the exploitation of electrical properties could also enable a simpler,

and hence cheaper, Electrical Structure Network (ESN).

Biopolymer Membrane:

The cabin's bionic structure will be coated with a biopolymer membrane, which controls the amount of natural light,

humidity and temperature, providing opacity or transparency on command and eliminating the need for windows.

This smarter structure will make the aircraft lighter and more fuel- efficient while giving passengers 360 degree

views of the skies.

Bionic Structures
Future aircraft could be built using a bionic structure that mimics the bone structure of birds. Bone is both light and

strong because its porous interior carries tension only where necessary, leaving space elsewhere. By using bionic

structures, the fuselage has the strength it needs, but can also make the most of extra space where required.

RAILWAY INDUSTRY

A number of condition monitoring applications have been developed which can be used in rolling stock (e.g. brake

pad monitoring, pantograph monitoring, ride quality determination, wheel profile measurement, on-line engine

monitoring).

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

Smart coatings are beginning to impact on the critical early stages of agriculture: when seeds are planted. Farmers

typically have a very narrow and uncertain planting window because of weather. If a farmer plants too early and the

soil is too cold, seeds that have begun to absorb moisture can be harmed or killed. Conversely, planting too late may

mean missing a critical part of the growing season. Landec Corporation has begun to commercialise smart polymer-

based seed coatings that can help avoid these problems and improve overall productivity. Intellicoat seed coatings

are acrylic side-chain crystallisable polymers tailored to phase change reversibly at various temperatures from 0 to

68C. As the side chain components melt, water permeation increases dramatically, thus regulating the timing of

seed germination in response to changes in soil temperature.

Smart gels are materials that change their volume dramatically when subject to chemical, thermal, magnetic or

electrical activation. Hydrogels can expand or shrink more than 100% in response to pH or hydration change,

providing the opportunity to construct smart valving systems that automatically activate irrigation and watering

cycles in horticulture practices when soil hydration falls below a certain level.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Within the construction sector, the applications for smart technology fall into three main categories: structural health

monitoring (including damage detection); vibration control; and the control of the user environment (visual, thermal,

electro-magnetic, acoustic, etc.). There is also a distinction between applications related primarily to large load-

bearing structures and those related to interior and exterior building design and function.
SPORTS

A good example of the use of smart materials in sport is a tennis racket manufactured by Head. Modern rackets have
been designed to be stiff to maximise the energy returned to the ball, which results in the racket transmitting large
amounts of shock and vibration to the players arm.

In an attempt to reduce vibration, piezoelectric fibres are embedded around the racket throat. The frame deflects

slightly when the ball is hit, bending the piezoelectric fibres and generating a charge which is collected by the

patterned electrode surrounding the fibres. The charge and associatedcurrent is carried to an embedded microchip

containing inductors, capacitors and resistors which return the current back to the fibres out of phase to reduce the

vibration by destructive interference.

Piezoelectric materials have been incorporated into snow skis, baseball bats, snowboards and water skis that

passively damp vibration by converting vibrations into electric charge, which is dissipated through a resistor. A true

smart system has been manufactured for vibration damping of bicycle frames which uses a giant magneto-resistive

sensor to detect vibration and piezoelectric actuators to optimise the damping.

Other examples include the use of shape memory alloys for golf club faces due to their super elastic and high

damping properties, and smart textiles such as thermo chromic fabrics, conducting and photonic technologies,

adaptive and responsive textile structures and variable permeability textiles.

MEDICAL INDUSTRY

Smart materials are mainly used for the control of drug release and modification of tissue response. The loss of a

protective response to trauma and any resulting tissue loss place major demands on healthcare. Over the longer term,

smart materials for limb prostheses, with tissue- matched mechanical properties, might eventually be integrated into

single systems offering continuous signal feedback for perfecting gait movement. Alternatively, smart materials

might be used for more subtle control of mechanical assist devices. Intelligent clothing could serve to provide

distributed sensing to help co-ordinate a more general gait or movement response.

change optical properties and oscillate in response to a host of external electromagnetic and solution-mediated

triggers. The environmental sensitivity and subsequent property changes of such soft technology could provide the

necessary designer replacement materials for a broad spectrum of medical needs from artificial muscle through to

targeted cancer therapy.

Materials able to cross skin and mucosal epithelial barriers could achieve needle-less drug delivery. Such carriers

could also deliver drug therapy to selected locations. Current needle, catheter and endoscopy devices can lack

flexibility and be too invasive for certain clinical applications. Controlled multi- directional flexibility here,

combined with an inherent sensing/guidance capability, would both reduce levels of

invasiveness and help abort damage due to, say, malpositioning.

Diagnostic instrumentation

Smart materials using ultrasound or electromagnetic radiation as the currency for information offer further

miniaturisation and a more refined instrumentation platform for a new generation of medical imaging systems. Such

an approach using ever smaller length scales extending down to the sub-micron could eventually be extended to give

functional and dynamic imaging.