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Smart Materials: Thermochromic Pigments

Smart materials are materials that have properties which change reversibly depending on their surroundings. Examples include thermochromic pigments that change color at specific temperatures, photochromic pigments that change color when exposed to light, shape memory polymers that can be bent out of shape and return to their original form when heated, and shape memory alloys like nitinol that return to their original shape when heated similar to polymers. Hydrogels can absorb large amounts of water and release it when their surroundings change, having applications as artificial muscles, hair gel, diapers, expanding snow, and soil additives.

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93 views3 pages

Smart Materials: Thermochromic Pigments

Smart materials are materials that have properties which change reversibly depending on their surroundings. Examples include thermochromic pigments that change color at specific temperatures, photochromic pigments that change color when exposed to light, shape memory polymers that can be bent out of shape and return to their original form when heated, and shape memory alloys like nitinol that return to their original shape when heated similar to polymers. Hydrogels can absorb large amounts of water and release it when their surroundings change, having applications as artificial muscles, hair gel, diapers, expanding snow, and soil additives.

Uploaded by

SWAPNIL MISHRA
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Smart materials

Smart materials are materials that have properties which change reversibly, i.e. can change
easily but can then easily change back, depending on changes in their surroundings. Here
are some examples.

Thermochromic pigments

Thermochromic pigments change colour at specific temperatures. Examples include


colour-changing novelty mugs, colour-changing spoons, battery power indicators and
forehead thermometers.

Photochromic pigments

Photochromic pigments change colour when exposed to light. This can be used in clothing
but is most commonly found in photochromic lenses for glasses, which darken when exposed
to ultraviolet light. This means that these glasses act as sunglasses on sunny days, but quickly
change back to normal glasses when the lenses are no longer in sunlight.
Shape memory polymer

Shape memory polymer is a polymer that can be bent out of its original shape and
then returned to its original shape when heated. Potential applications for this include
sporting equipment, such as helmets and gum-shields or car bumpers, which can be heated to
return to their original shape after a minor collision. In addition, medical stitches can self-
tighten as a wound heals.

Shape memory alloy

Shape memory alloys are mixtures of metals that return to their original shape when
heated, similar to shape memory polymers. Again, this type of smart material could be used
in sporting equipment and car bodies, as well as certain medical applications, such as surgical
plates for joining bone fractures. As the alloy is warmed by the body, it applies a greater
tension than normal plates, allowing for faster healing. For example, nitinol is a shape
memory alloy of nickel and titanium.
Hydrogels

Hydrogels can absorb up to 1,000 times their own volume in water. After water has been
absorbed, it can be released when its surroundings are dry. Changes in temperature or pH can
also cause the hydrogel to release water. Applications of hydrogels include:

 artificial muscles
 hair gel
 nappies
 ‘magic’ expanding snow
 granules added to soil to help retain water for plants

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