Have you ever heard the term smart materials? The use of the word smart is increasingly common within our vocabulary. Words like smartphone, smartwatch or smart TV are part of our daily lives and refer to multifunctional products, capable of performing tasks beyond the basic ones. The same thing happens in the case of materials, due to smart materials or intelligent materials. Smart materials or intelligent materials are materials that react to different external stimuli. Within this context, in today’s blog we will tell you in detail what these materials are capable of doing, what types of smart materials exist, some of their applications and what are the benefits they can bring to both a product and a indsutrial process
What are Smart Materials?
As we anticipated, smart materials, also known as active or multifunctional materials, are materials capable of reacting, reversibly or irreversibly, to different external stimuli. In general, this reaction, or response, is carried out by varying one or more of its properties. But, what are the main external stimuli that can activate these smart materials? Among these these external stimuli are temperature changes, humidity variations, chemical compounds, pressure variations, pH, electric current or magnetic fields. On the other hand, the response exerted by these materials is presented in the form of a variation of some of their properties, such as color, shape, size, viscosity, crystallographic arrangement or opacity.
Types of Smart Materials
Depending on the stimulus that activates the material, or its response, there are different types of smart materials. In addition, based on their ability to return to the initial state, all smart materials can be classified as reversible or non-reversible. Below, we present a classification with the most common smart materials, according to the stimuli that activate them and their response.
Below, we present a classification with the most common smart materials, according to the stimuli that activate them and their response.
Chromoactive materials
This group of smart materials is characterized by its ability to change color when exposed to an external stimulus. However, depending on the stimulus that activates the material, there are five types:
Electrochromic materials
Electrochromic materials achieve color changes by passing electrical current through them. This type of material, less developed than the previous ones, allows great control through electronics.
Halochromic materials
In this case, halochromic materials are capable of changing color with changes in pH. In addition, they have been used for years as pH indicators in chemical laboratories.
Photochromic materials
In this case, the color change of the material is generated after exposure to a certain light. Typically, these materials are activated using ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths.
Thermochromic materials
The color change occurs after a temperature variation. These types of materials are prepared to change color when they exceed an established temperature limit. As there is a wide variety of colors and temperature ranges, they are one of the most interesting options within the industrial field.
Hydrochromic materials
In hydrochromic materials, the color change occurs when the material comes into contact with water.
Phtoactive materials
Unlike the previous ones, photoactive materials are capable of emitting light under the action of different external stimuli. Within this group we distinguish two types:
Electroluminiscent materials
In these materials, the emission of light is achieved by connecting them to an electric current. This allows to have a control of its operation quite precise by means of electronics.
Photoluminiscent materials
In this case, photoluminescent materials are capable of emitting light when exposed to a certain wavelength, normally within the ultraviolet (UV) range.
Shape-shifting materials
Smart Materials with shape memory
These materials are capable of recovering their initial shape after being deformed. A clear example of this type of material is Nitino, an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Self-repairing Smart Materials
As their name suggests, they are materials capable of recovering from damage. For their recovery they usually require the action of temperature.
Smart Materials with volume change
Finally, materials with volume change are those capable of modifying their size under the action of an external element. Metals with a high coefficient of expansion could be considered as materials capable of changing their volume; however, the clearest example of this behavior is the hydrogel, capable of increasing its volume up to 400 times in contact with water.
Smart Materials Applications
As can be seen, there is currently a wide variety of smart materials. For this reason, the range of possible applications is very wide. Here are some of the most interesting applications:
Products with new design
WOW effect
Security element
Quality control
Multifuncional products
Smart Materials Advantages
The main advantage of smart materials is that they provide the material with new capabilities without the need for sensors, actuators or electronics. For this reason, it is possible to achieve products that interact with the environment or with people without the need for them to be connected to the electrical grid.
How to introduce a Smart Material in a product
But, how is this technique carried out? In ATRIA we study each case with the maximum detail to carry out each of the smart materials projects. Below, we show you, in a very summarized way, the main steps to incorporate a smart material to a product or process.
Select material
Materilas development
Phrototype preparation
Conducting tests and trials
Industrial implementation
Do you want to use Smart Materials in any of your projects? Contact us!