Smart materials

Culshaw, B.; (2003) Smart materials. In: Encyclopedia of life support systems (EOLSS). EOLSS Online.

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Abstract

In the context of this discussion, we must understand what "smart" materials are. Our focus will lie on responsive materials - transducer materials even - where one form of imput trigger causes a change in the material's properties, usually in a different physical or chemical domain from the input. The smartness in these materials is in the final reckoning in their design to optimize to specific properties. In some communities, and especially in the smart materials and structures community, these are the smart materials of the title of this chapter