Smart Materials

Question 1

What dies it mean if a material is thermochromic

Answer 1

A material in which its colours change according to the temperature.

Question 2

What does it mean when a material is piezoelectric?

Answer 2

Piezoelectricity, electrical charge built up in response to mechanical stress. In other words, generates a small electric charge when sensors are compressed.

Question 3

What does it mean when a smart material is phosphorescent?

Answer 3

A property of materials defined as the ability to emit light after absorbing electromagnetic radiation such as visible or UV light.

Question 4

What does it mean when a material is photochromic

Answer 4

Materials that show a reversible change in optical properties (color) through the action of light

Question 5

What are thermochromic pigments

Answer 5

These pigments/inks/dyes react to heat by changing colour at specific temperatures

Question 6

What are shape memory alloys?

Answer 6

Are metal alloys that can remember their shape when heated. If the shape of the object is changed it will return to its original shape when heat or a current is applied.

Question 7

What is a QTC - Quantum Tunnelling Composite

Answer 7

This smart material can be either a conductor or insulator.
QTC varies its electrical resistance depending on the amount of pressure or stress applied to it.
The more pressure applied, the less resistance it has.