Smart materials and structures

Question 1

What is a smart structure?

Answer 1

A structure combining mechanical and functional properties, via a host material (usually composite) and actuators and sensors (often also tied to a data analysis system).

Examples include: shape control, vibration suppressing, health monitoring, self-healing

Question 2

Sensors and actuators, what are they? How do they work?

Answer 2

Generally, in our case we use smart materials; peculiar materials able to react to external stimuli, modifying some of their characteristics. They take an input stimulus and generate an output reaction

Examples include: piezo-electric, thermochromic, mechanochromic, chemochromic, photochromic, Thermo-luminescent, Electro-luminescent, Chemo-luminescent, Photo-luminescent, Photo-voltaic, shape memory alloys, etc

Question 3

What are the critical issues with smart structures?

Answer 3

• Invasivity on host material
• Accuracy of sensors
• Performance of actuators
• Invasivity on manufacturing process

Question 4

Which are sensors and actuators suitable to be embedded? What are technological issues of their embedment?

Answer 4

The choice depends on many factors:
Morphology, compatibility with host material, invasivity (passive, active, manufacturing), performance (depends on the application)