Eloisa B.

Espiritu
4-ChED

ADVANCED MATERIALS

SMART MATERIALS – These are materials that sense and respond to their environment.
Their common applications are in the fields of health, defence and
packaging[1].

1. Semiconductor – They have electrical properties that use as an intermediate between

conductors and insulators[8].
Examples:
1. It is primarily used as Infrared detectors[13].
2. Optoelectronic devices – they form various electrical junctions and its results are
electrostatic inhomogeneities and built in electric fields[13].

2. Biomaterials – These are materials that can be synthetic and natural or materials that can
be solid and sometimes liquid. Biomaterials are commonly used in contact with
biological systems such as medical devices. These are rarely used on their own but are
more commonly integrated into devices or implants[6].
Examples:

1. One application are implants when undergo detachment from the host tissue
because of inadequate biocompatibility and poor osteointegration, the surface
chemistry and physical topography of the surface changes that influences
biocompatibility[4].

2. Implantation of plates used to correct funnel chest. In this study, it reveals that
the new bar has the lowest current density and the highest corrosion potential in
the potential range that could occur in the physiological condition. This only
means that the new plate has the highest corrosion resistance and therefore
corrosion resistance could be reduced during implantation[2].

3. Advance Ceramics - Ceramics are inorganic non-metallic solids which have the largest
range of all materials[7].
Examples:
1. pump shafts – most major parts of these pumps uses advanced ceramics
materials[12].
2. Ceramics are useful in electronics whether it’s an insulator or a substrate[14].

4. Piezoelectric – When a mechanical stress is applied to these materials, they generate an

electric current[10].
Examples:
 1. Piezoelectric microphones – transform due to changes in pressure and this
pressure is merely caused by sound waves into an electrical signal[10].

2. Medical – disposing patient monitor, foetal monitors[9].

5. Shape memory - these materials when already deformed can remember their original
shape and return to it when heated[10].
Examples:

1. Shape Memory Stents - tubes threaded into arteries. For it to allow increased
blood flow , they use the heat of the body temperature so that it will expand[10].
2. Vena-cava filters – these filters trap small clots to prevent from entering the
pulmonary system to avoid pulmonary embolism[11].

6. Thermochromic - These materials respond to changes in temperature when their colour

changes[10].
Examples:

1. Bath plugs – when it’s already too hot, it changes its colour[10].

2. Commercial products – when applied to commercial products, it changes its

colour responding to the change of temperature[5].

7. Photochromic - These materials respond to changes in light conditions by changing its

colour[10].
Examples:

1. Used in security inks and dolls that is tan in the sun[10].

2. Low-cost memory device - used for optical computers. The material's ability to
store information in a binary form, transparent or dark, representing zeros and
ones -- or to encode data as levels of gray, that makes it a candidate for the
display-panel and memory-device applications[16].

8. Magnetorheological - when these fluids are placed in a magnetic field they become
solid[10].
Examples:
1. Used in constructing dampers that can suppress vibrations like during earthquakes
or high wind[10].
2. MR dampers - these are semi-active devices that contain magnetorheological
fluids. in few milliseconds the fluid changes from liquid to semi-solid state after
magnetic field is applied. So the damper now is capable of large damping
forces[3].

Nanoengineered Materials
- Structures of these materials is studied from its large and complex structures to its
smaller and simper structures. And it is sometimes called a “top down” science[1].
 Applications:
Carbon nanotube - They are in the form of cylindrical carbon molecules and
exhibit extraordinary strength and unique electrical properties. Also they are efficient
conductors of heat[15].

Materials needed in the future

- Maybe we need to improved specific properties of compounds in a more economical
and ecological friendly.
- We also need more knowledge and understanding of behaviour of each material for
us to be able to know what really are the materials needed.

References
[1] Callister, W.D., Rethwisch, D.G. (2007). Material Science and Engineering 8th edition. sJohn
Wiley & Sons. 12.

[2] Chrzanowski, W., Armitage, D., Knowles, J., Szade, J., Korlacki, W., Marciniak, J. (2008).
Chemical, Corrosion and Topographical Analysis of Stainless Steel Implants after Different
Implantation Periods, 23, 51-71.

[3] Kciuk, M., Turczyn, R. (2006). Properties and application of magnetorheological fluids, 18.

[4] Kurella, A., Dahotre, N. Review paper: Surface Modification for Bioimplants: The Role of
Laser Surface Engineering.
[5] White, M., LeBlanc, A. (1999). Thermochromism in Commercial Products, 1201.
[6] http://www.uweb.engr.washington.edu/research/tutorials/introbiomat.html

[7] http://www.mpg.de/pdf/europeanWhiteBook/wb_materials_026_031.pdf

[8]http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/WofMatE/Semiconductors.htm

[9]http://www.whystudymaterials.ac.uk/casestudies/piezo.asp

[10]http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn299.pdf

[11]http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=134#_Vena-cava_Filters

[12]http://www.dynacer.com/applications.htm

[13]http://www.mrs.org/s_mrs/doc.asp?CID=15953&DID=86177

[14]http://www.springerlink.com/content/v61167418075p297/

[15] http://www.nanocyl.com/CNT-Expertise-Centre/Carbon-Nanotubes

[16] http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/cheap-photochromics.html