Smart materials are those which have one or more properties that change significantly by reacting to the environment all by itself. The reaction may exhibit itself as a change in volumecolour or viscosity and this may occur in response to a change in temperaturestresselectrical currentpH or magnetic field.


There are many groups of smart materials, each exhibiting particular properties which can be harnessed in a variety of high-tech and everyday applications. These include shape memory alloys, piezoelectric materials, magnetostrictive materials and chromic materials.

Piezoelectric materials produce a voltage when stress is applied and vice versa.
Large deformation can be induced or recovered in shape memory alloys by changing temperature or stress.

Magnetostrictive materials exhibit change in shape under the influence of magnetic field and also exhibit change in their magnetization under the influence of mechanical stress.

Chromic materials change colour in response to electrical, optical or thermal changes.

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