Resources

Smart materials: introduction to smart materials

A smart material describes a material that senses and responds to an external stimulus or change in the environment, and where the change reverses when the stimulus or change is removed. This resource provides an introduction to the topic of smart materials, looking at the properties of different materials,...

Smart materials: phase change materials

A phase change material are substances that absorb or release energy when it changes its physical state, providing useful heating or cooling properties. Did you know that phase change materials were developed by NASA to keep astronauts comfortable in the extreme temperature fluctuations in space? This resource...

Smart materials: photochromic materials

This resource looks at photochromic materials, exploring how they are used and their impact on space inspired products. The slides provide discussion points, investigation ideas and suggestions of practical experiments and products that will allow students to get hands-on with photochromic technology.

Smart materials: piezoelectric materials and quantum tunnelling composites

This resource explores the properties and uses of piezoelectric materials and quantum tunnelling composites. Taking examples from space technology, it provides a number of examples to discuss in the classroom and suggests practical experiments to give your students a hands-on examples of the technology.

Smart materials: shape memory alloys and shape memory polymers

Shape memory alloys (SMA) and shape memory polymers (SMP) remember their original shape, even after being significantly deformed, returning to their original shape in response to a stimulus. This resource explores the technology behind SMA's and SMP's, the properties that they bring to engineered products and...

Smart materials: teacher notes

These teacher notes will guide you through the collection of resources created for space-inspired smart materials. Including:

• ...

Smart Materials: the Next Generation

This short film clip looks at the use of different materials in a formula one car. With a carbon fibre material, the car can be designed with the correct balance of strength and stiffness so that if the car crashes it will collapse and not crush the driver.

Smart materials: thermochromic materials

This resource explores the topic of thermochromic materials. It provides content to explain what they are, how they are used and suggests practical experiments that will allow students to get hands-on with the material.

Smart Pickings is written to engage young readers with the world of science, scientists and science investigations. It is designed to promote talk between children, their classmates, teachers, parents,...

With extraordinary access to the latest research and development, this resource explores cutting edge smart materials finding out how they are made, how they work and what their potential applications are both now and in the future. Case studies include; shape memory alloys and thermochromatic plastics, as well as...