FIND OUT MORE. Chemistry 162 • Electricity 182 • Elements 160–161 • Materials 170 • Technology 154
Science and Technology^175
Materials scientists combine atoms in new ways to
produce new materials with. SMART properties.
Imagine a window that changes colour to control the
room temperature, or artificial arteries that pump blood
around the body – these new materials are being
developed, tested, and used now.
WHAT PROPERTIES SHOULD NEW
MATERIALS HAVE?
Different properties are needed depending on
where the materials are used. Materials for use
in the human body must be non-toxic and
resistant to corrosion by blood and other body fluids.
New packaging materials should be cheap to produce,
easy to recycle, or biodegradable.
WHY IS CARBON FIBRE SO STRONG?
The latest carbon fibre sports rackets and bicycles are
as light as wood, but as strong as steel. Diamond is
the hardest material – the bonds between its carbon
atoms are strong because they are arranged in a
structure like a 3-D honeycomb. Carbon fibres are
strings of carbon atoms. The bonds between the atoms
give the fibres strength and stiffness.
CAN A TELEVISION SCREEN GET ANY THINNER?
Some new polymers (plastics) conduct electricity.
Electric currents may make them emit light as well.
Video screens made from these polymers could be as
thin and flexible as sheets of paper, and could lead to
ultra-thin mobile phone displays. In the future, it may
be possible to spray a video screen onto a T-shirt!CAN A METAL REMEMBER?
Alloys of nickel and titanium have shape memory.
The pattern of the atoms changes when the metal
is bent or twisted, but when the metal is heated,
the atoms spring back into their original positions.
Some spectacle frames are made from memory alloys.A material that responds to its environment, like the chameleon’s
skin, is a smart material. Smart clothes could control your body
temperature, light up in the dark, or even keep themselves clean.HOW ARE NEW MATERIALS MADE?
Most new materials are developed from
existing materials. Scientists try out new
combinations of elements. They apply
heat and pressure to materials to obtain
new properties.
4 SEE-THROUGH CLOTHING
The image on the front of this
woman’s coat shows what is
happening in the street behind
her. The coat is covered with tiny
reflective beads. A TV image of
the scene behind is projected
onto the beads. New materials
could use this method to provide
camouflage for people, vehicles,
and buildings.SMART MATERIALS
New Materials
LIGHTER-THAN-AIR SEAGEL SOLID 1
This new material is a foam made from agar (jelly extracted
from seaweed). It could replace plastic in packaging.SEAgel is made from
agar – obtained from
red algae and kelp. It is
so light that it rests on
soap bubbles without
popping them.Soap bubblesnew
materials