Innovative Smart Materials: Environmentally Friendly Options

1. Modern and Smart Materials

2. Smart materials react to their environment • They change their properties in response to heat, lightand pressure • They then return to their original state when heat, lightor pressure is taken away

3. Thermochromic Materials • These change colour with heat • They go back to their original colour when they cool down • Thermochromic paints – • Used to create images that change • Thermochromic inks – • Used for warning patches • Tell you if something is too hot

4. Precious metal clay • contains particles of metal (often silver)in a binding material • used to make jewellery • easy to work with; you can cut, roll and shape it • when heated the binder burns away and the metal fuses together to create a solid metal object. • Can be soldered and polished

5. Some modern materials are good for the environment: • Corn starch polymers • Potatopak • These material are all made from plants • They are renewable materials • They are Biodegradable • They are more sustainable alternative to plastics • Saves finite resources like oil and create less land fill waste.

6. Corn Starch Polymers • Made from maize (sweetcorn) • Can be made clear, flexible • Used to make sandwichpackaging, disposable cups and also compostable bags

7. Potatopak • Made of dried potatoes that is baked inside moulds • Fairly rigid and lightweight • Good for making plates, trays and packaging for food