Welcome to Developments in New Materials!

Hello future product designers! This chapter is one of the most exciting parts of the curriculum because it shows how materials are constantly changing the world around us.

As designers, we usually rely on traditional materials like wood, metal, and plastic. But what happens when we need a material that can think, change colour, or even heal itself? That’s where new materials come in!

We will break down these advanced concepts into simple, clear steps. Don't worry if the names sound complicated—we will use real-world examples to make them easy to remember.

Why are New Materials Important?

  • Innovation: They allow us to create products that were previously impossible (like self-adjusting spectacles).
  • Performance: They often offer much higher strength, lower weight, or better durability than traditional materials.
  • Sustainability: Many new materials are developed to be more efficient or recyclable.

Section 1: Smart Materials – The Reactive Ones

Let’s start with Smart Materials. These are fascinating because they don't just sit there; they react to their environment. A smart material's properties (like shape, colour, or transparency) can change reversibly when triggered by an external stimulus like heat, light, moisture, or electricity.

Key Smart Material Categories

1. Thermochromic Materials

  • Stimulus: Heat (Temperature)
  • Reaction: Change Colour.
  • How they work: These usually contain special dyes or pigments that are sensitive to temperature changes.
  • Real-World Examples (RWE):
    • Mugs that reveal a design when hot tea is poured in.
    • Baby spoons that change colour if the food is too hot, preventing burns.
    • Temperature strips on fish tanks or foreheads.


Memory Aid: Thermo means Temperature. Chromic means Colour.

2. Photochromic Materials

  • Stimulus: Light (specifically UV radiation)
  • Reaction: Change Colour/Darkness.
  • How they work: These materials darken when exposed to UV light and return to clear when the light source is removed.
  • RWE:
    • Transition lenses in spectacles (they darken when you walk outside on a sunny day).

3. Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs)

  • Stimulus: Heat (Temperature) or Electricity
  • Reaction: Return to a pre-programmed 'memorized' shape.
  • Key Material: Nitinol (an alloy of Nickel and Titanium).
  • RWE:
    • Self-adjusting spectacle frames that return to their original shape after being bent.
    • Stents used in medicine (they are collapsed when inserted, then expand to their original shape inside the body when warmed by body heat).
    • Thermostats and safety valves.

Quick Tip: SMAs are great for products that need to be reliable and recover from damage or deformation.

4. Piezoelectric Materials

  • Stimulus: Pressure or Vibration (Mechanical Stress)
  • Reaction: Generate a tiny electrical current, OR convert electricity into movement/sound. (It works both ways!)
  • RWE:
    • Sensors in alarm systems (detecting pressure).
    • Gas lighters: when you press the button, the pressure generates a spark.
    • Microphones and speakers (converting sound waves (vibration) into electricity, and vice versa).

Quick Review: Smart Materials

Smart Materials are REACTIVE. They are essential for products that need to adapt to their user or environment.

Section 2: Modern Materials – The Engineered Ones

Modern Materials are different from smart materials. They are materials that have been engineered (scientifically created or modified) since the 1900s to have superior, fixed properties. They don't change their properties when stimulated, but they offer performance traditional materials simply cannot match.

Key Modern Material Categories

1. Composites (Advanced)

You already know that a composite material is made up of two or more different materials working together. Here, we focus on high-performance composites.

  • Definition: A material made from a reinforcement (like fibres) held together by a matrix (a resin or glue).
  • A. Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP):
    • Properties: Extremely high strength-to-weight ratio, lightweight, stiff, corrosion-resistant.
    • RWE: Formula 1 cars, high-performance bicycles, aircraft components, premium sports equipment.
  • B. Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP / Fibreglass):
    • Properties: Strong, durable, water-resistant, cheaper than CFRP.
    • RWE: Boat hulls, large water tanks, sports car body panels.

Analogy: Think of a concrete path. The concrete (matrix) is strong in compression, but weak in tension. The steel bars (reinforcement) inside give it huge tensile strength. Composites work the same way!

2. Technical Ceramics

These are ceramics (non-metallic, inorganic materials) that have been specially treated to withstand extreme conditions.

  • Properties: Extremely hard, resistant to heat and chemicals, high melting point, usually poor electrical conductors.
  • RWE:
    • Insulation tiles on space shuttles (due to heat resistance).
    • Cutting tool tips (due to hardness and resistance to wear).
    • Surgical implants (due to non-reactivity with the body).

3. Kevlar (Aramid Fibres)

  • Properties: Extremely high tensile strength (very hard to pull apart), lightweight, resistant to abrasion and impact.
  • RWE:
    • Bulletproof vests and body armour.
    • Puncture-resistant bicycle tyres.
    • Ropes and cables requiring immense strength.

4. Fibre Optics

  • Definition: Extremely thin strands of glass or plastic that transmit light signals.
  • Properties: Can carry vast amounts of data very quickly (light speed), resistant to electromagnetic interference.
  • RWE: High-speed internet cables, medical endoscopes, decorative lighting.

Quick Review: Modern Materials

Modern Materials are ENGINEERED for superior performance. They offer fixed, specialized characteristics (e.g., lightweight strength in CFRP, or heat resistance in Technical Ceramics).

Section 3: Technical Textiles

Technical textiles are fabrics that have been engineered not for aesthetics (how they look) but purely for their functionality and performance. They are vital in fields like medicine, construction, and high-performance sport.

Key Technical Textile Types

1. Conductive and E-Textiles

  • What they are: Fabrics woven or coated with conductive elements, often thin metal fibres.
  • Function: Allows electricity to flow through the textile, enabling integration with electronics.
  • RWE:
    • Gloves that let you use touchscreens without taking them off.
    • Heating elements integrated into clothing or car seats.
    • Smart sportswear that monitors heart rate and breathing.

2. Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in Textiles

  • What they are: Textiles (or coatings applied to textiles) that contain micro-capsules of materials designed to absorb, store, and release heat.
  • Function: To regulate the wearer's temperature and maintain comfort.
  • How they work: When the wearer gets too hot, the PCM melts, absorbing heat (cooling the body). When the wearer gets too cold, the PCM solidifies, releasing stored heat (warming the body).
  • RWE: High-end sleeping bags, specialised sportswear, protective suits.

Analogy: PCM textiles work like tiny rechargeable ice packs and hand warmers embedded in your clothing!

3. Fire and Heat Resistant Textiles

  • What they are: Fabrics made from materials that do not melt or combust easily, such as treated aramid fibres or fibreglass.
  • Function: Provides protection from high temperatures and flames.
  • RWE: Firefighter uniforms, oven mitts, welding blankets, insulation barriers in buildings.

4. Microfibres

  • What they are: Extremely fine synthetic fibres (much thinner than a human hair).
  • Properties: Soft, lightweight, high surface area, highly absorbent, and can be woven very tightly for wind or water resistance.
  • RWE: High-quality cleaning cloths, waterproof/breathable sports clothing, synthetic suede fabrics.

Chapter Summary: Know the Difference!

The most common confusion is between Smart and Modern Materials. Remember this simple rule:

  • Smart Materials = Changeable Properties. They REACT to the environment. (e.g., colour change, shape change).
  • Modern Materials = Fixed Superior Properties. They are ENGINEERED to be better than natural materials (e.g., stronger, lighter, more heat resistant).

Keep practicing identifying the stimulus and the reaction for the Smart Materials, and the key strength (like strength-to-weight) for the Modern Materials. You've got this!