Smart Materials & Nanotechnology

Smart Structures

Smart Structures offer the ability to match the conditions for more than one optimum state thereby extending functionality. Smart Structures are capable of sensing stimuli, responding to it, and reverting to its original state after the stimuli is removed. Smart structures can resist natural calamities. Many well-defined structures such as metals, ceramics or polymers cannot satisfy all technological demands. Therefore, there is ongoing search for new materials with new, and especially improved properties. Such a task is met by, among others, composite materialsthat are defined as materials composed of at least two phases, where due to the occurring synergistic effect the material of different properties than properties of the components is formed.