3.1.5 Smart, Modern and Alternative Materials

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering smart, modern, and alternative materials including thermochromic and photochromic substances, polymers, and sustainable alternatives.

Smart materials

Materials that respond to changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature or light, by changing their properties.

Thermochromic materials

Materials and inks that change colour with temperature.

Photochromic materials

Materials that change colour with ultraviolet (UV) light.

Shape memory polymer (SMP)

A plastic that can be shaped and deformed but returns to its original shape when heated.

Modern materials

Recently developed substances engineered to have special properties and improved performance over traditional materials.

Alternative materials

Substances used as substitutes for common materials, often chosen for benefits like sustainability, cost, or performance.

Polymorph

A special polymer that becomes mouldable when heated in hot water, allowing designers to shape it with their hands for exploratory modeling of 3D forms.

Biopolymers

Plastics from a natural source that was alive once, made from renewable resources such as corn starch as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastics.

Smart inks

A type of smart material that responds to environmental changes and possesses other unique properties for use in graphic design.