AS Level Product Design Revision

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Biodegradable polymers:

These are materials that break down over time which makes them safe to use.

They are versatile and contain a number of chemical properties.

They are non toxic and have good mechanical properties.

Inexpensive.

Easy to fabricate.

Compatible with the environment.

What smart materials are and their uses plus why they are suitable for them uses?

Smart materials have properties that react to changes in their environment. This means that one of their properties can be changed by an external condition, such as temperature, light, pressure or electricity. This change is reversible and can be repeated many times.

Shape memory alloys - For most materials, if they are bent out of shape, they stay that way. However, if a part made from a shape-memory alloy (SMA) is bent out of shape, when it is heated above a certain temperature it will return to its original shape.

This property makes it useful for making spectacle frames - they return to their original shape if they are put in hot water after bending.

Piezoelectric materials