Smart materials Intelligent Structures Biomimetics

John Summerscales
School of Marine Science and Engineering

University of Plymouth

Smart materials
smart responds to a stimulus with one predictable action normal materials have limited responses smart materials have appropriate responses ... but response is the same every time

Smart materials

smart materials have appropriate responses

photochromic glass
darkens in bright light

low melting point wax in a fire sprinkler

blocks the nozzle until it gets hot

acoustic emission
sounds emitted under high stress

embedded optical fibres

broken ends reflect light back

microporous breathable fabrics

Waterproof clothing
Goretex micro-porous expanded PTFE discovered in 1969 by Bob Gore ~ 14 x 1012 micropores per m.

each pore is about 700x larger than a water vapour molecule water drop is 20,000x larger than a pore

Goretex:

Intelligent structures (IS)

intelligent responds to a stimulus with a calculated response and different possible actions composites made at low temp can embed additional components control can decide on novel response

Intelligent structures (IS)

embed three elements of the system:

sensors signal processing and control actuators

Sensors
strain gauges microdieletric interdigitated sensors optical fibres piezoelectric crystals shape memory alloys electro-rheological fluids giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) wires

Optical Fibre Bragg Grating (OFBG)

image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fbg.GIF

Non-Destructive Testing of Fibre-Reinforced Plastics Composites

Signal processing

issues with data fusion for large sensor arrays

Control

proportional integral derivative (PID)

proportional: output = (gain x error) + bias integral: output = gain x (error + error w.r.t. time) derivative: output = gain x derivative x de/dt

advanced systems ...

Advanced control
proportional integral derivative (PID) fuzzy logic control (FLC)

sliding mode control

artificial neural networks (ANN) genetic algorithms (GA) knowledge-based systems/ artificial intelligence/expert systems

Actuators
hydraulic, pneumatic and electric piezoelectric crystals

shape changes when voltage applied

shape memory materials

shape changes at a specific temperature alloys = SMA .... polymers = SMP

magneto-rheological (MR) fluids

viscosity changes with magnetic field

electro-rheological (ER) fluids

viscosity changes with electric field

shape memory alloy

http://www.mtm.kuleuven.ac.be/Research/ADAPT/Video/05-11_11-05_1.avi

Magneto-rheological (MR) fluids Electro-rheological (ER) fluids

Intelligent Structures: applications

artificial hand
SMA fingers controlled by nerve (myoelectric) signals

vibration damping
apply electric field to ER fluid

skyscraper windows
acoustic emission warning system

Biomimetics

a.k.a bionics, biognosis

the concept of taking ideas from nature to implement in another technology
Chinese silk cultivation begins c.4000BC
Colin Thubron, Shadow of the Silk Road, Chatto & Windus, 2006.

Daedalus' wings - early design failures

gathering momentum due to the ever increasing need for sympathetic technology

Biomimetics
inspiration rather than imitation Janine Benyus. design inspired by nature BioNIS thematic network

Biomimetics

Notable innovations from understanding nature

Velcro Gecko tape Lotus effect self-cleaning surfaces Drag reduction by shark skin Platelet TechnologyTM for pipe repair Smart-fabric ElekTex

Biomimetics

Velcro
small hooks enable seed-bearing burr to cling to tiny loops in fabric

Gecko tape

image from
http://www.netcomposites.com/news.asp?3922

geckos to hang single-toed from sheer walls and walk along ceilings using fine hairs on feet University of California - Berkeley created an array of synthetic micro-fibres using very high friction to support loads on smooth surfaces.

Biomimetics: Lotus effect

most efficient self-cleaning plant = great sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) mimicked in paints and other surface coatings pipe cleaning in oil refineries (Norway)
Images from
http://library.thinkquest.org/27468/e/lotus.htm http://www.villalachouette.de/william/lotusv2.gif
http://www.nees.uni-bonn.de/lotus/en/vergleich.html

Biomimetics

Lotus effect self-cleaning surfaces

surface of leaf

water droplet on leaf

Image from http://library.thinkquest.org/27468/e/lotus.htm

Biomimetics

drag reduction by shark skin

special alignment and grooved structure of tooth-like scales embedded in shark skin decrease drag and thus greatly increase swimming proficiency

Airbus fuel consumption down 1% when shark skin coating applied to aircraft
o Image from http://www.pelagic.org/biology/scales.html

Biomimetics http://www.rarebirdphotography.co.uk

Common Tern

Ivory Gull

Squacco

Stone Curlew

26

Aeroelastic tailoring

Grumman X-29 FSW aircraft 1984 to 1992

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/x-29.htm

27

Platelet TechnologyTM
Brinker Technology Platelet TechnologyTM discrete particles released into pipe flow when particles encounter modified flow at a leak, fluid forces entrain them into the leak and hold them against the pipe wall seals and marks the position of the leak for subsequent detection.

YouTube videos: animation the technology Yorkshire Water Scottish Water

Smart-fabric
pine-cone model adapts to changing temperatures by opening when warm or shutting tight if cold

ElekTex

looks and feels like a fabric

capable of electronic x-y-z sensing

fold it, scrunch it or wrap it

lightweight, durable, flexible cost competitive cloth keyboards and keypads
details: http://www.electrotextiles.com

Acknowledgements

Various websites from which images have been extracted