What's wrong with new materials?

Article Abstract:

Investment in research and development (R&D) by the European community was 26 billion pounds sterling, the US spent 41 billion pounds sterling and Japan spent 20 billion pounds sterling. Companies need to invest in new developments as they are essential to continued competitiveness, but many companies are reluctant to change to different technologies. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has set up a programme known as 'materials matter', aimed at making UK industry aware of the benefits of new materials and manufacturing technologies (NMMTs). Barriers to the use of NMMTs include isolation of R&D departments from the rest of the company and lack of communication.

Industrial research, Practice

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Smart materials

Article Abstract:

Smart materials, materials that can sense and respond to changes in the environment, can be utilized for possible industrial applications. Research studies are being conducted to determine how smart materials such piezoelectric materials, electrostrictive materials, magnetostrictive materials, pyroelectric materials and shape memory alloys can be exploited for potential industrial use. The possible industrial applications of these materials involve the control of aerodynamic, hydrodynamic and optical surfaces, stealth, robotics, damping and tuning of structures.

Usage, Innovations, Materials, Smart materials

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Materials joining

Article Abstract:

UK's Structural Materials Centre is conducting research on materials joining technologies. Joining systems for large structures are of prime importance because of the development of new materials which are often expensive and therefore require minimized wastage. Polymer-based fiber-reinforced composites are also gaining in popularity. New joining technologies include diffusion bonding which allows materials to be joined together at a temperature which is much lower than the melting temperature.

Research, Adhesives, Diffusion bonding (Metals), Joints (Construction), Joints (Engineering)

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