Comments on the physical basis of the active materials concept

Abstract

During the last decade constant improvements have been made in materials and structures design and control. But now some performance objectives cannot be achieved using classical technologies and require the use of the smart materials concept. But it is at the actuation end of the equation that smart materials and structures present the greatest challenge. It is here in particular that improved and even new materials have a leading role to play. Piezoelectrics, electrostrictives, photostrictives, magnetostrictives, electroactive polymers, shape memory materials, carbon nanotubes, rheological fluids,...all have their important contributions to make. So this paper aims to perform a brief review of the physical basis of the active materials behaviour.