Welcome to the Smart Materials & Systems Committee

The development of Smart Materials and Systems is truly multi-disciplinary science, drawing on expertise ranging from materials science and manufacturing to engineering design and control. In contrast to many single discipline institutions IOM3’s Smart Materials and Systems activities provide a one-stop shop for expert advice, specialist conferences and professional development opportunities in this rapidly emerging field. The purpose of this Divisional website is to introduce the Committee and its members and to highlight our activities. We hope that you find it useful and welcome any constructive feedback. Read our mission statement

News

Body armour made from cornstarch?

Researchers claim to have used the same scientific principles found in cornstarch to invent a lightweight, flexible composite material able to dissipate high-impact energy.

Defence, safety & security, 13 Aug 2010

Notice of IOM3 Annual General Meeting

The agenda and instrument appointing a proxy for the Institute's 2010 Annual General Meeting.

IOM3, 08 Jun 2010

A nose for auxetic materials

As the UK REACTICS programme draws to a close, Rupal Mehta caught up with the researchers involved, who want to take auxetic materials out of the lab and into the field.

Materials World Magazine, 26 May 2010

See all news

Features

Spotlight on polymers - highlights of the Polymer Process Engineering meeting

Presenting highlights of the Polymer Process Engineering meeting held in Bradford, UK.

Materials World Magazine, 01 Apr 2010

Getting smarter - advances in smart elastomers

James Busfield at Queen Mary University of London and James Adams at the University of Surrey, both in the UK, describe advances in smart elastomers.

Materials World Magazine, 01 Apr 2010

MASTering defence - UK work to improve defence

FV432 vehicles with identical visual colour and differing coatings

Team MAST has been delivering the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) low to medium maturity materials and structures research since November 2007. This article presents case studies from that work - coatings to lower solar heat absorption, self healing of fibre-reinforced polymer composites and integrated damage resistance in composite structures.

Materials World Magazine, 02 Mar 2010

See all features

Events

Innovations in Packaging - Stimulating supply chain collaborations

14 Sep 2010, London, UK

This FREE event aims to stimulate exciting R&D and innovation collaborations

Smart and Sustainable Packaging - The Materials Challenge

20 Sep 2010, Grantham, UK

This free to attend follow up event will concentrate on the materials aspects of the current Framework funding calls

Smart Technologies – Clever Thinking for Structures and Materials

16 Sep 2010, Bristol, UK

Smart structures and materials are very much buzz-words in the industry but there is a lack of understanding about what

See all events

Smart materials sector

The smart materials sector of the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network concentrates on "smart" technology and is funded by the Technology Strategy Board.

Materials World

The IOM3 member magazine

Materials World is specifically devoted to the engineering materials cycle, from mining and extraction, through processing and application, to recycling and recovery. Editorially, it embraces the whole spectrum of materials and minerals – metals, plastics, polymers, rubber, composites, ceramics and glasses – with particular emphasis on advanced technologies, latest developments and new applications, giving prominence to the topics that are of fundamental importance to those in industry.