Light materials such as wood and an aluminum alloy (that

accidentally strengthened the engine even more by picking up

copper from the mold used for casting) were used in the Wright
brothers historic flight.
Our bones and teeth are made, in part, from a naturally formed
ceramic known as hydroxyapatite. number of artificial organs,
bone replacement parts, cardiovascular stents, orthodontic braces,
and other components are made using different plastics, titanium
alloys, and nonmagnetic stainless steels. !ltrasonic imaging systems
make use of ceramics known as "#$ (lead %irconium titanate).
&agnets used for magnetic resonance imaging make use of metallic
niobium tin'based superconductors
(emiconductors, such as those made from silicon, are used to
make integrated circuits for computer chips
*arium titanate (*a$iO+), tantalum oxide ($a,O-), and many other
dielectric materials are used to make ceramic capacitors and other
devices.
(uperconductors are used in making powerful magnets.
.opper, aluminum, and other metals are used as conductors in
power transmission and in microelectronics.
/i0xido de uranio y "lutonio como combustible
1idrios, acero inoxidable
materiales cer2micos como 0xido de %irconio (#rO, )
pol3meros
.omputer hard disks make use of many ceramic, metallic, and
polymeric materials. .omputer hard disks are made using alloys
based on cobalt'platinum'tantalum'chromium (.o'"t'$a'.r) alloys.
&any magnetic ferrites are used to make inductors and
components for wireless communications. (teels based on iron
and silicon are used to make transformer cores.
(ilica is used widely for making optical fibers. &ore than ten
million kilometers of optical fiber have been installed around the
world.
Optical materials are used for making semiconductor detectors
and lasers used in fiber optic communications systems and other
applications.
(imilarly, alumina (l,O+) and yttrium aluminum garnets (45) are
used for making lasers.
morphous silicon is used to make solar cells and photovoltaic
modules. "olymers are used to make li6uid crystal displays (L./s).
can sense and respond to an external stimulus such as a change in
temperature, the application of a stress, or a change in humidity
or chemical environment. !sually a smart material'based system
consists of sensors and actuators that read changes and initiate an
action. n example of a passively smart material is lead %irconium
titanate ("#$) and shape'memory alloys.
When properly processed, "#$ can be sub7ected to a stress, and a
voltage is generated. $his effect is used to make such devices as
spark generators for gas grills and sensors that can detect
underwater ob7ects such as fish and submarines. Other examples
of smart materials include magnetorheological or &8 fluids.
$hese are magnetic paints that respond to magnetic fields. $hese materials are being
used in suspension systems of automobiles, including models by 5eneral &otors,
9errari, and udi. (till other examples of smart materials and systems are photochromic
glasses and automatic dimming mirrors.
$hese materials are designed for carrying some type of stress. (teels, concrete,
and composites are used to make buildings and bridges.(teels, glasses, plastics,
and composites also are used widely to make automotives.
Often in these applications, combinations of strength, stiffness, and toughness
are needed under different conditions of temperature and loading.