CatarinaTalk
From Bloominglabs
1.) Conductive paint - wire glue is cheap, but takes a long time to cure (8-12 hours) and isn't conductive until it's cured. - She uses super glue to protect the wire glue after it's cured. - nickel print - She doesn't use resistors with conductive paint because it's highly resistive. 2.) Magnetic paint - she makes it herself. 3.) UV reactive thread and beads [http://www.amazon.com/SolarActive%C2%AE-Changing-Embroidery-Thread-Starter/dp/B0050D6UX8 Solar Active thread] [http://www.amazon.com/Sensitive-Color-Changing-9x6mm-500pcs/dp/B004LCVCA0/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1322701136&sr=1-2-catcorr UV reactive beads] 4.) Temperature reactive material - fabric, pigment, and paint - You can get the pigment from http://www.paintwithpearl.com/ 5.) Thermo chromic film - picture of wall paper with thermo chromic film flowers 6.) Mylar - not a "smart" material, but still a cool material - you get it from the inside of potato chip bags (an aside)Copper tape is very useful. She uses it a lot. 7.) moldable materials - polymorph (or polycaprolactone) is plastic that melts in hot water, can be molded, and then is hard nylon once it cools - can be melted any number of times - sugru a playdoh that cures at room temperature - mold making putty cures in 10 minutes and then can take high temperatures 8.) Quantum Tunneling Composite - smart flexible polymer (rubber-like) - near perfect electrical insulator - 4mm square and 1.5mm thick can pass 10 amps when squeezed - conductivity affected by pressure - also magnetic - currently not being made due to patent issues - but you can get it in pill form currently - used to be able to get in fabric form [http://www.peratech.com/qtcmaterial.php Peratech] 9.) Endlighten - edge diffusing material - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evGALmP4F8s - price depends on size and goes up with bigger sheet because you need a higher grade plastic 10.) Conductive plastics - plastics with metal particles (graphite) - comes in sheets - stretch sensors with metal in stretchable plastic - resistance decreases with stretch - conductive polyester rope - resistance increases with stretch because the fibers align - conductive acetate - thin and clear with a film of metal a few atoms thick http://www.lessemf.com/ 11.) Shape memory polymers - you expose it to high heat and then shape it - after it cools down, you can unshape it, then heat it up slightly and it will return to it's shaped form 12.) EL wire - 1.2mm (angel hair) to 6mm (outdoor grade) thick wire with a phosphorous material in it - comes in sheets - can make your own sheets with conductive sheeting and phosphorous paint - requires an inverter to step up the voltage and has a danger of shock - EL driver Ben Zatlin??? 13.) Conductive fabrics - copper tafita - metal iron ons (nickel) - very durable - nickel lasts longer than the copper - fabric that has insulators on one side - anti-static material that is pressure sensitive - put inbetween two conductive fabrics - conductive lycra - resistance decreases if stretched in one direction, resistance increases if stretched in the other direction - conductive tape - metal traces on fabric that is solderable - All found at http://www.lessemf.com/ 14.) Conductive food - candy coated in silver or gold - pumpkins as capacitive sensors - resistor jelTone http://www.flickr.com/photos/ranjit/5879592536/