Shaping reality with electroactive polymers

Puff and Flock has always been very proactive in terms of cross-disciplinary collaborations. Our curiosity regularly lead us to venture beyond textiles' boundaries so as to explore territories such as science, fashion or furniture design. Today, DTU's Chemical Engineering Department is celebrating the still fairly unusal collaboration between scientists and designers with an article dedicated to Aurelie's last responsive installation called Reef, fruit of a collaboration with electro-active polymers' specialist Guggi Kofod and interaction designer David Gauthier. Discover this nice feature in their 2010 annual report.

Magnetic Cosmetic

Thanks to Martin Bauer for the link to an evilmadscientist piece about the shape of magnetic fields. The article, a thorough tour of the various ways to visualise magnetic fields, mentions a strange kind of nail varnish. Behold Le Magnetique, from Lancome: 

The nail varnish contains ferromagnetic particles that orient in a magnetic field. That little plastic hood on the bottle has a magnet inside, and when the nail varnish is still wet, it shifts it into the starbust formation. When dried, the particles stay in that formation. 

There's something about this product that reminds me of the glow-in-the-dark toilet paper. It's the same formula: novel material effect + ordinary thing = gadgety object of questionable safety.  

The paint pigments used in this varnish are the result of some serious research. I've been reading through US Patent applications related to magnetic field patterns. Paint particles such as these are engineered to have optimum length, drying time, flake shape, etc. 

All of those characteristics have been evolved by materials scientists competing for the best...nail varnish???

Unfortunately not. Although the paint has interesting decorative properties, as demonstrated here, it was originally developed for printing anti-counterfeiting elements on security documents. The scientists were backed by major companies in Japan, Switzerland and the US. 

The Lancome nail polish was released in several colours as part of their Mystery Game collection (Fall 2007), but was never re-realeased. There's a growing online demand for Lancome to bring it out again - you can join the e-mail campaign!! Think of all the crystal ball readers who would benefit from owning a bottle!

Call for Material Science / Technological Collaboration

Not being a materials scientist, but highly interested in the development of new materials, I am currently looking for setting a technological collaboration in order to develop architectural surfaces that change shape in response to the environment.The goal is to design customized surfaces with specific performances, with the desire to develop applications out of the engineering sphere, fitting within a domestic/architectural context.

The challenge is to establish a real dialogue between science and design with a strong emphasis on making. The idea is to work hand in hand to develop innovatives samples, leading to the concretisation of a working prototype at 1.1 scale.

Specific material interest
Technologically speaking, my prime interest resides on phototropic and photo-responsive polymers such as light-induced shape-memory polymers, but electro-active polymers, piezoeletric materials and shape-memory alloys could be an alternative. My attention is also triggered by biomomicry approach.

Would you be interested by such an approach ? I am looking for a collaborator in the field of biomimicry, material science/engineering, someone with the ability to develop materials such as photo-responsive & shape-changing polymers. So feel free to get in touch with me, I am looking forward to hearing from you:

Aurélie Mossé, PhD Student,Tectonic Textile
Aurelie.Mosse@karch.dk

Middlesex University Teaching Resources!

Gel Wax from www.mutr.co.uk

You know how, when you see one of those great movies that inspires you to promote it to everyone you know, and as soon as you begin to rave about it, your enthusiasm overflows into a sermon that people back away from you slowly? Well, that's what writing this post reminds me of. I'm on a mission, but I don't want to scare you. It's just that this website is amazing!!!

Kits! Experiments! Videos of materials in action. Smart material sample pack! Plastic bags full of plastic bags. Downloadable bookmarks, Postcard Crystal Radios - MUTR is the place to go.

You can even e-mail in your science questions. If you don't have any science questions yet, you definitely need to order some random jar of weird stuff ASAP.
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