A generic transformation of advanced materials science and technologies: Towards multi-functional and intelligent multi-materials systems

Abstract

Materials technologies are considered to be one of the major pillars and backbones of modern society with other generic fields such as energy, information-communication technologies and genetics & biotechnologies. Starting with the 21st Century, a new era for advanced materials has emerged and greatly influenced by the market dynamics and intense competition from new entries (e.g China and other new competitor countries). Advanced materials engineering has been evolving to become significantly more “integrated materials systems” towards more multi-functional and smart and intelligent. Working on individual and isolated material domains is no longer adequate enough to solve sophisticated engineering problems in industry. Therefore, a new challenge has been forcing advanced materials to become more functional, smart and intelligent and integrated with variety of other materials i.e., multi-materials systems along with interaction of other engineering functions, i.e., multi-functionality.