... Applications Self-healing Sensing Shape-memory Smart materials Smart materials have been promoted widely as a key technology that will underpin all manner of novel products with unique capabilities. Indeed, in 2013, the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies...

... to their unique capabilities. A multitude of uses are anticipated in the aerospace, defence, automotive, civil engineering, medical, robotics and other industries. Originality/value This paper provides a topical, technical insight into developments in three classes of smart materials. Shape‐memory polymers...