8 books like Fundamentals of Smart Materials

By Mohsen Shahinpoor (editor),

Here are 8 books that Fundamentals of Smart Materials fans have personally recommended if you like Fundamentals of Smart Materials. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymers

P Chakravarthy Author Of Shape Memory Materials

From my list on the world of smart materials.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a faculty in Materials Science and along with my colleague researcher Dr. Arun DI, I have published many research articles in the field of Smart materials, specifically shape-memory materials. We have developed Polyurethane based space-grade shape-memory nanocomposite and have proven electro-active shape memory effect with the highest recovery efficiency reported so far. We are continuing our research in the field of smart and intelligent materials which we believe will benefit the advanced application fields such as space exploration.

P's book list on the world of smart materials

P Chakravarthy Why did P love this book?

The book details the basics of shape memory alloys, gels, polymers, hybrids, and their composites. It describes the physical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical features along with the fabrication, characterization, and application aspects well addressed. The various questions that come to mind while dealing with polyurethane shape memory are clarified in simple language.

By W.M. Huang, Bin Yang, Yong Qing Fu

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are some of the most important and valuable engineering materials developed in the last 25 years. These fascinating materials demonstrate remarkably versatile properties-including capacity for actuation and stimulus responsiveness-that are enabling technologists to develop applications used to explore everything from the outer reaches of space to the inside of the human body.

Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymers details the fundamentals of SMP makeup, as well as their shape-recovery features and their seemingly endless potential for use in applications ranging from the macro- to submicron scales. With an abundance of illustrations and vivid pictures to explain how SMPs…


Book cover of Smart Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymers

P Chakravarthy Author Of Shape Memory Materials

From my list on the world of smart materials.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a faculty in Materials Science and along with my colleague researcher Dr. Arun DI, I have published many research articles in the field of Smart materials, specifically shape-memory materials. We have developed Polyurethane based space-grade shape-memory nanocomposite and have proven electro-active shape memory effect with the highest recovery efficiency reported so far. We are continuing our research in the field of smart and intelligent materials which we believe will benefit the advanced application fields such as space exploration.

P's book list on the world of smart materials

P Chakravarthy Why did P love this book?

Details about the polyurethane shape memory mechanism have been explained at a molecular level, which will be useful for beginners as well as researchers. Analytical understanding of such phenomenon is significant while dealing with fabrication, characterization, and application. These aspects are well covered in this book which are useful for undergraduate students and beginners.

By Manzoor Ahmad,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Smart Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) possess a unique property of retaining their original shapes upon external stimulation and have been widely used in engineering, space exploration and particularly in medical devices. Polyurethane based SMPs (SMPUs) are an emerging class of this types of smart materials. This book shows methods to synthesize various polyurethane SMPUs with tailored thermomechanical and shape memory properties by uisng various polyol soft segments and combinations of diisocyanides hard segments, and presents a formula to synthsize reprocessable and recyclable SMPUs which allows recycling of end-of-life SMPU products in industrial scale and can significantly reduce the impact of polymer…


Book cover of Composite Materials: Science and Engineering

P Chakravarthy Author Of Shape Memory Materials

From my list on the world of smart materials.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a faculty in Materials Science and along with my colleague researcher Dr. Arun DI, I have published many research articles in the field of Smart materials, specifically shape-memory materials. We have developed Polyurethane based space-grade shape-memory nanocomposite and have proven electro-active shape memory effect with the highest recovery efficiency reported so far. We are continuing our research in the field of smart and intelligent materials which we believe will benefit the advanced application fields such as space exploration.

P's book list on the world of smart materials

P Chakravarthy Why did P love this book?

The basics of composite materials, reinforcements-Matrix materials, their interfaces, categories of composite materials, micro/macro mechanics, mechanical aspects involved in composite engineering, etc., are covered in detail in this book. The concepts involved in composite systems are well explained for any enthusiast in the field.

By Krishan K. Chawla,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Composite Materials as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Focusing on the relationship between structure and properties, this is a well-balanced treatment of the mechanics and the materials science of composites, while not neglecting the importance of processing. This updated second edition contains new chapters on fatigue and creep of composites, and describes in detail how the various reinforcements, the materials in which they are embedded, and of the interfaces between them, control the properties of the composite materials at both the micro- and macro-levels. Extensive use is made of micrographs and line drawings, and examples of practical applications in various fields are given throughout the book, together with…


Book cover of Polymer Nanocomposites: Processing, Characterization, and Applications

P Chakravarthy Author Of Shape Memory Materials

From my list on the world of smart materials.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a faculty in Materials Science and along with my colleague researcher Dr. Arun DI, I have published many research articles in the field of Smart materials, specifically shape-memory materials. We have developed Polyurethane based space-grade shape-memory nanocomposite and have proven electro-active shape memory effect with the highest recovery efficiency reported so far. We are continuing our research in the field of smart and intelligent materials which we believe will benefit the advanced application fields such as space exploration.

P's book list on the world of smart materials

P Chakravarthy Why did P love this book?

The book begins with an introduction to the key technologies and processes involved in the field of nanocomposite systems. The structural, mechanical, thermal, electrical properties of nanocomposites. The applications in the fields of aerospace, transportations, energy, healthcare, etc. are discussed in detail with the target audience from a wide range of researchers from academia as well as industry.

By Joseph Koo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Polymer Nanocomposites as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn to create lightweight, versatile plastics using cutting-edge polymer nanocomposite technology
This thoroughly revised guide offers a concise introduction to polymer nanocomposites that is ideal for engineers who need to use nanomaterials in real-world situations. Written by a recognized expert in the field, the book explains how polymer nanocomposites can be used in the aerospace, transportation, construction, energy, health care, textile, and packaging industries.
Polymer Nanocomposites: Properties and Applications, Second Edition begins with an overview of key technologies and processes. From there, readers will get in-depth discussions of each topic, including structural, mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties as well as…


Book cover of The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book

Valliappa Lakshmanan Author Of Machine Learning Design Patterns: Solutions to Common Challenges in Data Preparation, Model Building, and Mlops

From my list on to become a machine learning engineer.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been building real-time, production machine learning models for over 20 years. My book, and my book recommendations, are informed by that experience. I have a lot of empathy for people who are new to machine learning because I’ve taught courses on the topic. I founded the Advanced Solutions Lab at Google where we helped data scientists working for Google Cloud customers (who already knew ML) become ML engineers capable of building reliable ML models. The first two are the books I’d recommend today to newcomers and the last three to folks attending the ASL. 

Valliappa's book list on to become a machine learning engineer

Valliappa Lakshmanan Why did Valliappa love this book?

Even if you have the practical knowledge, it's sometimes necessary to understand the mathematical and theoretical concepts that underlie the machine learning approaches you are using. This book is a great introduction to the world of ML theory.

By Andriy Burkov,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WARNING: will not work on e-ink Kindle devices!
Peter Norvig, Research Director at Google, co-author of AIMA, the most popular AI textbook in the world: "Burkov has undertaken a very useful but impossibly hard task in reducing all of machine learning to 100 pages. He succeeds well in choosing the topics — both theory and practice — that will be useful to practitioners, and for the reader who understands that this is the first 100 (or actually 150) pages you will read, not the last, provides a solid introduction to the field."

Aurélien Géron, Senior AI Engineer, author of the…


Book cover of Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning through Making

Rebecca Struthers Author Of Hands of Time: A Watchmaker's History

From my list on for people who love taking things apart.

Why am I passionate about this?

For as long as I can remember I’ve been obsessed with figuring out how things work. What started with me pulling apart redundant household tech as a child (thanks to my very supportive parents) has become a lifelong passion in making and restoring one of the most incredible machines invented – the watch. Our millennia-old obsession with making things tells us so much about who we are and the world we like in. I love all of these books as, in varied ways, they inspire curiosity and connect us with our innately human instinct to understand the world around us.

Rebecca's book list on for people who love taking things apart

Rebecca Struthers Why did Rebecca love this book?

As adults, we get to a point in our lives where we generally know what we’re good at, and when we’re good at something, it becomes challenging to try new things we know we’ll initially, probably, be very bad at it. It pushes us outside our comfort zone.

Ploszajski is a brilliant materials scientist who bravely heads outside her field on a journey to explore the hands-on world of the materials she knows so well in the lab. It’s an incredibly inspiring read for anyone holding back from trying new skills. It’s hard to come away from this book without having set your heart on taking up a new craft!

By Anna Ploszajski,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Handmade as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From atomic structures to theories about magnetic forces, scientific progress has given us a good grasp on the properties of many different materials. However, most scientists cannot measure the temperature of steel just by looking at it, or sculpt stone into all kinds of shapes, or know how it feels to blow up a balloon of glass. Handmade is the story of materials through making and doing. Author and material scientist Anna Ploszajski journeys into the domain of makers and craftspeople to comprehend how the most popular materials really work. Anna has the fresh perspective of someone at the forefront…


Book cover of Habitat: Vernacular Architecture for a Changing Climate

Matthias Ripp Author Of A Metamodel for Heritage-based Urban Development: Enabling Sustainable Growth Through Urban Cultural Heritage

From my list on understanding that cultural heritage can be part of the solution to climate change.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started my career in tourism but soon discovered my passion for urban heritage. Working as a site manager for a world heritage site, I gathered extensive insights on various levels of heritage management and urban governance from many colleagues around the world. Today there is no single project or meeting that does not address the challenges of climate change. Obtaining my Ph.D. late in life, in Heritage-Based Urban Development, I quickly became convinced that the traditional ideas of what cultural heritage is do not reflect the situation today and hinder giving cultural heritage a role in climate change prevention and adaption, beyond the narrative that it has to be preserved. 

Matthias' book list on understanding that cultural heritage can be part of the solution to climate change

Matthias Ripp Why did Matthias love this book?

This book gives a great overview of traditional architecture around the world and how it was designed for specific climates.

With great images and descriptions, this book is able to broaden your horizon and help you to discover fabric, design, and uses that can also serve to develop new ideas and solutions that can potentially be transferred into your own context.

Rather than going very deep into examples, it provides more of an overview that can trigger creativity and imagination in the early phases of projects.

By Sandra Piesik (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Habitat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A compact edition of this landmark publication, which celebrates humanity's ability to create buildings that for millennia have responded ingeniously to cultural and environmental conditions.

There has never been a more important time to understand how to make the best use of local natural resources and create buildings that do not rely on stripping our planet or transporting materials across the globe. First published in 2017, this major book gathers together the world's leading experts on vernacular architecture to examine how local buildings have stood the test of time and offer lessons for the future.

The core of the book…


Book cover of Bed of Rose and Thorns

N. MacCameron Author Of Leoshine, Princess Oracle

From my list on combining science fiction with fantasy.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love knowing about things. Science is both a knowledge base and a way to discover new knowledge. I’ve been looking through microscopes and telescopes (that my dad built) from my earliest toddling. Though I have never been to university I have picked the brains of my scientific siblings (one of whom is a biology professor) and I read widely. Gathering crumbs from many sources gives a wider knowledge base than one university child afford. Scientists begin with speculation. I love inventing systems and worlds where we break one or a few of our known laws of nature or physics. Marrying science with fantasy births marvelous offspring!

N.'s book list on combining science fiction with fantasy

N. MacCameron Why did N. love this book?

The power of unrequited love that seeks no alternative. A knight loves his queen. He gives his life to protect her and is banished from her presence, yet he cannot resist the magic that arranges the world to draw them together.

Evil tries to convince us that it gives the greatest benefit. Sometimes that is temporarily true. I love stories where characters resist and suffer so that they receive the higher benefit of good. I am a musician and the magic of our knight rings true in my soul.

Highly philosophical, spiritual, fantastical, and deeply scientific, this book satisfies on every level.

“Thermodynamics, signal theory, Bayesian inference, inversion, quantum tunneling, and materials science are all elements of the internally consistent system of dynamics.” Lee Hunt

By Lee Hunt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bed of Rose and Thorns as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"This spectacular standalone fantasy bursts with epic battles and avid romance." - Booklife Reviews Editor's Pick

“A beautifully crafted setting with complex character dynamics and layers of political intrigue… A showstopper.Hunt’s ambitious standalone latest has everything—a well-imagined fantasy world, great characters, incredible tension, and fierce love. The real genius here is the mixture of extraordinarily deep worldbuilding with relevant and complex themes, which include identity, intolerance, love, passion, friendship, integrity, honor and more.” - Prairies Book Review

“An intriguing storyline, scenarios grounded in the real world, and a breathless pace make Hunt’s latest standalone fantasy a must-read.” - BookView ReviewsRecommended…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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