Professors involved: Prof. Giulia Scalet (CEAR-06/A); Dr. Lorenzo Bonetti (IMAT-01/A, IBIO-01/A)

Course learning outcomes/abstract: smart soft materials are a class of soft materials whose physical properties can be controlled by a plethora of different stimuli (e.g., temperature, pH, light). Due to their unique properties these materials can be applied in numerous applications, from automotive to medical devices and robotics. This course aims at providing a practical introduction to these materials, covering both materials science and modeling/numerical aspects. In particular, focus will be given to shape-memory polymers and hydrogels, analyzing possible design, characterization, and fabrication strategies towards 4D printing. Application examples from various sectors—such as biomedical engineering, soft robotics, and related fields—will also be provided. Alongside, their constitutive modeling and numerical counterpart will be treated. Lectures will be complemented with “hands-on” sessions on constitutive model implementation in Matlab and a visit to the laboratory of Programmable Materials and Structures (ProMaSt Lab) to familiarize with experimental characterization facilities treated in the theoretical lectures.

Goals: the overarching goals of the course are to: 1. Provide a foundational understanding of the science and engineering principles behind smart soft materials. 2. Train students with practical modeling skills, enabling translation of constitutive theories into numerical implementations. 3. Introduce key experimental methods for material characterization and expose students to real laboratory environments and equipment. 4. Bridge theory and application by demonstrating how smart materials can be designed and fabricated for emerging technologies, including 4D printing. 5. Develop interdisciplinary thinking at the intersection of materials science, bioengineering, mechanics, and computational modeling. 6. Prepare students for research involving responsive materials, advanced manufacturing, and programmable structures.

Number of hours and planning: a total of 24 hours delivered over three weeks (six lesson days)

Period:  May 2026 (exact dates to be confirmed after approval)

Registration: https://forms.gle/3yKNfknSCMMtKSZEA

Delivery mode and location: in presence (classroom and lab visit)

Language: English

Evaluation criterial: students will select, read, and critically discuss a recent research article related to smart soft materials, and present their analysis in an oral presentation. The evaluation will consider the quality of the presentation, clarity of exposition, and appropriate use of technical language in relation to the level of complexity of the selected work.

Credits (CFU): 6

Depliant