Evaluation
CCEA A-Level Technology and Design 8900
Material Selection and Wood
Metals
Plastics
Composite and Emerging Materials
Processing Materials
Product Analysis and Design Communication
Design for Manufacture, Quality and Safety
Electronic Control SystemsOption A
Topic overviewControl systems, feedback and electronics safetyResistors, Ohm's law and power ratingsCapacitors and RC timingPotential dividers, sensors and comparatorsSwitches, pull-up and pull-down resistorsOutput devices and LEDsTransistors, Darlington pairs and thyristorsLogic gates, truth tables and flip-flops555 monostable and astable timers
Microelectronic Control SystemsOption A
Topic overviewMicrocontroller systems, ADCs and DACsStrain gauges and bridge circuitsOptical switches, encoded discs and Schmitt triggersOp-amp amplifiers and gainZener diodes and voltage regulatorsKarnaugh maps and binary countersSeven-segment, LCD and dot matrix displaysPIC flowcharts and programmingDC motors, stepper motors and driver circuits
Mechanical and Pneumatic ComponentsOption B
Topic overviewOpen and closed loop mechanical and pneumatic controlSafe working with compressed air and mechanismsLevers, linkages and momentsGear types and gear trainsPulleys, belts, chains and shaft fixingsCams, cranks and converting motionCompressed air supply and pneumatic valvesCylinders, shuttle valves, restrictors and reservoirsPneumatic circuits for logic, timing and speed control
Mechanical and Pneumatic SystemsOption B
Topic overviewHydraulics, system limitations and plant safetyTorque, work, power and air consumptionVacuum handling, proximity sensors and 5/3 valvesSequential and cascade pneumatic circuitsCam profiles and follower displacement diagramsGear geometry, pulley blocks and ratchetsToggles, treadles, shafts and couplingsFriction, brakes and clutchesBearings, lubrication and seals
Designing and Manufacturing ProductsOption C
Topic overviewResearch, questionnaires and specificationsIdea generation, critiques and computer simulationManufacturing planning and product evaluationCFRP, GRP, Kevlar and tungsten carbideSmart materials, nanotechnology and biophotovoltaicsIsometric, perspective and assembly drawingLaminating, steam bending, cutting and printing processesRisk assessment and product safety lawScales of production, JIT and cell productionQuality assurance, ISO 9001 and continuous improvementDesign influences and intellectual property rights
Product Design in Industry and SocietyOption C
Topic overviewLife-cycle environmental impact and climate changeThe 6Rs, waste and environmental legislationSustainable metals, plastics and degradable polymersProduct life cycles, consumer types and relaunchesCAD, CAM, 3D scanning and quick-change mouldingMarket pull, technology push and market strategyPrice, place and promotionJigs, fixtures and ICT in quality controlDesign for maintenance, inclusion and scale productionRendering, typography and presentationDyson, Baylis, Memphis and Apple
Product Development
Product and System Design and Manufacture
Composite and Emerging Materials
- 4 subtopics
- 12 things to know
- AS 1 Paper 1
What Composite and Emerging Materials covers
Composite and Emerging Materials is examined in Unit AS 1, Paper 1: Design and Materials, the compulsory core. It covers thermochromic and photochromic materials, phosphorescent pigments, reflective films and holograms, liquid crystal displays and PEEK, PPSU and graphene.
Where it is assessed
AS 1 Paper 1
Design and Materials, the compulsory core — a written examination.
Check the CCEA specification ↗The 4 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Thermochromic and photochromic materialsSmart and modern materials, leuco dyes and liquid crystal pigments, thermochromic spoons, cans and kettles, photochromic lenses and inks, and their limitations.Open →
- Phosphorescent pigments, reflective films and hologramsPhosphorescence against fluorescence, glow-in-the-dark pigments and their uses, retroreflective and metallised films, and holograms for security and brand protection.Open →
- Liquid crystal displaysLiquid crystals and twisted nematic LCDs, backlights and reflectors, seven-segment and dot matrix LCDs, colour LCDs, their advantages and limitations, and LCD against LED displays.Open →
- PEEK, PPSU and grapheneThe properties and uses of PEEK in implants and aerospace, PPSU in baby bottles and sterilisation trays, composites, and graphene, its discovery and its current uses.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
How is graphene currently used in products?
Key term
What is a phosphorescent pigment?
Key term
What is a liquid crystal?
Key term
What is a smart material?
Key term
How does phosphorescence differ from fluorescence?
Key term
What is a liquid crystal display?
Key term
What is PEEK?
Key term
What is the difference between a modern material and a smart material?
Key term
Why does the glow from a phosphorescent pigment fade over time?
Key term
Explain how a segment of a twisted nematic LCD turns dark.
Key term
Describe the properties of PEEK.
Take Composite and Emerging Materials further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Thermochromic vs Photochromic
Thermochromic: changing colour in response to a change in temperature. Photochromic: changing colour in response to ultraviolet light.
Phosphorescent vs Fluorescent
Phosphorescent: storing light energy and continuing to glow in the dark. Fluorescent: glowing only while being lit by a light source.
Leuco dye vs Liquid crystal pigment
Leuco dye: a heat-sensitive colourant that switches between coloured and clear at one temperature. Liquid crystal pigment: a heat-sensitive colourant that shows a sequence of colours over a temperature range.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is a smart material?
Model answer
A smart material changes one of its properties in response to a change in its surroundings, such as temperature or light. The change reverses when the stimulus is removed.
- 2
What is the difference between a modern material and a smart material?
Model answer
A modern material is newly developed or engineered for improved performance, such as PEEK. A smart material is a modern material that responds reversibly to a stimulus.
- 3
What is a thermochromic material?
Model answer
A thermochromic material changes colour when its temperature changes. The colour change reverses when the material returns to its original temperature.
- 4
Name the two main types of thermochromic pigment and compare them.
Model answer
Leuco dyes switch between coloured and colourless at a set temperature and are cheap. Liquid crystal pigments show a sequence of colours across a range of temperatures and are more precise.
- 5
How are thermochromic pigments supplied to manufacturers?
Model answer
Thermochromic pigments are supplied as microencapsulated powders or concentrates. The pigments are mixed into inks, paints or polymers, or bought ready printed on film.
- 6
Give examples of thermochromic materials in products.
Model answer
Baby feeding spoons and bath toys change colour if they are too hot. Forehead thermometer strips and battery testers also use thermochromic materials.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Composite and Emerging Materials revision questions
- What does Composite and Emerging Materials cover in CCEA A-Level Technology and Design?
- 4 subtopics: thermochromic and photochromic materials, phosphorescent pigments, reflective films and holograms, liquid crystal displays and peek, ppsu and graphene. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Composite and Emerging Materials organised?
- By the CCEA 8900 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Composite and Emerging Materials, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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