Quick Answer: The Smart Materials Kit contains smart putty, polymorph and a bag of hydrogel for exploring polymers that respond to force, water and heat.
Last updated: October 2026
Key Features
Smart putty: a viscoelastic polymer that stretches when moved slowly and bounces when impacted
Hydrogel powder absorbs up to 500 times its own weight in water
Polymorph softens and becomes mouldable by hand at 62°C
Polymorph can be reheated and reused, and coloured with food dye
Hydrogel can be weighed before and after absorbing water for a simple quantitative experiment
Technical Specifications
Specification
Value
Contents
Smart putty, polymorph, bag of hydrogel
Hydrogel absorption
Up to 500 times its own weight in water
Polymorph softening point
62°C
Users
Staff and students
About This Product
Students pile a little hydrogel in a Petri dish and add water drop by drop from a syringe or pipette until it can absorb no more. Polymorph is softened in hot water or with a hairdryer and moulded by hand to make prototypes. The smart putty behaves like a soft mouldable plastic but turns rubbery and bounces when impacted, and given time it forms a puddle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How is polymorph softened? It becomes easily mouldable at 62°C and can be heated with hot water or a hairdryer, then moulded by hand. It can be reused by reheating.
Q2. Can the hydrogel be used with plants? Yes. This grade can help small plants grow in the lab or prep-room. The amount to add to the soil is found by trial and error.
