from BBC Radio 4 - Material World
One Man's Materials
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With the proliferation of new materials, it won't be long before artists become interested and incorporate them into artworks. It is also interesting to note that a materials science lecturer will be showcasing his collection of unusual materials at the Tate Modern!

Hence, the development of new materials is of import on 2 fronts. First, is that understanding how these new materials are made and behave over time, will better prepared us for their eventual preservation. Second, such materials, with never-before-possible-properties, could be of tremendous usefulness in devising better tools or techniques in heritage conservation.

And to kick start the process, one could also refer to an online compilation of a whole array of such unusual materials. Next stop: Mark Miodownik's "Library of Unusual Materials" at King's College, London.