6 ECTS — Semester 1 — Minor
Soft Matter physics is a branch of physics that deals with condensed matter systems, specifically those that are “soft” or deformable, such as liquids, polymers, gels, colloids, and biological materials. These materials have unique mechanical and rheological properties that are different from traditional “hard” materials like metals and ceramics. The study of Soft Matter physics involves understanding the behavior of these materials at various length scales, from the molecular level to the macroscopic level. The many applications of Soft Matter physics include materials science, biomedecine, energy technologies, environmental issues, and consumer products.
Syllabus
This course provides an introduction to soft condensed matter, also known as “complex fluids,” focusing on the physical principles governing their behaviour. Soft matter encompasses various physical states that are readily deformed by thermal stresses or fluctuations. Examples include liquids, colloids, polymers, foams, gels, granular materials, and several biological substances. These materials share a crucial characteristic: their primary physical behaviours occur at an energy scale comparable to the thermal energy at room temperature. The course will cover concepts, experimental methods, and unresolved questions, engaging students in discussion.
Suggested bibliography
- Fluid Dynamics for Physicists, Faber T.E (CUP 1995)
- Soft Condensed Matter, R. A. L. Jones, (Oxford University Press 2002)
- Biological Physics: Energy, Information, Life, P. Nelson (W. H. Freeman 2003)
- Molecular Driving Forces, K.A. Dill ,S. Bromberg , D. Stigter (Garland Science 2003)
- Structured Fluids: Polymers, Colloids, Surfactants, T. A. Witten (Oxford University Press 2004)
- Colloid Science: Principles, Methods and Applications, 2nd edition, Terence Cosgrove Editor (Wiley-Blackwell 2010)
- Introduction to Soft Matter, 2nd edition, I. Hamley (J. Wiley 2000)
Prerequisites
Knowledge of thermodynamics and basic statistical mechanics and some familiarity with differential equations, hydrodynamics and phase diagrams.