Soft Matter Physics

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxv

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2. Condensed Matter: General Characteristics, the Chemical Bond, and Particle Interactions

   Pages 1-41

3. Atomic and Molecular Arrangements

   Pages 42-75

4. The Order Parameter: Amplitude and Phase

   Pages 76-104

5. Phase Transitions

   Pages 105-134

6. Elasticity of Mesomorphic Phases

   Pages 135-183

7. Dynamics of Isotropic and Anisotropic Fluids

   Pages 184-222

8. Fractals and Growth Phenomena

   Pages 223-260

9. Dislocations in Solids. Plastic Relaxation

   Pages 261-299

10. Dislocations in Smectic and Columnar Phases

    Pages 300-336

11. Curvature Defects in Smectics and Columnar Phases

    Pages 337-387

12. Disclinations and Topological Point Defects. Fluid Relaxation.

    Pages 388-433

13. Topological Theory of Defects

    Pages 434-471

14. Surface Phenomena

    Pages 472-518

15. Stability of Colloidal Systems

    Pages 519-559

16. Polymers: Structural Properties

    Pages 560-604

17. Back Matter

    Pages 605-637

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Introductions to solid state physics have, ever since the initial book by F. Seitz in 1940, concentrated on simple crystals, with few atoms per cell, bonded together by strong ionic, covalent, or metallic bonds. References to weaker bonds, such as van der Waals forces in rare gases, or to geometric or chemical disorder (e.g., alloys or glasses) have been limited. The physical understanding of this ?eld started well before Seitz’s book and led to a number of Nobel prizes after the last war. Applications cover classical metallurgy, el- tronics, geology and building materials, as well as electrical and ionic transport, chemical reactivity, ferroelectricity and magnetism. But in parallel with this general and well publicized trend, and sometimes earlier as far as physical concepts were concerned, an exploration and increasingly systematic study of softer matter has developed through the twentieth century. More often in the hands of physical chemists and crystallographers than those of pure physicists, the ?eld had for a long time a reputation of complexity. If progress in polymers was steady but slow, interest in liquid crystals had lain dormant for forty years, after a bright start lasting through 1925, to be revived in the late 1960s based on their possible use in imaging techniques. The optoelectronic properties of the ?eld in general are even more recent.

• PED
• PES
• STEM
• crystal
• elasticity
• liquid
• polymer

From the reviews:

"This book is an attempt to show the unity of soft matter systems. … It is noteworthy that the authors have emphasized and discussed in detail that the order parameter has two characteristics: an amplitude and a phase (also called a degeneracy parameter). … This book gives the conceptual means to classify the various types of singularities of an ordered medium. … This book will be very useful for researchers and postgraduate students." (K. M. Salikhov, Applied Magnetic Resonance, Vol. 27 (3-4), 2004)

"This monography on soft condensed matter originates from a series of lectures given by the authors … . The book is clearly written by two world leading experts of the field, it is an excellent basis for a third cycle course on the physics of liquid crystals. The bibliography is up-to-date and a list of valuable interesting references is added. … this book presents in a condensed but clear way many facets of a very rich and fascinating field. We recommend it … ." (Jean-Pierre Gaspard, Physicalia, Vol. 26 (1), 2004)

• Laboratoire de Minéralogie-Cristallographie de Paris, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

  Maurice Kleman

• Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, USA

  Oleg D. Lavrentovich

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